100 years ago

The Lord Mayor wrote: “We, the Lord Mayor and Magistrates and some representative women of the city of York, appeal to you men and women, old or young, you show your devotion to your city and country in its time of stress and peril by refraining from doing anything which will lessen the efficiency of the newly-recruited men, or make the new conditions in which they find themselves more difficult for them.

"Honour them to your hearts’ content. Give them cigarettes, pipes, tobacco, socks, shirts, chocolates, or sweets, but do not treat them with intoxicating liquors or do anything to lower their moral standard. They are going to fight our battle in the field. Help them to keep fit, and so fight yourselves for what is right.

"Another danger to be noticed is the number of young girls who are allowed to walk our streets during the evenings, and we are sorry to say in some cases late into the night. This is a very serious matter, which calls for immediate attention on the part of all parents and others interested.

"The unseemly conduct witnessed of late will receive the close attention of the police. To women and girls we specially appeal to bear ever in mind the solemnity of the current situation, and to refrain from levity and from making difficulties for the recruits.”


50 years ago

Miss M Monkley wrote: “I should like to support the view that it would be a great pity to roof in the Yearsley Bridge Baths, and that many regular users would thus be deprived of their summer recreation if this were to happen.

"I know of one boys’ school where, by heating an open-air bath to 80 degrees, the season has been greatly extended. The bath can now be used from March to October or November. This has proved to be far cheaper than roofing the bath, which had been considered as an alternative.

"I very much hope the city council will give further consideration to this matter before taking the drastic step of roofing the baths, and thus completely changing their character and usefulness.”


25 years ago

The green belt between Heslington and the outskirts of York was in danger of being swallowed by a crop of new developments, according to objectors.

More than 400 Badger Hill residents had signed a petition protesting at a new housing development on the boundary of the York and Selby districts.

Residents of Badger Hill feared the pace of development meant their area would merge with Heslington. New housing nearby and widened roads would hasten its absorption into York.