From our archives:

85 years ago

The future of the gas industry had never been brighter.

Progressive strides in mechanical and scientific research had produced astonishing results some of which had been brought to light at the annual meeting of the York Gas Company, held at the Davygate Gas Offices.

For motor fuel three distinctive uses had been mentioned, and from the optimistic tone of the speeches it was likely that York may make a name for itself in yet another direction, a pioneer in the manufacture of gas for motors.

In Washington the Senate of America had adopted a resolution for the Repeal of Prohibition.

The resolution was to provide protection for the “dry” State from the importation of liquor from their “wet” neighbours.

The resolution however still had to be ratified by three-quarters of the 48 State Conventions before it could be submitted to the President as a constitutional amendment.

50 years ago

Residents of Garrow Hill, York, delivered a protest petition to York Corporation over the sudden renaming of their street to Green Dykes Lane.

Not only was the move causing confusion over its mail delivery, but residents were also concerned with conflicting stories from the GPO and the corporation to whether the Post Office had actually been warned of the name change.

Each of the 62 “thalidomide babies” whose parents had sued the company which made and marketed the drug their mothers took during pregnancy, were told that they would receive “substantial damages” under the new settlement terms.

The first of a host of late-night entertainments, had been presented at York Theatre Royal by Irish folk singer Noel Murphy.

Pleased with the attendance of a 170-strong crowd, Noel said: “He could have gone on all night.”

20 years ago

Firefighters were still tackling a massive blaze which had torn through a North Yorkshire waterworks and lit up the night sky for miles around.

More than 70 firefighters had been called to fight the flames of Yorkshire Water’s Elvington treatment works, near York, in what was believed to be the largest fire in the country for several years.

And a Government bid to persuade the United States’ heartland of the necessity for air strikes against Iraq had been disrupted before it had barely begun, thanks to protesters chanting “One, two, three, four, we don’t want your stinking war!”