From our archives:

80 years ago

It was sad news for York after the death of composer Sir Richard Terry. Sir Terry who had composed many popular hymns played throughout Britain’s Roman Catholic churches, would be especially missed by the masses at St Wilfrid’s and the English Martyrs, as Sir Richard had been a regular visitor. York Musical Society made a presentation to Sir Edward Bairstow in recognition of his long and distinguished service to music in the city. Sir Edward, who had recently completed his silver jubilee at York Minster in his role as Master of Music, thanked both old and new members for their loyal support. And Backhouse Nurseries had won the Brotherton Trophy for the most meritorious exhibit at the spring flower show Harrogate, thanks to their outstanding blooms of double blue polyanthus named after Lady Hamilton, a well-known York personality.

50 years ago

At least 11 people had been killed, 200 injured and hundreds left homeless after tornadoes had hit the Ohio river basin. Telephone and power lines were down in many areas and high-voltage electrical wires blocked some highways. There were also reports of large hailstones, as big tennis balls, which had followed in the path of the rotating winds. A member of the Pocklington Magistrates bench for many years, the Earl of Halifax, was congratulated by fellow magistrates on his appointment as Lord Lieutenant of the East Riding. And Selby shipbuilders, Cochrane and Sons had won orders for a 698-ton cargo and oil rig supply vessel. The cargo vessel, a short sea trader for the London and Rochester Trading Company Ltd, was to operate on affixed run between Whitstable and Denmark, carrying dairy produce.

20 years ago

York Railway Station announced it would receive a £3 million facelift for the new Millennium as part of a rolling programme of improvements to the rail network. Railtrack had also become the latest big sponsor of the Evening Press’s Proud To Be York campaign, which aimed to make the city a more beautiful place in which to live. And scientists in York had devised a cunning love trap to help protect Britain’s £2 billion grain crop from a tiny pest. The saw-toothed grain beetle, one of several insects which was attacking millions of tons of grain stored in huge warehouses, was being lured away from the feast with synthesised pheromones.