January 14

The old saying had it that: “You may lead a horse to the water but you can’t make him drink,” and, according to Mrs Edwin Gray, man was somewhat similarly obstinate.

Mrs Gray had been discussing domestic science and economy, but she had warned her hearers – speaking at the opening of the new domestic school in York – that before they could impress man with the cheapness of a certain food they would first have to teach him to like it.

Haricots and stew was the dish suggested and so, if York men got a reiteration of this dainty they would know the origin of the movement.

Mrs Gray, prior to that, had a little dig at her own sex in discussing “the snobbery that obtained in nearly every class about the question of domestic science”.

She mentioned that a good many women thought it was “infra dig” (demeaning), but did their best to impress those present with the necessity for practising that science in the home.

50 years ago

Skaters’ hopes had been raised by the news that it was currently possible for a man to cross the River Ouse on the ice. But more severe frosts would be required before the river was really safe for skating.

The winter of 1895 had probably been the best for skating that York had known within the lifetime of anyone still living.

According to a paper read in March of that year to the Yorkshire Philosophical Society: “No one could have wished for grander ice than was afforded in some reaches – especially the three-and-a-quarter miles from Linton Locks to Aldwark Bridge.”

Evidently skating was possible with a few slight breaks, up to Ripon. The Ouse first bore on February 1, and was safe in places until February 20. On February 8, it had got as low as 2.7 Fahrenheit (-16 centigrade), and on three other days that month, the temperature fell below 10 Fahrenheit (-12 centigrade).

25 years ago

The spectre of David Owen stood at David Steel’s shoulder as the Liberal leader fought for his political life.

Dr Owen was poised to move into the ruins of the SDP-Liberal merger talks and reassert his leadership of the political middle ground.

Mr Steel and Robert Maclennan, Dr Owen’s successor as SDP leader, had four fraught days to salvage a new merger formula from the one torpedoed the previous day by Liberal MPs.

Mr Steel put a brave face on the blackest day of his 12 troubled years as Liberal leader. “We were trying to rush things,” said Mr Steel.

“We have got to see over these next few days whether we can get the whole merger process on the road again.”