From our archives:

85 years ago

Dense fog had enveloped Flamborough Head over the Christmas period.

Coastguards and lifeboat men kept watch in relays while the booming of passing steamers was continuous.

Late at night, while the young fishermen were at a dance rumour was circulated that a steamer was sending distress signs.

The men left the dance and rushed to the beach.

In Selby the Fire Brigade had been called out to a late-night fire at Foggathorpe, East Riding.

Fog had, however, hampered the journey making it difficult for the emergency services.

On arrival at Foggathorpe they found there had been an outbreak of fire over the blacksmith’s shop of Mr J Aldan, but villagers had subdued it with buckets of water.

The brigade instead had a perilous ride home.

50 years ago

Queen Anne-Marie of Greece suffered a miscarriage, losing the baby she was expecting in June.

The condition of the 21-year-old Danish-born wife of the King Constantine was described as “completely satisfactory.”

The Yorkshire Evening Press announced that from January 1, 1968, the price of the paper, including the Saturday Sports Press, would increase from 4d to 5d In recent months evening newspapers in Yorkshire and throughout the country had been compelled to make similar increases and the Evening Press had been able to maintain its present selling price only by absorbing rising production costs.

A York man Mr Wally Herbert, aged 32, was to lead “the longest, coldest walk ever attempted by man.”

He and three other men, two Britons and American planned to walk across the North Pole, from point Barrow, Alaska to Spitzbergen, north of Norway, a journey of 3,000 miles that was expected to take 16 months.

20 years ago

A modern-day Alice in Wonderland was being sought as Ripon prepared to mark the centenary of Lewis Carroll, the man whose stories took generations of children to a land of fantasy.

The city which had strong links with the famed author was marking Carroll’s death 100 years ago with a series of events throughout 1998 as part of the city’s seasonal festivals.

As a festive gesture to their favourite postman, residents in Ryedale took it upon themselves to decorate their postman’s van.

In the week before Christmas Mr Burke had carried out his deliveries around Malton in a tinsel-covered van.

Adding to the spirit of things he even dressed up as Santa, beard and all.