From our archives:

85 years ago

The weather was causing havoc for York’s sporting activities after the county cricket programme had to be stopped due to rain.

York, who should have visited Harrogate to play a Yorkshire Council match, had received an intimation that morning that the visit would be fruitless.

York A’s match in the York Senior League was also cancelled because of the rain.

The weather didn’t however stop the grand opening of Bertram Mills Circus by the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress, who mainly came to check that no cruel methods had been adopted in the training of the animals, after a series of circular letters advising him not to recommend that the citizens of York support the circus.

50 years ago

It was operation move in for 320 pupils and staff at Tadcaster’s new £80,000 junior school, which went off without a hitch, despite warnings that some parents were prepared to keep their children at home because of what they called the “highly dangerous” main school entrance.

The new school, which took 18 months to build, stood back from the Tadcaster Boston Spa road on the outskirts of the town.

Both parents and teachers had agreed that the entrance was a danger spot for children, despite the fact that there was a 30mph sign warning motorists to slow down as they entered Tadcaster.

And it was top of the album charts for both Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett, two singers who were considered as just about the best there was in the pop idiom.

20 years ago

A Selby paper-making factory was running at only half capacity after fire damaged one of its main machines.

The fire broke out just before 7am at Rigid Paper in Denison Road after bearings overheated on the factory’s No 1 machine.

The mill’s sprinkler system was thankfully automatically activated and prevented the blaze from spreading.

The new Old Dairy sound and video studios in Haxby Road, York, were officially opened by the Lord Mayor of York, Councillor Mick Bradley.

Among the guests were group members who already used the old Dairy facilities, including radio groups, the Take 5 production group and band members.

And stuffed creatures were causing a stir among the wildlife in Rowntree Park, York, in aid of Wild Link Environment Day.