From our archive:

85 years ago

Wedding bells were ringing in York for Mr Arthur Hedley Butler who had married Miss Lydia Ruth Morell.

Giving away his daughter at the Friends’ Meeting House in Clifford Street was Alderman Morrell, watched by the very proud Lady Mayoress, who wore a grey and blue silk brocade robe, grey hat and feather boa.

Attended by a large and very fashionable gathering the wedding was followed by a reception at Burton Croft, the home of the bride’s parents.

Police were called to the Law Courts of York to warn motorists of the danger of a live wire, after a cable had been stretched, as two trams returned back to the depot.

Thankfully the traffic was only in danger for about three-quarters of an hour while the wire was live.

50 years ago

Hurricane-force gales and heavy rain lashed Yorkshire and the rest of Britain during the night leaving a trail of flood warnings as rivers overflowed their banks.

Trees were felled by the winds, phones and electricity supplies cut and roads and rail lines blocked.

The River Ouse was also rapidly rising, with a recording of nine feet above normal level after more than an inch of rain had fallen in a 12-hour period.

Fifteen hundred electricity consumers were also without power in the Thirsk district after a tree had been uprooted and brought down an overhead feeder cable.

Electricity Board workers were soon on the scene and within an hour all but 300 had the power back on.

And the Rolling Stones pop group admitted that their leader Mick Jagger had had “business conversations” with Paul McCartney of The Beatles, over a possible business merger.

20 years ago

A York department store, which could now pride itself on being “the Harrods of the North”, had unveiled its new look after undergoing a major facelift.

Browns, one of North Yorkshire’s premier retailers, had spent thousands of pounds on revamping its flagship Davygate store.

Regulars were once again downing their pints at a pub closed by a licensing mix-up.

The Swan, in Bishopthorpe Road, York which was closed due to breaking its licensing regulations, was once again business as usual after having to eat humble pie in court.

And St Margaret’s Church, Walmgate, was once again up and running after a lottery renovation making the church a mecca for early music lovers.