April 27 (From York Press)

April 27

6:20am Friday 27th April 2012 in Way we were

100 years ago

It was perhaps as a sociable and elevating pastime that cycling had its greatest value.

The cyclist needed never to be without friends and comrades, and, whether on a short spin into the country at the close of the day's work, or on a long tour in holiday time, there were always the joys of human companionship for the happy wheelman.

And if he should not be socially inclined, there were the beauties of Nature awaiting him on every hand: trees would speak to him with tongues, he would find “books in the running brooks, sermons in stones,” and might end by becoming an incurable optimist, who would find “good in everything.”

50 years ago

Announcers and newscasters working for Midland ATV were warned to dress sensibly for the cameras - or be faded out.

The warning was given by Mr Philip Dorte, ATV's Midland's Controller, who thought the announcers were trying to be too fashionable.

“Announcers and newscasters are there to do a serious job of work, and their dress should in no way lead to distraction from what they are saying,” he said.

“Recently there has been a growing tendency for announcers to be too flashy for television appearances.”

A BBC television spokesman said there had been no complaints of their announcers wearing dress that was anything but correct. Announcers' dress had been the subject of investigation as an engineering problem. All checks and wide patterns were out, because they tended to produce a blur on the screen.

“And, of course, no announcer would ever dare to wear a white shirt. A plain white shirt produces the wrong effect on the tube and they always wear blue or something similar.”

25 years ago

The Herald of Free Enterprise was brought back to the harbour where just over seven weeks before her last fateful voyage began.

The stricken ferry, refloated at last, was towed into Zeebrugge - where she vanished almost immediately behind a thick curtain of mist.

Within seconds of her return to port, the sad remains of the Herald, with an estimated 25 bodies still on board, were invisible even from the beach just 250 yards away.

She had inched her way to the outer harbour under clear blue skies and on the calmest of seas, but the mist rolled in as the vessel, still listing, was coaxed in by four tugs.

A gaping hole in her bow showed where one of her outer doors had been torn off. Her inner water-tight bow doors had been sealed by the salvage team.