Tuesday, August 30, 2005

100 years ago

A correspondent signing himself G C Busby had written to the press saying: "A desire has frequently been expressed by people living in the Bootham and Clifton districts, for a readier means of access to York Railway Station. A prospect is now held out that, if practical proof of this desire is evinced by a sufficient number of people, a concession may be made. Will those ladies and gentlemen who wish to avoid the long walk round by the hotel, and are prepared to pay 10s 6d per annum for the privilege, kindly send their names to me?"

50 years ago

The cabinet had begun a drive to cut Government expenditure in as many fields as possible, as an example to industry and the public. Sir Anthony Eden's warning that too much was being consumed at home instead of being exported was not less true of Government departments than it was of private enterprise and personal spending. An exact target for reductions was not likely to be set, but Mr Butler, Chancellor of the Exchequer, might well hope to emulate the success of a similar economy campaign the previous year. Proposed Government spending for the financial year at £4,562,000,000 was maintained at a level only £32,000,000 above the 1954-55 estimates. It was the first time since the war that a big spending increase had been avoided.

25 years ago

A demand was to be made for a referendum about scrapping Humberside as a county title. It would be put to the county council by the East Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire Action Groups. Mr Trevor Pearson, a Bridlington jeweller, who was chairman and founder of the East Yorkshire group, said that previous objections to a change of name to East Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire County Council no longer stood. "There is more unrest now on both sides of the river than there has ever been. We are convinced from talking to people that this unrest will increase. The Humber Bridge will not unite the two sides, it will drive a wedge between them." The extent of support for the change was shown by 120,000 signatures on a petition to be presented to the Government. Many who had signed had also offered money to the cause.

Updated: 11:59 Monday, August 29, 2005