Tuesday, April 4, 2006

100 years ago

"Water is best." Such was the inscription on the granite face of the fountain set into the wall opposite the Fox Inn, Holgate Road, York, and closely adjoining the house at one time occupied by Lindley Murray, the grammarian. Whether Lindley Murray caused the fountain to be erected there was not stated; however, it was of granite and a substantial piece of work, but unfortunately, the water, which is best, did not respond to the touch of the brass knob, and there it was, of no public service and gradually undergoing defacement. Time was when it was of great utility to those who had not the necessary three halfpence to step into the hostelry across the road to quench their thirst, and there were many who would halt in the summer months and drink of the water, which is best, if it were there. Did the fountain belong to the Corporation? If so, it was time it was attended to, or it would soon be beyond repair.

50 years ago

The first single decker bus scheduled to be operated without a conductor in Oxford was prevented from leaving the garage by the action of the busmen's branch of the Transport and General Workers' Union. At 11 o'clock the driver, Mr Rodney Yates, got into the cab. Soon afterwards three members of the branch committee told Mr Yates that the union objected to the use of conductorless buses and that he was not to drive it. Mr Yates, a member of the union, said: "I have no alternative but to obey instructions." The company had obtained permission from the East Midland traffic authority to operate 42-seater, single decker buses without conductors at peak hours in Oxford, as an emergency measure, in an effort to cope with the queues unable to get on the buses available and to meet the acute shortage of staff.

25 years ago

More people were planning do-it-yourself holidays in Yorkshire this year, according to Mr John Dillon-Guy, director of the region's tourist board. Self-catering holiday bookings had seen a marked rise because people were becoming increasingly cost conscious during the recession, he said. "People are definitely trading down." The board had carried out an extensive promotion campaign in recent weeks to beat the recession. As a result of featuring strongly in exhibitions in Utrecht Holland, and in Berlin, Hamburg and Brussels the region expected to increase its share of the European holiday trade, said Mr Dillon-Guy. As part of its home market campaign the board had taken stands at Paddington and Euston Stations, London, and at the Bull Ring Birmingham. "We have been very happy with the response," he added.

Updated: 08:43 Tuesday, April 04, 2006