Wednesday, July 14, 2004

100 years ago: An "old offender" caused much hilarity in court after he was arrested in Bridlington for being drunk and disorderly. The sergeant who found him flat on his back in the street, stated that the man was shouting, but the defendant retorted: "To tell you the truth, mister, I was a bit fresh, but not disorderly," provoking a titter. "I will take my dying oath - I was going home, sir." The chairman told the defendant to be quiet, to which the reply was: "Let's have it right! I asked a woman for a flower," every sentence being punctuated by laughter in the court room. Having been told his behaviour wasn't making his case any better, especially having already been up in front of the bench once this month, the defendant added: "To tell you a bit of truth, mister, I know that. To tell you the truth they will have me before I get out of court. They cannot get nobody else." The chairman waited for the laughter to subside before fining the defendant £1, and after warning him he would probably go to prison for his next offence, was thanked profusely by the old offender, who paid up promptly and left the court smilingly.

50 years ago: Only torrential rain would now produce flooding in the railway drain from Barff Lane to Doncaster Road in Brayton, said a report from Selby Rural Surveyor, as the drain had been thoroughly cleaned and "flooding is unlikely to occur". The Housing and Finance Committee of the council had recommended the annual cleaning of the sewer until the comprehensive scheme for Brayton was in operation, the council's liability ceasing when the Brayton scheme started. The local Officer of Health said that he was prepared to make a report on the need for a sewerage scheme in Brayton, recommending that the scheme should be started as soon as possible.

25 years ago: The police mounted road blocks outside Lumley Barracks in York after three mortar shells were found. Bomb disposal experts were called from Catterick Garrison, who identified them as Second World War dummies, measuring about three inches long and filled with sand, but in appearance very similar to the real thing. They were found by a soldier while he was excavating on a new car park site at the barracks on Burton Stone Lane.

Updated: 12:20 Tuesday, July 13, 2004