100 years ago

A singular predicament, which had been solved in a singular way, faced Morpeth Board of Guardians regarding the appointment of a porter and a cook.

A married couple were required, but the feeling of the meeting was that the posts should be given to Mr WJ Bentham, of South Shields, and Miss Annie Slater, of London, both of whom were single. The marriage question was the only obstacle, and eventually the Guardians decided to offer the positions to Mr Bentham and Miss Slater, on condition that they became husband and wife before taking up the duties. They had been given a month in which to take or reject this step.

50 years ago

To help swell funds, the York and Mid-Yorkshire branch of the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children had arranged its first mile of pennies.

The mile was to spread up and down King’s Square in York. Giving an up-to-date report on the progress of the appeal would be a special chart, brought over from Leeds. More than 47,000 pennies would be needed to complete the mile. But every penny counted.

25 years ago

One of the interesting reflections prompted by the ongoing fierce battle over the future of Rowntree was the enduring sweet tooth of the human race.

The only reason why giants like Suchard or Nestlé existed, let alone hunger for the Rowntree empire, was that people the world over still tucked away vast quantities of chocolate. That they did so flew in the face of much well-meaning advice.

An army of dieticians would have had us abandon sugar-based products as bad for us. Yet, despite that, we snapped Kit Kats with our morning coffee or munched Yorkie bars to sustain us on long arduous treks (not to mention the army of lorry drivers who got extra mileage out of them). Children would find life strange without Smarties, smart dinner parties would be bereft without After Eight Mints and elegant young ladies would pine away without their Black Magic.

We even had to record (sorry, Rowntree) that, minus their Mars bars, some mountaineers would never get past base camp. And on this May Day holiday, when relaxation and pleasure was the order of the day, the battle for Rowntree would never be far from our minds whilst we sucked a Polo mint as we worried over what would happen next.