From our archives:

85 years ago

Amongst the national news and sporting reports, was the very enlightening gossip features which had become a must read for any modern lady.

According to the Yorkshire Herald: “All the smartest women were wearing gingham, and looking very soignee in it.”

Made with white and green gingham fabric, collar, bow and cuffs of stiff white organdy, a dress of this kind needed to be cut with flares, not pleats, making it easier to launder.

The ‘Diary of a Yorkshirewoman’ discussed the Prince of Wales passion for the tango, one of the many recreations that he set himself in order to keep thoroughly fit and ‘Mistress Pepys’ wrote about her complaining Maid Jane, who had trouble with her feet when out walking with her young man.

The advice given was a salt bath.

50 years ago

It was sunshine and low humidity which had brought York its hottest temperature so far that year with the thermometer at 70 degrees by 1.30pm and it was good news for the York Minster Appeal Fund after the Joseph Rowntree Memorial Trust announced that it would give £5,000 a year for five years making a grand donation of £25,000, bringing the total to £692,936.

It wasn’t however great news for York Diocese which had announced it was in serious financial trouble.

In its annual report for the year ending February 1967, the York Diocesan Board of Finance reported that it was faced with a deficiency of over £8,000.

It was back to London however for Henry Cooper, who had successfully defended his British and Empire heavyweight titles for the seventh time with a two-round hammering of Jack Bodell.

20 years ago

The competition was getting down right grubby when contestants lined up for one of racing calendar’s more unusual fixtures.

But without a horse in sight stewards gave their orders for the first Great Yorkshire Maggot Derby.

The event was one of the main attractions at the Sutton-on-the-Forest gala.

It was no panto, but plenty of spirit as the York Grand Opera House announced it would not have a pantomime that Christmas.

Rather than a head to head clash with the York Theatre Royal panto phenomenon known as Berwick Kaler, owners Apollo Leisure was placing their faith in a dance inspired by Riverdance, aptly named Spirit Of The Christmas Dance.