From our archives:

85 years ago

York August Race Meeting, the principal meeting of the three held each year on Knavesmire, opened with racing of the best type and a satisfactory attendance.

The Princess Royal and the Earl of Harewood paid a visit, accompanied by the Marquis and Marchioness of Crewe and the Earl of Lonsdale, the weather remained fine as Ebor Day lived up to its reputation with a field of more than 20 horses.

York Hospital Supporters’ Club which had been generously supported by several leading citizens held its annual dance at the Assembly Rooms.

Twenty four jockeys had been invited and the plan was to get Steve Donoghue or Gordon Richards to hand out souvenir gifts to the dancers.

According to its organisers with more than 500 people last year wanting admission, “it was essential that those desirous of being present should purchase their tickets early".

50 years ago

Chicago, Crosby-style, went down better with Ebor Day racegoers at York than the horse, as Bing Crosby, singer and racehorse owner paid his first visit to York races delighting the crowds with his own version of the song after Chicago lost in the third race.

Heavily tanned after a safari holiday, Bing walked nonchalantly around the enclosure, on his way to the tea pavilion, dressed just like his fans wanted to see him, cool, lightweight checked summer jacket and straw trilby.

For Bing, accompanied on his flying visit by comedian Phil Harris, it was second hit of the day, as he had already picked two winners from the card.

York’s city centre had become a bull ring after a heifer which had escaped, ran amok tossing three people in the air, one of which had to be taken into hospital.

20 years ago

Dozens of York Carriageworks employees who had found work after being made redundant by ABB had been hit by a new asbestos scare at another train making factory the Bombardier Prorail Ltd near Wakefield.

A Health and Safety Executive who had been conducting a major investigation had revealed that systems of work for stripping asbestos from Mark 2 1970s railway coaches were still “unsatisfactory”.

The Spice Girls may have been Britain’s favourite band, but they had also been named the country’s number one nightmare neighbours, along with Oasis singer Liam Gallagher and Jeremy Beadle.