Friday, August 26, 2005

100 years ago

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, who was not present, pleaded guilty, through his solicitor, to driving a motorcar at a speed of 26 miles an hour on the Cheriton Road. The Chief Constable handed in a previous conviction for a similar offence, which took place at Guildford, Sir Arthur was fined £10 and costs.

50 years ago

The BBC's new Sunday afternoon schedule for television was to come into operation shortly on September 4, when the service opened up at 3 pm. A concert by the London Symphony Orchestra would be followed by a new series of light comedy films starring Joan Davies. The final half-hour before Children's Television would be filled by the Brains Trust, in which subjects suggested by viewers would be discussed. When the Russian Ambassador, Mr Malik, switched on Blackpool illuminations, TV would be there to bring viewers shots of the Town Hall. Two cameras mounted on a tramcar were due to tour the illuminations in a programme, which would be presented by Barney Colehan. Many of the old shows were coming back again in the autumn and winter sound radio plans. "Educating Archie" had been reshaped and with the exception of Beryl Reid and Ronald Chesney, it would go on the air with a brand new cast. Other shows due back on the air included "The Goon Show", Eric Barker's "Just Fancy", Vic Oliver's "Variety Playhouse", the "Frankie Howerd Show", "Take It From Here", and "Hancock's Half-Hour". A highlight of the long winter nights would undoubtedly be the "Doris Day Show," which could be heard on the Light Programme every Wednesday evening. Space suits would be the order of the day on Monday evenings when Andrew Faulds, as Jet Morgan, undertook another "Journey into Space."

25 years ago

Brilliant sunshine for the last bank holiday of the summer had brought tens of thousands of holidaymakers to York the previous day. It was a busy day on the roads, with many car parks full by lunchtime. As an AA spokesman put it: "In spite of petrol prices it seemed everyone thought, 'This was our last chance and we'll jolly well make the most of it'." Hill's Boatyard, Lendal Bridge, reported, "the best day we have ever had. A burst of sunshine loosens purse strings." The Minster was busy, with "an enormous queue", but at the Yorkshire Museum figures were down 300 on the previous year.

Updated: 16:47 Thursday, August 25, 2005