From our archives:

85 years ago

The Prime Minister had attended an audience of the King.

Foreign affairs were likely to have occupied a large proportion of the weekly Cabinet as well as a briefing on the current early interchange of Trans-Atlantic messages as a result of Mr Roosevelt’s talk with Sir Ronald Lindsay.

A Lobby Correspondent had reported that Mr Roger Lumley, MP, had been back at the House of Commons.

“He is looking much better after his serious illness, and his subsequent recuperation in Egypt, but has to go slowly for some time to come.”

A gift coupon craze had reached distinctly unhealthy proportions effecting the ordinary channels of tobacco distribution.

Unfortunately, a section of the community had focussed their attention upon gifts rather than upon the tobacco company itself.

Cigarette trade had shown an increase, but tobacco companies had to up their game, buying brands that associated themselves with a full range of coupon gifts.

50 years ago

York Children’s Camp Committee which had been providing summer holidays for needy children in the city since 1926 was facing a financial crisis.

Mr Wareham, the treasurer, told the committee’s annual meeting that with the £50 they had in hand their estimated income this year - £250 - would probably just cover the cost of holidays that year.

And York Civic Trust had offered to pay for the cost of restoring the city’s coat-of-arms in the newly decorated Theatre Royal.

The coat-of-arms over the proscenium arch had been painted two shades of green.

John Shannon, chairman of the Trust, replied “the colours have filled us with dismay.”

Mr Shannon wanted to see the coat-of-arms returned to its original splendour.

20 years ago

Britain had won their first medal of the Nagano Winter Olympics with a four-man bobsleigh team sharing bronze with France.

Sean Olsson’s bob had recovered from a poor first run that morning claiming Britain’s only 10th Winter Games medal in 50 years thanks to a tremendous second leg.

As dusk fell over the River Ouse, torch-carrying Vikings lined the bankside to bid farewell to a great warrior.

A single, flaming arrow shot across the night sky and set alight the sail of the long boat anchored in the river bed, carrying the body of the dead hero.

Tourists had joined locals on the banks of the Ouse between Lendal and Scarborough bridges to witness the spectacular event.