January 6

The “too old at forty” controversy had been renewed at the recent meeting at Redcar Urban Council, when, as a month before, an attempt had been made to rescind the minute passed in September, 1912, to the effect that no new workmen be engaged permanently over the age of 40.

Mr T Wrightson, who brought the subject forward, said the council were setting a bad example by having such a minute on the books. If other firms acted similarly, what would become of the workers?

Mr Thomlinson seconded the motion, and in the course of discussion the opinion was expressed that the age limit should be removed, and that the whole question of appointment should be left entirely in the hands of the Surveyor.

In the end the rescinding resolution was carried unanimously.

50 years ago

The East Wall of All Saints’ Church, Pavement, which was being affected by the vibrations of traffic only 40 inches away, was to have a hole drilled through it - a tricky operation, and the first step towards propping up the wall. The firm responsible was the York civil engineers, William Birch and Sons Ltd.

The man in charge of the operation, Jack Birch, a director of the firm said: “It will be tricky keeping control of the drilling. If we go adrift, a hole will have to be cut in the wall to act as a guide for the next stage.”

Once the drilling had been completed a stainless steel cable about 58 feet long was to be inserted in the hole to act as a stabilising tie. It would be tightened by a jacking system, and held in place by steel plates.

Another steel cable was to be threaded through the south wall later, before the contractors could start the main work of boring holes to take the 30ft foundation piles. These piles would support a concrete block on which the church would eventually rest.

Part of the church had been demolished to widen Coppergate, a bad bottle-neck. The traffic was now 12 feet nearer the church.

25 years ago

A new chair of cancer medicine was likely to be established in Leeds thanks to fundraising by the Yorkshire Cancer Research Campaign.

The news came six weeks after the campaign announced a grant of £83,000 for research into anti-cancer drugs at York University.

The York research would link up with studies currently being done in Leeds.

Fundraisers in the York area had raised a total of £40,000 during the year. This brought the total raised in York since the campaign started in 1974 to £404,349.