From our archive:

85 years ago

London and North Eastern Railway’s General Manager Mr Thomas Hornsby had officially opened the new West Monkseaton Station, completed in less than a calendar month from its start date.

Proposing a toast at the Royal Station Hotel, Newcastle, the Divisional Manager said: “The Station might not be a great affair, but it demonstrated a spirit of progress and a desire to cater for the travelling public.”

Many of New York’s society debutantes were storming the offices of Broadway producers looking for a new thrill.

According to Reuter, 26 had already been “signed up,” and were making good progress.

Asked why they wanted to take up this new role for less than 30 dollars, the answers were; for the thrill of giving friends a “backstage” address, in performing before applauding crowds, or in the routine of “making up.”

50 years ago

York Central College of Further Education had been given some ‘Stately Home’ touches, like an Adams fireplace and a Georgian doorway. Accurate down to the last detail, there was just one snag though.

The door would never open, and the fireplace would never had known the smell of burning logs as it was all due to the handy work of Mr Salter and his plastering class, who believed in showing his students that there was more to plastering than spreading it evenly over the walls of new houses.

Actress Dyan Cannon, petitioning for divorce against actor Cary Grant, faced cross-examination in Los Angeles over her allegation that he took LSD and beat her.

Miss Cannon, aged 32, filed for divorce from the 64-year-old British-born actor on the grounds of mental cruelty during the 17 months they lived together after their marriage in July 1965.

She also demanded custody of their two-year-old daughter Jennifer.

20 years ago

After 26 months of queues and frustration for motorists on York’s Inner Ring Road, it was all finally coming to an end as building work on the £4.8 million Layerthorpe Bridge in York was set to be completed.

With just one last jam to remind drivers how bad things had been, workmen busily applied the finishing touches, painting white lines, removing equipment and sweeping up.

And Britain’s top banker Eddie George had given an exclusive interview with the Evening Press.

Asked about the impact of the Ecofin summit, he said: “In economic terms it will be remembered as the last informal Ecofin before the Euro is introduced in May.”