100 years ago

Quartermaster-Sergeant wrote: “Since coming to York I have on two occasions seen the members of the local Volunteer Corps passing through the city, and I have been most favourably impressed with their smart and soldierly appearance, notwithstanding the fact that they are attired only in mufti.

"May I, however, ventured to draw the attention of those in command to a matter which would still further enhance their appearance.

"In marching in the order known as 'column of route' the tall men and the short are indiscriminately formed together, which gives the battalion an unnecessary and undeservedly ragged appearance. The platoons should be made up of tall men and short men respectively and distinctly.

"This procedure is especially necessary in Volunteer Corps, where no standard height is in vogue, though of course for the opposite reason it does not apply to the Regular Army.”


50 years ago

Royalty and villagers mourned together today when the Princess Royal was buried next to her husband in the 200-year-old family vault beneath the chancel of the Church of All Saints on the Harewood estate.

The Queen led the mourners at this private funeral of her 67-year-old aunt who had collapsed while walking in the estate grounds.

The royal party were joined in the 12th Century church, a quarter of a mile from Harewood House, by 100 tenants and estate workers. The Queen's wreath was all white and the card signed "Lillibet" – her childhood's pet name – and "Philip."

At Yeadon Airport, earlier, hundreds of people saw the big airlift of Royal mourners arriving there to motor to Harewood. The simple funeral service was conducted by Canon Henry H Griffith, Vicar of Harewood, and Rural Dean of Wetherby, and an address was given by the Archbishop of York, Dr Donald Coggan.

The little church seated 530, including representatives of organisations to which the Princess had devoted herself – the Guide Movement, the Red Cross, the Women's Institute, the Army and others.


25 years ago

Satellite dishes looked set to be banned in part of Scarborough because councillors claimed they would spoil the resort's skyline.

Members of Scarborough council’s development services committee had already turned down two applications for dishes and had warned they would pull out the plugs on others.

They were keen to retain the character of the town’s conservation area which was of special architectural and historic interest. Committee chairman Councillor Jean Greenan had asked officers to investigate the issue to come up with a clear policy for the siting of satellite dishes.