100 years ago

Mr H Rushholme, of Petergate, York, had made an appeal: “I need about £5 more to secure the value of a ticket to enable us to bring Tot Moore back to York from Australia. Tot is playing football there and says he never played better in his life than he has recently.

"Although he has been able to secure work, and had tempting offers to remain and play football in Australia, he is anxious to get back to York, and would give of the best to his old club. Will members and friends of NU football kindly help me further to raise the balance required?

"It is expected that the York NU Football Club will be considerably strengthened; and the services of Tot Moore, whom the Australian Press acclaim “the smartest full-back in all Australia,” will substantially improve the composition of the team.”


50 years ago

It was 57 years since G Coverdale & Sons, Ltd – the Parliament Street, York, chemists – opened a photographic department.

The firm itself was founded in 1839. The early days of the century catered for photographers who would be astounded at the current techniques of the craft, and at the pile of accessories which could make up a high-class camera kit. And just as Coverdale’s catered for the box camera enthusiasts of yesterday, so it met modern demands.

Now the boom-time in the amateur photographers’ world had arrived, Coverdale’s was keeping ahead by opening an extension to its premises with an entrance in Feasegate.

Photographers wanting to try out any item – cine or slide projector for example – could see it working in the showroom upstairs. In fact, a full cine show could be put on for you.


25 years ago

Pigeons had been lifesavers in the Second World War. And now Malton Museum man Stan Johnson was to pay tribute to the gallant birds that brought back thousands of messages from under the nose of the enemy.

More than 200,000 of them went to war – volunteered from some of the best racing flocks in the country. They flew for the RAF, bringing back pin-point information on ditched bombers, for Army Intelligence Service and the Army Pigeon Section.

Pigeons were dropped by parachute behind enemy lines, with a tag asking for information and a questionnaire to be completed by the finder. In 1942 the first pigeon responsible for saving the crew of a plane from the sea was awarded the Dickin Medal.

The bird went down with a Beaufort 120 miles from Norway and struggled free of his canister to fly back. After he arrived back the rescuers – up till then searching the wrong area – took only 15 minutes to locate the crew.