From our archives:

85 years ago

A pony gymkhana and an Arab raid were successful new features of the Helmsley Hospital Fete which was held at Duncombe Park.

Entrants for the gymkhana had come from Malton, Easingwold and Thirsk, with some of the cleverest young riders in North Yorkshire competing in the event.

The beauty of Duncombe Park was considered perfect setting for the gala, with the ruins of Helmsley Castle in the background.

For the children there were jumping competitions, potato races, bending races and musical chairs and for the grown-ups a Gretna Green race, wrestling on horseback and wheelbarrow race.

Damage estimated at thousands of pounds had been caused by a fire at the printing works of Johnson and Co York.

The premises, which had been stocked with modern and very valuable plant machinery, was reduced to ruin within the hour and at one point there was also an acute danger of the flames spreading to the adjoining property.

50 years ago

Charles Darrow, the man who invented the game “Monopoly” and once a heating stove salesman, had died at the age of 78, in Ottsville, Pennsylvania.

Darrow, who had become a millionaire through his parlour game in which players could win or lose vast paper fortunes, had sold more than 45 million sets of the game since its launch during the 1930s depression.

Due to misty weather, attendance at Burniston and District annual show was only around 3,500.

Farndale however had still attracted its customary large Bank Holiday crowds for its 62nd annual show.

Mr Ernest Barker, one of the first people to win the George Medal during the last war, had died at his home in Queensgate, Bridlington, aged 72.

Mr Barker, who was a ticket collector in 1940 when an ammunition train at Bridlington Station was bombed, won his medal for his bravery fighting the fire.

20 years ago

Irish supergroup U2 played their first show in Yorkshire for four years.

Thunder and lightning greeted the 50,000 fans at Roundhay Park, Leeds, but the skies cleared in time for the arrival of Bono.

Briton Margaret Jagger, was awaiting a jury’s verdict after reliving the Florida holiday nightmare which ended with her boyfriend’s murder for the fourth time in a court room.

First it got Heartbeat, then the Endeavour replica… now Whitby could find fame with a Teletubbies Christmas hit thanks to local resident Vince Brown.