100 years ago

The appeal for mouth-organs for the troops uttered on December 28th, had not been made in vain.

Hundreds of these instruments had been received from kindly donors, and the result could be heard on all sides.

Not only did cheerful sounds proceed from billets and dugouts, but many of the detachments and small bodies of men moving from one point to another now marched to the sentimental notes of “Tipperary,” or the lilt of “Get Out and Get Under,” instead of tramping the slush in silence.

The craving of our men for music had evidently touched all classes and ages.

Even small children had sent their own well-worn and tiny instruments, probably cherished possessions, as a contribution to the soldiers at the front, who were, after all, fighting their battle.


50 years ago

Mr Kenneth Robinson, Minister of health, in reply to questions in the Commons, said the Government had decided the time had come to end the advertising of cigarettes on television.

He said the decision would come into operation as soon as practicable. “The number of deaths from lung cancer in Great Britain continues to increase,” he said.

“During the first nine months of last year, the provisional total was 20,850, an increase of nearly five per cent over the same period in 1963.”

The Secretaries of State for Scotland and for Education and Science and he were continuing and intensifying health education on the risks to health of cigarette smoking.

Among other measures, posters were being exhibited on public transport and other suitable sites and short films had been accepted for showing on BBC and Independent television.


25 years ago

The phenomenal Clifton Moor boom looked set to create yet more jobs and more homes for York.

Developers were planning a new warehousing and office park on 13 acres of land at the junction of Clifton Moorgate with Water Lane. Several national firms were understood to be interested. And Persimmon Homes were applying for permission to build a development of up to 700 houses, also on Water Lane.

The agents for the industrial development, Hepper Robinson, were seeking offers of at least £125,000 an acre for the land, which would give it a total value of more than £1.6 million. They had applied for planning permission for office and light industry, and warehousing and storage use.

The site stood across the road from the rapidly-expanding Clifton Common and Employment Park and could take some of its overspill. Mr John Burley, manager of Hepper Robinson's York office, said it was impossible to say how many jobs would be created by the new developments, if it got planning permission.

He envisaged some office use, which would create more jobs than warehousing.