Saturday, April 24, 2004

100 years ago: A red and white heifer which spent a quiet forenoon the previous day took a tour round the Walmgate district, the story of its progress being written on the bruised and shaken bodies of those who came across its path. It was being driven to the butcher at Micklegate Bar when it set off at full speed down Fishergate, Piccadilly, and Walmgate into Fossgate, finishing its dash for liberty in a provision shop. It did not merely put its nose in and retire, but went in bodily, smashing the glass in the door on its way, and it made its way behind the counter.

A police officer and the bystanders managed to half coax, half force it out of the doorway tail first, and resuming its progress, the beast made an unsuccessful attack on a shop on Foss Bridge, and, taking two unoffending foot passengers from behind, tossed them off their feet. Along Walmgate and Hull Road the animal ran unchecked, people flying right and left as it rushed headlong. In Regent Street and James Street there were more casualties. The cow lowered its head and overturned one woman, two little boys were also upset, and the man who had been driving the animal had to escape hurriedly over a wall, the heifer giving him a lift with its horns as he made a rapid exit. It was an eventful half hour for the people in the district, and it did not end until the beast was driven into a field near Tang Hall Lane, and it was afterwards slaughtered so as to avoid a second reign of terror.

50 years ago: A letter was printed disagreeing with columnist John Blunt, regarding his article on Coventry and its plan to ignore Civil Defence. As a mother of five children she "should probably be more grateful than many for any offered help and protection in the event of attack". It was no consolation to her, however, to be told that America had the bigger and better bomb, because that did not make this country's fate any better at the receiving end, no matter who may decide to leave their greeting card on this tiny, compact island. Coventry had made a very wise, bold, and admirable move, in her opinion.

10 years ago: Devotees of East Yorkshire dialect could soon get the chance to listen to samples of their favourite spoken words. Members of the East Yorkshire Dialect Society were hoping to bring out an audio tape of dialect readings later this year for sale to the public. The chairman said that it seemed more sensible to record the words as the dialect was expressed in the spoken rather than the written word, and this would make it more accessible to the casual reader.

Updated: 16:04 Friday, April 23, 2004