From our archives:

85 years ago

The evacuation of York Castle as a prison and its subsequent sale by the Prison Commissioners to the Yorkshire County Committee had given rise to anxiety as to the future of the site.

The removal of the mean modern buildings and the ugly boundary wall and gate-house would reveal a fine view of Clifford’s Tower and the Motte on which it stood, with the Carr buildings beyond.

York now had the opportunity to do honour to one of her great citizens, architect John Carr, by placing in a proper setting these examples of his work.

The Earl of Harewood had made his way to Shipley, West Yorkshire, to open its new Town Hall.

After unveiling a commemorative tablet in the entrance hall, he was then presented with a gold key bearing the Shipley coat-of-arms in enamel.

50 years ago

Mr Clint Hill, the secret service agent who ran from the follow-up security car to climb into the Presidential limousine when president Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, had been promoted to chief body-guard of the White House.

Vehicles calling at the Northern Dairies depot, Hull Road, York, had to travel over a bed of straw which had been sprayed with disinfectant because of the foot and mouth epidemic.

And BBC 2 launched Britain’s first full colour television service showing the scheduled Billy Smart’s Circus.

After ten years in black and white, television’s longest running spectacular, The Black And White Minstrel show also returned in colour.

20 years ago

Hordes of angry women who flocked to a girlie show in York had demanded their money back after declaring strip act the Dream Boys “a load of rubbish”.

Deputy general manager at the Grand Opera House Julian Withers was besieged by a crowd of furious audience members both at the interval and after the show, all claiming the bronzed, muscle-bound lads were just not up to scratch.

Their complaints included:

The show started 20 minutes late.

The Dream Boys did not wear the Santa Claus outfits they were pictured in on the posters advertising the show.

And most important of all they were just not sexy enough. Nestle Rowntree had given children 101 reasons for visiting Santa’s proposed new grotto in York.

The York-based confectioner had agreed to donate packs of chocolates, based around the hit Disney film 101 Dalmatians, for Father Christmas to give to children.