100 years ago

The late Mary Abbott, whose remains had been interred on Saturday, was the oldest inhabitant in the parish of Norton.

Born a fortnight before the Battle of Waterloo, the deceased was the eldest of a family of ten children. Mrs Abbott had lived in Norton for over 90 years in all.

The deceased had a wonderfully good memory, and could converse on matters that actually occurred in her early girlhood, with remarkable clearness and accuracy. One incident she was fond of relating was that in her 14th year she travelled by stage coach to Leeds, and while staying with friends there was present at the proclamation of King William IV.

She used also to relate that when she was 16 years old she was present when Princess Victoria (Queen Victoria) was at York. “The Messiah” was given in York Minster in honour of the occasion, the Princess Victoria attending divine service there.

50 years ago

York’s first exhibition of the work of Henry Moore opened to the public and Mr Colin Anson, Regional Art Officer for the Arts Council, was hoping it would be a big attraction.

Attendance figures when it was on view at the Arts Council Gallery in Cambridge recently broke all records for that gallery. “They exceeded 4000 in three weeks,” he said.

“This was exceptional for Cambridge. The interest was unprecedented from every section of the community, we are hoping for the same sort of thing in York.” The public was fascinated by sculpture - possibly more than they were by painting.

“They are intensely intrigued by these shapes,” Mr Anson continued. “They are not irritated by the distortions, and for the most part, with Henry Moore, recognise what is being got at.”

25 years ago

Young children were being exposed to high levels of lead both in their homes and at school, a survey by York City Council had shown.

In older houses, high levels of lead had been found in dust samples, said the city’s environmental health officer Trevor Phillips. And in a number of schools and day nurseries, play equipment and arts and crafts materials had been found with more than the safe level of the heavy metal.

These were now to be withdrawn. In 30 houses built before 1870 health officers found an average lead level of 678 micrograms per gram of dust. The recommended safe level was 500.

“We have always known that older houses contain more paint with lead but this proves that it is reflected in dust levels,” said Mr Phillips.