100 years ago

THE Secretary of the Admiralty announced information had been received that two persons posing as an officer and sergeant, and dressed in khaki, were going about the country attempting to visit military works, etc.

They had last been seen in the Midlands on the 6th of February, when they effected an entry into the works of a firm who were doing engineer’s work for the Admiralty. They had made certain inquiries as to the presence or otherwise of anti-aircraft guns, which made it probable that they were foreign agents in disguise.

All contractors engaged in works for HM Navy were notified with the view to the apprehension of these individuals, and were advised that no persons should be admitted to their works unless notice had been received beforehand of their coming.

 

50 years ago

ALTHOUGH it was primarily as an architect that Sir John Vanbrugh had taken his place in history, in his own day he had been equally renowned as a playwright and man of the theatre. It was appropriate, therefore, that Castle Howard, the magnificent house he had designed for the Earl of Carlisle, should have been chosen as the setting for a film to be made this year.

It was also interesting to note that York Theatre Royal was this season to present a play he had originated, for while working at Castle Howard he must have been a well-known figure in the York society of the time. In fact, Vanbrugh had been married in York, at St Lawrence’s Church. The entry of 1719 was still to be seen in the old Parish register.

The wedding was presumably a fashionable affair, for by this time the Vanbrugh had been knighted and held the appointment of Clarenceux King-at-Arms. Born in 1664, Vanbrugh was believed to have attended a school at Chester. In 1683 he had been sent to France to train as an architect.

 

25 years ago

THE Channel Tunnel might never be finished because of continuing problems over the soaring cost, the French co-chairman of Eurotunnel had warned. “I can’t be sure, but it may mean that,”

Mr Andre Benard admitted after a French court intervened in the row between his firm, owners of the tunnel, and builders TML, threatening to halt work on the massive project. The court had ordered Eurotunnel to hand over £62 million in unpaid fees to the construction consortium. But Mr Benard later declared “the whole continuity of the project” was at stake.

A syndicate of more than 200 international banks funding the work would not release more money until TML and Eurotunnel called a truce.