From our archives:

85 years ago

Britain seemed to be setting the pace behind the scenes at Lausanne.

Mr Macdonald was straining every nerve to bring about an agreement on the root problem of Franco-German Reparation arrangements.

Much was to hinge on his heart-to-heart talks with M Herriot lasting five and a half hours, which was described by a competent observer as a “momentous interview”.

The King and Queen held their third Court of the season at Buckingham Palace, presenting more than three hundred debutantes.

There was however only one Royal request, that only gowns of British manufacture should be worn.

The Queen on the other hand, wore a gown of pink and gold embroidered diamante and a train of Indian pink and gold border.

Diamonds shone in her hair, and over her corsage she wore the ribbon of the Order of the Garter.

50 years ago

Hundreds of people from York were among 3,000 disappointed spectators who had travelled to Queen’s Hall, Leeds, in the hope of seeing Billy Graham’s opening night on closed circuit television from Earls Court London.

Technicians wrestled for hours to obtain the relayed picture but failed, as the audience sat through the two-hour meeting in semi-darkness.

Council employees attended the Pocklington Midsummer Arts Exhibition in Burnby Hall and members of the Kirkbymoorside pre-school play group were pictured having some artistic fun of their own.

In Poppleton there was a display of singing and folk dances round the Maypole from more than 50 York University English students.

The Maypole decorated with evergreens and flowers, was part of the Scandinavian Midsummer’s Eve ritual.

20 years ago

Big-hearted staff from Drax Power Station and Full Sutton Prison teamed up for a marathon van push raising more than £3,000 for charity.

The 12-strong team left the prison at the crack of dawn to push a two-tonne Ford Transit van 37 miles to Drax.

And top rock band Oasis announced their first British tour.

In a surprising move, all 12 shows were to be held at indoor venues rather than the usual massive sell-out stadiums.

York Early Music Festival administrative director received the key to the crumbling medieval St Margaret’s Church, Walmgate, after help from a £1.5 million National Lottery grant to turn it into a British Centre for Early Music.