100 years ago

OUR British allies had, as everyone knew, two main preoccupations – to be able to shave and to have tea. No danger deterred them from their allegiance to the razor and the teapot.

At an undisclosed location in the Department of the Nord, a British officer of high rank had been overheard declaring with delicious calm between two attacks in the town: “Gentlemen, it was nothing. Let’s go and have tea.”

Meanwhile his men had taken advantage of the brief respite to crowd round the pump and producing soap and strop, they proceeded to shave minutely and conscientiously, with little bits of broken glass serving as mirrors.

The writer was profoundly amused by the new British war-cry, “Are we downhearted?” And the resounding “No!” which followed it.

“After a volley has swept the ranks,” he said, “there is always some joker to shout the question, and all the rest roar out, in the midst of general laughter, ‘No!’”


50 years ago

FASHION had been drawing more-than-full-houses in Coney Street, York, this week, where coffee-time and tea-time queues had been a feature of the autumn series of informal fashion parades held in the Leak and Thorp restaurant.

Coats, suits, “separate” skirts and rainproof coats all showed a great deal of tweed while another top-favourite in rainwear was the iridescent coat.

Jersey was becoming a classic for lighter suits and day dresses, while, for cocktail dresses, lace and velvet were making a big bid for attention this season. Lace gowns could be dignified outfits for matrons, or pert little frocks for teenagers.

In this younger range, the fabric lent itself gracefully to this season’s 18th-century-length flowing cuffs. Full-length outfits were well established now for after-six, both in formal ball-gowns and the leisure hostess gowns and skirts.


25 years ago

PICKERING’S cinema, still threatened with closure, had enjoyed record attendances during the tourist season. Cinema manager Mr Bob Preedy said the Castle Cinema had enjoyed an “incredible summer.”

He said it had been the best summer since he first took over the running of the cinema in 1984. “The visitor trade will tail off at the end of September and then it will be up to the locals to keep on supporting us.”

The future of Pickering’s only cinema was still in doubt. It was currently owned by Bradley Soames and Wrigley Ltd, a Leeds-based company. One of its directors was Filey businessman Mr Pat Corrigan.

It had closed down just before Christmas the previous year but re-opened after schoolgirl Kathryn Hill launched a petition pleading for the big screen to be saved.