100 years ago

Lance Cpl C Gilbert Grace, 5th Reserve Cavalry Regiment wrote: “Might I be allowed, through the columns of your paper, to express my disgust at the impertinence of some hundreds of York young men who parade every Sunday morning in front of the band of the 5th Reserve Cavalry Regiment.

"I say impertinence, as these fellows, who air themselves with all the glory of 'following the drum', and whose ages vary from 19 to 30 years, strike me only too forcibly as being remarkably fit for enlistment and numerous enough to form the full strength of a regiment.

"May I invite them to explain their reasons for thus being content to idly watch their more patriotic fellows in uniform, while they themselves make no attempt to recognise their responsibilities and train themselves to keep the enemy from our shores.”


50 years ago

There was a good attendance of parishioners at the annual parish meeting at Upper Poppleton, near York, the chairman, Councillor T A Simpson, said the parish council intended to stand by its decision not to accede to the request of the owners of a new petrol station, being built on land adjoining All Saints' Church Hall, for permission to widen the entrance to the petrol station by claiming a part of the village green, which was now owned by the parish council.

The manorial rights of the village green had been acquired during the year, and a set of bylaws had been formed. One of the main objects was to prevent parking of cars on the village green.

There was currently a car park on land adjacent to the Lord Collingwood Inn, and another car park was to be made soon on part of the green in front of the White Horse Hotel and adjoining shops and business premises.


25 years ago

A York-based tour operator said knotted hankies and Kiss Me Quick hats were blighting tourism in Yorkshire’s seaside towns.

Mr Steve Price, managing director of Rainbow Holidays claimed “naff” holidays habits like changing swimsuits under a towel were stifling the yuppie end of Britain's tourism market. Now he was calling on resorts to adopt an altogether more sophisticated image.

He said: “We need a more continental image along the coast to reflect improving standards instead of continuing with the down grade, down market look which only gives inspiration to funny postcards!”

He had drawn up a list of 20 holiday habits he wanted to see outlawed in resorts from Scarborough, Filey, and Bridlington to Torquay and Bournemouth.

They included shorts worn with sandals and socks, red and white bodies, buying car stickers saying ‘My last holiday was in the Caribbean’ and very large men wearing very small T-shirts.