100 years ago

Throughout the English-speaking world the centenary of Dickens’ birth was being celebrated on a most elaborate scale, testifying to the remarkable hold which the novelist had on the great body of the reading public.

Branches of the Dickens Fellowship in various parts of the country, as well as many other literary societies, were celebrating the event, either by banquet, ball, lecture or recital, or by something very much after Dickens’ own heart, entertaining poor children.

But for the death of Mr Alfred Tennyson, the Fellowship in London would have been leading the celebrations. Not the least interesting feature of the centenary was the tableau prepared at Madame Tussaud’s Exhibition.

It represented the interior of the novelist’s study at Gad’s Hill, and from the windows could be seen the old Falstaff Inn and the gates at the entrance to the subway which Dickens had constructed to communicate with the garden and chalet opposite.

No pains had been spared to make the tableau a faithful representation of the scene as it was at the time of Dickens’ death. A great celebration of the birthday would be held in Carnegie Hall, New York, at which authors, actors and prominent men would participate.

50 years ago

“The prestige of the festival had grown everywhere but inside York,” Mr Hans Hess, Artistic Director of the York Festival Society Ltd, told a press conference at York Art Gallery.

“Our support comes more and more from outside and less and less from inside.” But York is still to be given its festival next year.

The conference would announce plans for a three-week programme in June, including the traditional performances of the York Cycle of Mystery Plays, and an experimental new “Light Programme.” The form of this programme was not yet determined, but it could include a performance by a leading jazz orchestra, or a “top pop” singer.

This widening of the festival’s scope was a move to strengthen its appeal within York itself.

25 years ago

Mrs Thatcher performed a ceremony at York railway station to “plant” the 1200th pylon in the electrification of the East Coast main line.

She was walking through the booking office and talking to passengers on her return to York after delivering a speech at Scarborough.

The Prime Minister had earlier swept into York on an Inter-City 125 train. Watched by a large crowd of onlookers, Mrs Thatcher left the station in a three-car convoy, accompanied by her Parliamentary Private Secretary, Mr Michael Alison, MP for Selby.

She was given a warm reception but there were some boos from the crowd.