February 21

At the York City Police Court James William Peckitt, boot and shoe dealer, Low Petergate, was charged with keeping his premises open after 8 o’clock in the evening on February 12, in contravention of the closing order made by the city council.

Inspector Pinkney stated that he had seen two men enter the defendant’s shop 33 minutes after 8 o’clock in the evening, and come out with a parcel. He stopped the men, and they told him they had purchased a pair of boots.

Peckitt stated that times were hard and he had to compete with the multiple shops. The Bench said the defendant had been before the court for a similar offence before. On this occasion he was fined 2s 6d and costs.

50 years ago

The successful moonshot of America’s Ranger 8 spacecraft was one of several space probes expected this year. Having tested unmanned two-seater spacecraft successfully, the Americans were preparing for a manned flight.

One subject to which they had given a lot of thought was food for the crew. In the weightless conditions of space, a full bottle or glass could be turned upside down and the liquid would not flow out. But loose crumbs and drops of fluid would float away and could get into an astronaut’s eyes and lungs or possibly into delicate apparatus.

25 years ago

The House of Commons had backed overwhelmingly the Church of England’s measure allowing the ordination of people who had been divorced and then remarried, or who were married to divorcees. On a free vote, it was approved by 228 to 106 after a debate attended by an unusually large number of MPs for a late night event in the Commons.