From our archives:

80 years ago

Fine weather and a record attendance had favoured a garden party in aid of the Huntington New Earswick Nursing Association and Infant Welfare Centre. Held at Sorensen’s Farm, the Garth, New Earswick, children were entertained with a play entitled “The Stolen wand,” and a series of folk dances by school children ended the day on a high. A record sum of money had been taken, with over 200 teas served. Flights by two pilots from Sutton Bank to Yorkshire coast, which had earned them the Silver “C” certificate, were features of the Yorkshire Gliding Club’s Whitsuntide meeting at Sutton Bank, Thirsk. The silver “C” certificate was the highest award of British gliding, calling for an altitude of 2,500 feet, a duration flight of five hours and a distance flight of 32 miles. And stormy scenes had characterised the annual meeting of the Milk Marketing Board at Central Hall, Westminster, where Mr Wiltshire (Hampshire) made a bitter attack on the accounts and moved a resolution that before the balance-sheet was accepted it should be scrutinised by the Board of Trade.

50 years ago

A dramatic “abandoning ship” message from a transatlantic yacht race competitor had launched a massive air-sea rescue bid after Frenchman Joan de Kat earlier reported that his 50ft sloop Yaksha was breaking up and that he was taking to his life-raft. A rescue operation began immediately, and two Shackletons from Iceland headed towards the area. One of Thirsk’s leading hotels, the three Tuns in the Market Place, was due to be demolished to make way for a new shopping centre. If planning permission was obtained, the 14-bedroom hotel would be sold by its brewery company owners to a London development company. And Selby’s out-of-work total had fallen by 22. The latest count showed that 123 men, two boys, 30 women and one girl were unemployed.

20 years ago

Drunken World Cup violence had erupted on the streets of York in a depressing reflection of the chaos that marred England’s opening Group G game in Marseilles. The city’s police cells were filled to overflowing after 45 arrests were made in the aftermath of England’s 2-0 victory over Tunisia. A pioneering masterplan to take the North York Moors into the 21st century had been published by the Parks management committee. And summer has finally arrived in North Yorkshire as temperatures soared to 80F for the Midsummer Solstice.From