Friday, January 27, 2006

100 years ago

At the Eastern Ainsty Petty Sessions held at York Castle, a York drayman named William H Witty of 35 Newbury Street, was summoned for having been asleep in charge of two horses and a dray, at Acomb. PC Fry said that he saw the defendant in Front Street, Acomb, in charge of two horses and a dray, driving towards York. He was lying on the front part of the dray fast asleep. The PC shouted and then walked alongside the wagon for about 150 yards, but the defendant slept on. Finally he climbed on to the shafts, and shouted again and this time the man awoke, his first words being, "I wasn't asleep, sir." The defendant told the magistrates that he had been up since a very early hour on the day in question, and was very tired. A fine of 2s 6d and costs, 7s in all, was imposed.

50 years ago

"We're still hoping that Mother Nature will give us a bit of skating this winter," said Mr F A Bonner, who was secretary of York Ice Skating Club. "We did very well last winter and had many happy hours on the Rowntree Park Lake." Members, in the meantime, were busy getting funds together to pay for gramophone records and equipment to make the most of their few precious hours each winter. "We have obtained a score of special gramophone records for ice skating," added Mr Bonner, "and also some scrapers for cleaning the surface of the ice, and are now raising money to pay for them."

25 years ago

New £1 and 20p coins were to be introduced in Britain the following year. This was announced in the Commons by the Chancellor, Sir Geoffrey Howe. He told MPs the two new coins would both become legal tender in 1982. Designs for the coin were being drawn up and final details were expected to be completed within a few months. The Chancellor said there would be talks with the banks and other main money users over these and other aspects of the changes, but he emphasised that the decision in principle to introduce the new coins had already been taken and only the details remained to be settled. Sir Geoffrey said the £1 paper note would remain in use. No decision was announced about the future of the halfpenny coin but many MPs believed the Government could soon announce that it was to be phased out.

Updated: 16:21 Thursday, January 26, 2006