Tuesday, September 14, 2004

100 years ago: Visitors to the Yorkshire Philosophical Society's grounds now had the assistance of a plan, showing the position of the Roman, medieval and modern museum buildings. An enthusiastic member of the society came up with the idea, which showed the location of the Hospital of St Leonard, the Multangular Tower, the ruins of the Abbey Church, and the other reminders of bygone age, along with a suggested route, marked by an arrow, for those whose time was limited.

50 years ago: A tree in Cemetery Road was attracting attention, and an early Christmas card, from people who saw it. Over 40 years previously the householder found an ash seed had taken root in a flower box, and when it got to 8ft tall he moved it to his front garden, to give it more "stretching room". Here it thrived, despite attempts by soldiers during the First World War to dig it up or snap it. Since then it had grown apace, now reaching 63ft, most of which was just a silvery trunk with a neatly trimmed ball of green stuff at the top "rather like a giant's feather duster". Strangers regularly knocked on the door to ask about it, including the Canadian who sent the Christmas card, addressed to "The House with a Tree, Cemetery Road, York". Even a man from the Forestry Commission turned up and asked how the tree grew so straight, to which the answer was "just careful trimming," a task now carried out by a friend with a long ladder and strong nerves.

25 years ago: Napoleon had been carried away from outside The Kiosk in Lendal, York, for a £150 facelift. A stream of tourists had taken their toll, especially the French, who stopped to hug and kiss the wooden statue. He had been carved in France in 1820 from a single piece of oak, and shipped to Hull two years later, where the present owner's great-grandfather collected him to stand outside his tobacconist's shop in Bridge Street, for the next 140 odd years. 'Boney's' battle scars included some from during the war when celebrating soldiers tossed him into the River Ouse, to be fished out at Naburn Lock. He had also been arrested, when he was accidentally left out one night, and so police took him into protective custody, or else he could well have been on his travels again.

Updated: 08:39 Tuesday, September 14, 2004