100 years ago

Escrick, although only a small village, had responded nobly to the call for men to defend King and Country, and the ladies had not failed to do their part.

Up to the present 39 men had responded to the call. While the men were doing their duty the ladies were spending their leisure time in providing comfort for those in the fighting line.

Working parties had been formed, and work of making articles of clothing for the wounded soldiers and sailors had been progressing in a very satisfactory manner, with the result that a large number of useful articles had been dispatched to the proper authorities.

The four Belgian refugees who had arrived in York about a fortnight before and were kindly taken by the Hon. Irene Lawley to a cottage specially prepared for them, were greatly enjoying their new surroundings.

They had all been found employment tending to the gardens on the estate, an occupation which they seemed to enjoy.


50 years ago

York was to have a language laboratory, where the latest techniques of language teaching would be used.

Provision had been made for it in the current capital estimates, and in view of the fact that suitable accommodation was available at Scarcroft School, York Education Committee had just approved a proposal for a scheme to be prepared for the establishment of a first laboratory.

It would be used for shared daytime use of the two grammar schools in the area and for the evening use in developing the language work of the Department of Commerce.

Commenting on this, the chairman Councillor A L Philipson said the intention was for the service to be shared by as many people as possible.


25 years ago

A hippo was being hunted by police in York. The pyjama-clad giant toy, worth nearly £200, had been grabbed from the York Divan Centre in Clifford Street.

The Silentnight mascot had been quietly sitting on a Divan bed when someone pushed through a boarded-up window and walked off with it late on Friday night. But its friend, a furry yellow chick, had been left behind.

Manager Tom Langon said the loss of the hippo was particularly galling because he had planned to give it to charity at Christmas.

“We thought we might give it to St Leonard's Hospice as a prize in a draw. We have had it for two or three months. The window was smashed nearly a fortnight ago and was still boarded-up when it was pushed through at about midnight on Friday.”

York CID detectives were investigating the theft.