From our archives:

80 years ago

The new High Altar in York Minster, which had been erected as a memorial to the late Lord Halifax had finally been completed. The date of June 1 had been arranged for a dedication ceremony by the Archbishop of York, Dr Temple and it was understood that all though they would be several people to watch, on this occasion there would be no night watchmen. Brigadier M H Dendy, Northern Command, who lived in Escrick Park Flats, had been appointed Aide-de-camp to the King. Both the Brigadier and Mrs Denby had made no enemies and many friends since they came to York and both possessed a keen sense of humour and the type of personality which ensured popularity. And Despina Karadja, a member of the Swedish Royal family, was the guest speaker at several meetings in Selby in connection with the fourth centenary celebrations of the Reformation and the English Bible.

50 years ago

Police were keeping a special watch for forged tickets at Wembley Stadium, during the Cup Final between Everton and West Bromwich Albion. The stadium authorities and the police had announced that they were in possession of forgeries printed turnstile G, entrance 64, warning the public not to buy tickets from touts with this lettering and numbering. Faced with Communist-led workers seizing factories throughout France, President de Gaulle had cut short his visit to Rumania to return to Paris and face one of the most serious challenges to his 10-year-old regime. Strikes had occupied more than 100 factories in France as students and workers defied the Government in the greatest social upheaval since 1945. And fifty girls at a high school in Houston, Texas, had been suspended because the school said their skirts were too short.

20 years ago

One of North Yorkshire’s most beautiful stately homes had been reported as at risk of crumbling away. Castle Howard, where the television series Brideshead Revisited was set, was among the 2,000 Grade I and Grade II listed buildings, which had made up the first register of England’s Historic Buildings at Risk published by English Heritage. Top of the neglect list was Nicholas Hawksmoor’s mausoleum. And jobs at a closure-threatened Ryedale factory had been saved. The Dewhirst clothing factory at Norton, which employed 140 people due to close at the end of May had now been bought by a Scunthorpe businessman, Peter Tason.