From our archives:

85 years ago

During the past few weeks Northern Command manoeuvres, which had taken place throughout Wensleydale, had created a considerable amount of interest amongst the dales people. The movements of the Tank Corps were of particular interest as large numbers of villagers gathered on the village Green in East Witton. For cinema-goers the main event was “The Crooked Circle” starring Ben Lyon, Zasu Pitts, James Gleason and Irene Purcell. The thriller was of a universal interest, as a series of mishaps by an amateur detective organisation turned mystery and thrill into laughter. And Nat Gould, the author of many famous racing stories had been involved in an aeroplane accident in which the pilot had lost his life, and other passengers were injured. The plane which had left Doncaster races, had run the full length of the field and was rising into the air before it struck a hedge and toppled over on to its nose.

50 years ago

Private James Purvis, the Army’s latest recruit at Strensall Barracks, York, had been tipped as a potential championship athlete. The 19-year-old whose home was in Cockerton, Darlington, had already represented Great Britain twice, and was now signing a six-year engagement with the ambition of becoming a physical training instructor. Mental patients at Clifton Hospital, York, had been entertained by Community Service Volunteers with a programme arranged by the local organiser, Mr J Moses. Mrs E Bray, warden of York International House, Burton Stone Lane, accompanied her husband, showing a series of colour slides of their recent visit to the United States. And Castle Bowl, Scarborough, the 20-lane bowling alley which opened in 1965, announced that it was not closing. According to managing director Roy Smith, as far as they were concerned they never intended to close the bowl, “we have never even considered it.” The bowl was leased on a 42-year contract from Town Centre Securities.

20 years ago

Customers enjoying a pub lunch in York fled when smoke filled the building. Fire officers revealed the fire was the second in recent weeks at the Golden Lion in Church Street. According to station commander Gerry Faith, the source of the incident was a pair of dungarees that had been stuffed in a warm air duct and had caught alight, probably from a cigarette. Meanwhile, police had issued a major alert after 8,000 minks had been released from a breeding farm in the village of Onneley.