Thursday, October 13, 2005

100 years ago

A E Washington of 31, Parliament Street, York, was advertising his range of winter goods featuring Satisfactory Shirts for Cold Weather. The advertisement said: "This week we make a special show of Flannel Shirts, and invite particular attention to the value offered. Each shirt is made by skilled workpeople, from sound materials, and is guaranteed to wear well and resist the washtub." You could choose, the Eclipse, a reliable Union Flannel at a low price of 3/6, well known for its perfect fit and hard wear. It would not shrink and was supplied with yard of material for repairs. Alternatively the Baron was a shirt for particular people - those who required a perfect shirt of the best material. In this range were some beautiful green designs at 6/6 each, also supplied with material for repairs.

50 years ago

Elderly people, some of whom said they had worked and saved all there lives to provide homes for their old age, pleaded at a public inquiry in York Guildhall that their homes should not be pulled down. The inquiry was into the compulsory purchase order by York Corporation relating to property in Walmgate and adjoining areas included in three clearance schemes. A man who had lived in Margaret Street for 52 years, Mr John Boynton, the shopkeeper at number 18, said that during that time he had not heard a complaint about the district being unhealthy. Mr M Board, of 15 Margaret Street, told the inspector he had spent £89 to make his house fit for anybody to live in and did not think it ought to be pulled down. If these properties came down, so should half of York, including The Shambles.

25 years ago

Rio Tinto Zinc would start looking for oil in the Selby Area the following month. Seismic studies would take about four months and cost £250,000. There would be four survey lines within an area bounded by Selby, South Milford, Knottingley and Eggborough. The corporation had a licence from the Energy Secretary, Mr David Howell, and consent from North Yorkshire County Council and local landowners. RTZ had appointed Horizon Explorations to carry out the work. The work would involve drilling shallow boreholes at 100-metre intervals and recording shock waves generated by small explosions within each hole. A small portable drill mounted on a vehicle would be used. The company was setting up an information service for residents.

Updated: 15:20 Wednesday, October 12, 2005