Monday, November 15, 2004

100 years ago: The final "pat" had been given to the roadway in Coney Street, which had been "up" for some time, for the laying of electric cables from New Street to Coppergate. While the operations had been in progress much discomfort had been caused to pedestrians, and tradespeople generally reported a depression in trade. Coney Street shopkeepers were dependent for much of their trade upon the "carriage clientele", and no vehicles were allowed in the street during the time the roadway was disturbed. Some shopkeepers had not observed any palpable decrease, though they said there must be a loss because no carriages had been allowed to stop at their doors, but other tradesmen had detected an appreciable loss and had been told by regular customers that they had gone elsewhere pro tem for their goods. One shopkeeper, a tailor, stated that he had a good week, but he accounted for that by the state of the weather, which had been favourable to his trade.

50 years ago: Someone had fried and ate two pounds of sausage the previous week, and if they did not suffer from pangs of indigestion perhaps they did from conscience. For the sausages did not belong to them, the owner of them wrote to Mr Nobody, and said: "I bought them while on my way to work at a Government office. I put them on a table at 1.30pm and before 2pm they had disappeared, although I was working only a few yards away. In the end 2lb of sausage cost me 8s. This happened at a place where honesty and integrity are essential, so perhaps the wife who received a present of 2lb of sausage will give the culprit a lecture and so prevent further such occurrences which may eventually lead to his downfall."

25 years ago: To cut down on administration work North Yorkshire Police announced that from December 1 they would give parking tickets, rather than going to court, in the cases of motorists who parked cars without leaving on their lights where necessary. The £6 fines could be avoided by owners of cars and commercial vehicles under 30 cwt who parked them close to the nearside kerb in a 30 mph zone, and at least 15 yards from a junction. All other parked vehicles, for example those parked facing towards the traffic in a 30 mph zone, would have to have lights on or be fined.

Updated: 16:45 Friday, November 12, 2004