From our archives:

85 years ago

Mr Stanley Baldwin and the Marquis of Titchfield had been invited as guests of the Society of Yorkshiremen in London and the Yorkshire Society for their 28th Banquet at the Holborn restaurant, London. Presiding over the engagement was Lord Irwin, accompanied by Lady Irwin, who started off the proceedings with a telegram from King George sending his apologies and warm greetings to all members of the society. And members of the York Corporation Housing Committee had made a special visit Lancaster, to inspect the new houses being built by the Borough Council at a cheaper cost than those being built on the Huntington Road Estate. After making a few comparisons the committee was fully satisfied that the York houses compared better in many respects.

50 years ago

Students had turned a public meeting into chaos at York University when Mr Patrick Wall, Conservative MP, for Haltemprice, tried to address a 500-strong audience on Rhodesia. There were ugly scuffles between students and stewards in which a 60-year-old man being knocked down, a microphone was snatched from Mr Wall, and a girl student was taken to hospital with a sprained ankle after the table she was standing on collapsed. One elderly woman guest of the university’s Conservative Association and Monday Club, which arranged the meeting, was called a “pig” when she attempted to answer some of the students. Despite a plea for order from Professor Harry Ree, Provost of Derwent College, the meeting was closed after 40 minutes, even though Mr Wall had only been speaking for ten minutes. And police were taking strict security measures over the holding of the Great Train Robber, Bruce Richard Reynolds, who was to be remanded in custody until November 18.

20 years ago

Fire crews had been called out for the second time in a month to a blaze at the Yorkshire Farming Museum at Murton, near York. Thankfully no major injuries had been recorded to man or boar, but two earth and straw Viking Huts, one of which was a longhouse, had been burnt to the ground. And a riot of colour had welcomed visitors to the 51st Pocklington Chrysanthemum Show. With more than 470 entries the show had proved it was one of the most popular flower events in the district with some exhibitors having travelled from as far as Oxford.