100 years ago

Considerable interest had been taken in a number of tests of sirens, one of which would be fixed at the Electricity Works and used for the purpose of giving warning to the citizens in the event of an aerial raid on the city.

In all five sirens had been tested, a long blast being blown on each at intervals of half-an-hour.

Their effect had been duly reported on, and it was understood that a selection had been made, consisting of a combination of a siren and two whistles, one of the latter being 2½ inches, and the other 3½ inches in diameter.

It was expected that further tests would be made in order to familiarise the public with the instrument chosen.
 

50 years ago

A business established in York in 1664, which claimed to be the oldest of its kind in England, was moving to new premises shortly.

The existing premises of J and G Oldfield Ltd, wine and spirit merchants, in Davygate, had been built in those far-off tranquil days of horse-drawn drays.

Now with the tremendous increase in road transport and the heavy congestion of traffic in the centre of the city, it had been found increasingly difficult to stock adequately the cellars and warehouses and make regular deliveries to various branches of the firm in Yorkshire.

Large trucks negotiating the narrow entry to the courtyard - where the stables for the dray horses could still be seen - caused traffic hold-ups in Davygate and uneconomic delays in deliveries.

The firm's new warehouse, cellars and offices were in The Crescent, off Blossom Street, York. The retail sales shop, however, remained central for the convenience of customers.

Charmingly appropriate in the Georgian style with white-framed bow windows it was in St Sampson's Square.

Pale wood panelling and copper topped counters blended with the old pendulum clock from the original shop in Lendal and combined with the rows of glowing spirits and wines to give an impression of traditional warmth and contemporary efficiency.
 

25 years ago

The Army was on alert in North Yorkshire after an explosion had wrecked a recruiting centre in Halifax.

The attack had prompted fears of a new wave of IRA bombings in Britain. An Army spokesman said they were taking the incident very seriously and tightening up security at barracks and offices in the county.

No one had been hurt in the blast in the centre of Halifax, just five days after an IRA attack on Army recruiters in Leicester.

The explosion in New Street, Halifax, had blown out windows and doors and caused damage inside the office. Forensic scientists and members of the Army bomb squad were searching the wreckage for clues.