100 years ago

However popular it might have been in ordinary social circles, the tango, it appeared, would not be countenanced at court.

The King had on more than one occasion lately expressed strong disapproval of the tango as entirely unsuitable for ballroom dancing. The Queen, who was very conservative in these matters, was of the same mind. Her Majesty was extremely fond of dancing, but kept altogether to the style of the late Victorian era, and did not even countenance “reversing,” which had become general in society long before there was any talk of the tango.

It was certain, stated the “World,” that whatever might prevail elsewhere during the coming season, dancing of the old-fashioned and, as many of us thought, more dignified kind, would be seen at Buckingham Palace and at any of the great houses their majesties honoured with their presence.

 

50 years ago

The chairman of York City Council’s development and planning committee had been asked to make a policy statement at the next meeting of the council on his committee’s attitude towards neon signs.

The request had been made by Coun NL Wright, who said he felt sure that such a statement would be of great help to many business houses in the city. He said he knew of one firm which was baffled by the committee’s refusal to allow it to put up three illuminated signs on its premises in Blossom Street. They had been told it was unnecessary supplication and that it would spoil the visual approach to Micklegate Bar.

Coun Wright agreed that care had to be taken in York, but he thought there were streets in York, of which Blossom Street was one, which lent themselves to illuminated signs, provided they were tasteful.

 

25 years ago

The spectre of too many museums fighting over too few tourists was haunting tourism chiefs in York. The fear was that York’s slice of the tourism cake might crumble as more and more businesses touted for trade.

Admissions had already slumped at some of the city’s star attractions this year. And there were fears that they would fall even further under government plans which could hit school trips to museums. Mr Brian Horner, administrative director of the Yorkshire Museum of Farming, warned that there was only one slice of cake to go round. He said museums might suffer from plans to increase tourist attractions in York.

One new museum which would open in the New Year, the Automata Museum in Tower Street, was targeting 200,000 to 300,000 visitors a year. “There are only 24 hours in a day and a limit to how much they can see and do,” said Mr Horner.