Monday, October 18, 2004

100 years ago: If the lady offenders did not do something to remove the nuisance of big hats, they may, the Evening Press was told by an anonymous letter writer, be relegated to seats by themselves at musical festivals and other functions. There had been several complaints in the paper about them, and regarding the nuisance, a correspondent wrote in that he had travelled over 100 miles, and occupied seat number ten in row 19 at a local music festival, and before him were four ladies. Having a foot rule in his pocket, he quietly took the dimensions of the hat of the one immediately before him, and it was 16 inches wide and nine inches from the shoulder to the top, the other three being of a similar description. The results was that he was unable to see anything on the platform, except just nine sopranos and nine contraltos at each corner.

50 years ago: Watching the mayoral party crossing St Helen's Square for the civic harvest festival service, Mr Nobody had wondered how many of them realised they were walking over the site of an old graveyard. Just over 200 years before, it extended in front of St Helen's Church, occupying a triangular piece of the present square. In those days, both Stonegate and Davygate met in Coney Street, the walls of the churchyard forming the frontage to both streets. So many people were buried there that it was raised well above street level, parishioners having to climb steps to get into the churchyard and descend another set to get into the church. Carriages going to the new Assembly Rooms had difficulty in negotiating the turning into Blake Street so it was decided to remove the churchyard, the Corporation giving in exchange a piece of land further down Davygate.

25 years ago: There was a renewed demand that ratepayers should get a concessionary rate for York's long stay car parks, brought about by the proposal of increasing parking charges. The winter price would go from 15p to 20p, and the summer rate from 30p to 40p. Short stay car parks would cost 10p for up to two hours, with free evening parking being retained, and Sunday rates of 20p in winter and 40p in summer. Leeman Road car park would remain free in winter, as would Heworth Green. Councillor Steve Galloway said that some sort of scheme should be introduced to make it cheaper for York residents to park.

Updated: 08:58 Monday, October 18, 2004