Monday, May 8, 2006

100 years ago

Structural alterations of an important character had commenced at York station with the object of providing a large tearoom for the use of passengers, particularly of those who had to break their journey at the Minster city. The new tearoom was being conveniently erected on the northern portion of the station premises, and would front the open square situated between the hotel and the station entrance. The main feature of the building would be a series of octagonal and circular bays, and it would be surmounted at each corner with domes, rising above the roof.

50 years ago

Despite what York Housing Committee described as "a general lack of interest," York Corporation gardens competition could yet be held. By a large majority, York City Council, at its meeting the previous night, supported the reference back for further consideration of a Housing Committee decision not to hold the competition this year. The competition began in 1951 when there were just over 200 entries. Numbers in subsequent years became smaller, but the number of challenge trophies increased. There were now 10, with promises of up to £70 in prize money. Councillor L Daley said some of the gardens he had seen on the estates had been a picture, and he would like to see interest revived. He hoped that television would not kill another fine hobby.

25 years ago

Unemployment among York University's new graduates had doubled in a year. Students were being advised to form a clearer idea of what they wanted to do. The increase in jobless first-degree graduates from 54 in January the previous year to 127 in January this year was not caused by a big reduction in permanent jobs. "The change came from the difficulty of getting any sort of temporary work," said Mr Martin Biggs, the university's careers director. Of 824 graduates, 344 got permanent jobs. The percentage was 41.7 compared with 44.8 a year earlier. The percentage gaining temporary jobs declined from 8.7 to 2.5. "This is a development particularly damaging to York graduates," Mr Biggs commented. "Traditionally, a considerable proportion of York graduates has used a period of temporary employment as a period for exploring the opportunities available to them and their own reactions to the experiences of performing certain types of tasks. If this period of transition is to be denied them, it becomes more essential for them to develop sufficient sense of direction and skills necessary to obtain permanent employment before they finish their degrees."

Updated: 10:14 Monday, May 08, 2006