From our archives:

85 years ago

Hitler’s announcement that Germany had left the League of Nations and the Disarmament conference had been accepted with a good deal of philosophy amongst London’s political circles. Leader of the Opposition, Mr Arthur Henderson, recommended that the General Commission on Disarmament should adjourn for a brief period to enable governments to take stock of the situation. Germany wrecking the pact however, had been considered a blatant slap in the face for Signor Mussolini. An amusing incident had occurred during the Duke of Gloucester’s tour of South Wales after one of the patients, a nine-year-old boy named Teddy, who shared the same birthday as the Prince of Wales was readmitted to Pontypridd Hospital and tucked up in bed so that he could full fill his life long ambition and meet the Duke. And dense fog had enveloped East Riding and its coast holding up the road, rail and shipping traffic.

50 years ago

Orders totalling millions of pounds rolled in as the Motor Show opened its doors at Earls Court, London. The first order announced was from the Metropolitan Police for 97 Rover cars and Land Rovers worth £125,000. Two men in York had narrowly escaped serious injury after a gas main they were working on had exploded and burst into flames in Micklegate. The men, working in a pit which blocked half of the road, were putting in a new service main when the accident happened. And Jane Russell, Beryl Davis and Eartha Kitt were all heading their way to the big stage of Batley’s Variety Club for a full week of cabaret.

20 years ago

Youngsters Matthew Young and Rachel Dales had something to sing about after receiving the prestigious Royal School of Church Music Dean’s Chorister Awards in recognition of their “loyal and devoted service” to the church choir in the splendid setting of York Minster. Cards For Good Causes had opened its annual charity card shop in York, with more than 80p of each pound spent in the shop in St Martin-le-Grand Church, Coney Street, going to good causes. And former model Heather Mann, who was rumoured to be dating Prince Andrew, was happy to smile as she left her workplace but refused to comment on a possible relationship with the royal.