From our archives:

85 years ago

News from America soon filtered into the local press after reports that a tornado had swept across five Southern states causing scenes of total destruction and killing more than 214 people with many hundreds injured.

Every hour the death toll was increasing as eye-witnesses described the tornado as a spiral like black dust which appeared to be moving slowly, sometimes creeping on irresistibly towards its prey.

In York the sale of Cornish Guernsey cattle was the big attraction of the day, bringing breeders and dairy farmers from all parts of the North.

Other good news for York was that the Good Friday match against Rochdale at Fulfordgate was still set to go-head after directors had stepped up to pay some of the wage arrears for the Rochdale players.

50 years ago

Easter was next on the agenda for York, with St Stephen’s children’s home, receiving a huge Easter egg by an anonymous donor, known only as Uncle John.

And hessian was the way to go for your Easter bonnet. The bonnet in this unusual fabric wouldn’t be bonnet shaped, but a brown derby or a bowler or a Breton.

There was also a marvellous collection of cowboy shapes with wide sweeping brims and under the chin ties.

Hat counters seemed to have put a hold on flower hats, suggesting that to achieve this effect you could adorn your hat with gaily printed fabrics instead.

And cookery expert Michael Bateman posted an excellent recipe for steak and kidney pudding, stating that cooking the pie for a long period doesn’t spoil the pudding, but only improves it flavour.

20 years ago

The Lord Mayor of York, Councillor Ken King, looked a little flushed when he launched the start of work on the new toilets at Naburn CE Primary School.

Making do with outside toilets for a 125 years, staff and pupils were looking forward to the day when they would no longer have to brave the elements to spend a penny.

St Peter’s Girls Under-15 and senior swimming teams celebrated a double triumph after winning three out of four of the John Parry relay races to become the North of England Independent Schools swimming champions.

And two more peaceful demonstrations had been planned to protest about the test burns of petroleum coke at Drax Power Station.