100 years ago

The Antwerp “Nieuwe Gazet” had published a two column article in English entitled “To the British Nation.”

The article said: “During the unspeakable trials our poor little country has had to put up with for the last two months you, the people of Great Britain and Ireland, have remained our hope and our trust.”

Another paragraph ran: “All our people who came to you have found with you a brother and sister, and how many of you have taken upon yourselves, with easy mind and warm heart, the duties of parents to the poor orphans who have lost father and mother in this terrible war?”

 

50 years ago

Messrs JG Hudson, domestic electrical appliance retailers, of Acomb Court, were well in step with the boom in transistor radios. They were also alive to the future there was for transistorised television sets.

The trend to miniaturism in transistors had meant small, efficient receivers, components with longer life, and fewer repair bills. These small but highly- efficient designs had resulted in truly personal radios, some no bigger than a box of matches. They ran at extremely low cost, were very cheap to buy, and were complete with earphones.

In the television field, Hudson’s offered some of the new compact designs which were more reliable, had improved sound reproduction, convenient controls, and tubes which gave sparkling vision. There were models with doors, which closed over controls and tube, models with acoustically designed cabinets and VHF radio. Hudson’s had beautifully designed radiograms, with cabinet styles which would enhance the appearance of any home.

 

25 years ago

The estimated cost of building the Channel Tunnel had soared to £7 billion disclosed Eurotunnel chief Alistair Morton. Mr Morton, UK co-chairman of the Anglo-French consortium behind the private-sector project, announced it would need to raise £1 billion more to complete.

The escalating costs, up to 40 per cent in two years, could push fares to exorbitant levels when the Chunnel finally opened, some observers feared. British Rail said North Yorkshire’s link to the Continent via the tunnel was still assured but admitted the announcement was worrying. City reaction was immediate, with 140p slashed from the price of the company’s shares on the stock exchange, bringing them down to 555p.

The main problem for Eurotunnel, the consortium which would operate the tunnel, was its disagreement on projected construction costs with Transmanche-Link, the consortium of 10 British and French construction firms which was physically constructing the giant project. Mr Morton remained optimistic, insisting that the June 15, 1993, opening date remained on target.