100 years ago

THE Yorkshire Herald published a remarkable list of the York men who were serving in his Majesty’s forces.

The list contained more than 3,000 names, and had been mainly compiled in connection with the work of the York Citizens’ War Relief Committee, which had published an appeal through our columns for the names of all York men.

It was as complete as it could be made in the time available, and with constant additions being made of the daily enlistments.

But it could hardly be claimed to be exhaustive especially with regard to York men who had in recent months joined regiments in different and distant parts of the country and in the colonies.

When finally completed it was believed that the list would be put in some permanent form and placed among the city’s archives. It was a list of brave men who had done and were doing their duty to their King and country.

Every citizen, it was suggested, should make it a point of honour to secure copies of the list for preservation as a souvenir of the Great War and an evidence of the part which the ancient city had played in the defence of the country and the Empire.


50 years ago

HOME they brought the warrior dead... and laid him gently to rest in the peace of an old English country churchyard. But before that quiet anti-climax, Sir Winston Churchill had been paid an unparalleled tribute by thrones, denominations, princedoms and powers, in funeral ceremonies the like of which even London had never seen before.

Hundreds of thousands lined streets in silent homage, and uncountable millions more watched the solemn panoply on their television screens.

Amid a congregation of 3,000 at St Paul’s Cathedral, there stood the Queen and her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, together with Prince Charles, the Queen Mother and other members of the Royal Family.

But the world itself seemed to have gathered beneath the great dome. From 110 countries they had come... four Kings and a Queen... four Presidents... and 16 Prime Ministers.


25 years ago

THE days when lovers cuddled in the back row of Pickering cinema could be numbered. For planners had given Bradley Soames and Wrigley Ltd permission to turn 10/11, Burgate – the cinema’s site – into three homes.

But they were insisting the company should submit an application to demolish the moviehouse first as it was in a Conservation Area.

The mid-1930s picture palace was not protected as a listed building. The town council had objected to the plan because it could mean the cinema’s end.

However, the northern area planning committee chairman said that was not a valid reason to object in planning terms.