From our archives:

80 years ago

Despite persistent rain during the afternoon and evening, 40 members of the Yorkshire Architectural and York Archaeological Society spent an enjoyable half-day visiting Lastingham, Helmsley and Pickering. The party then crossed the moors to Helmsley Castle, before taking tea at the Black Swan Hotel, Helmsley. The day had been a great success, and thanks was given to the Rev Angelo Raine, who had organised the whole event. And a nationwide effort was being made to raise £500,000 for the Boys Scouts Imperial Headquarters to secure the future of the movement. North Riding had played an important part in the promotion of the Scout movement, and the Lord Lieutenant, Lord Bolton, as President of the North Riding Boy Scouts’ Association, was desirous that there should be a worthy response to the appeal.

50 years ago

The great rail shut-down was on. With no trains running over the holiday weekend there was “chaos” at Bridlington station as holidaymakers scrambled to return home ahead of the 32-hour shutdown. Hopes of an early development to end the “rail go-slow” had faded, when executives of the National Union of Railwaymen and Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen, who had been standing by in case of a development, dispersed. And York Theatre Royal’s backstage girls got themselves into costume as Brazilian senoritas. The outfits loaned by the Brazilian Embassy, were a new advertising strategy to promote The Brasiliana Show, which was due to start in July.

20 years ago

An extra £200,000 was needed to build a North Yorkshire tourist attraction dedicated to Britain’s most famous vet. As well as a public appeal for funding Hambleton district councillors were asked to inject a further £200,000 into the £1.4 million World of James Herriot Centre at Thirsk. The scheme was attracting great interest from across the world and would be a huge asset for the district. Heartbroken pupils at a York special school had their pleas for help answered after vandals destroyed hours of their hard work. The City of York Council and a local garden centre came to the rescue of Northfield School, Acomb, after their nature garden was ruined by the hooligans. And pop star Louise and her footballer fiancé Jamie Redknapp were expected to marry on a luxury yacht in Bermuda in front of members of their families and friends.