100 years ago

Much interest had been aroused by the decision of the Hull Corporation Tramway committee to introduce halfpenny stages on the Hessle Road route.

The Mayor of Hull who was chairman of the Committee, stated that before the early morning halfpenny fares were introduced, the cars were used by 9000 people between 5 and 9am. Currently between these hours the cars carried over 40,000 passengers. His Worship had received replies from many cities in response to an inquiry as to their experience regarding halfpenny fares.

From Aberdeen he learned that “the stages are very popular over a distance of half a mile.” Glasgow “always had halfpenny stages; very popular; two years ago length doubled; average length 1¼ mile.” Leeds had halfpenny stages on all routes, and from that city it was said “he would be a bold man who suggested abolishing them.”

At Sheffield 22 per cent were halfpenny fares. During the previous year 43 million people had been carried on the Hull tramcars, and of these 11 million were the morning halfpenny passengers.

 

50 years ago

The new Elvis film showing at the ABC cinema was Fun In Acapulco, which took our hero down Mexico way. He played Mike Windgren, a trapeze artist trying to get away from it all after involuntarily causing an accident which injured his partner.

In Acapulco he worked as a lifeguard at a swimming pool, and as a sideline started to sing at a local nightspot. He got romantically involved with at least two beautiful women, aroused the wrath of the frustrated boyfriend of one of them, and eventually had to prove his manhood by conquering his fear of heights and making a spectacular dive from a 136-foot cliff.

For fathers and sons, the film’s main attraction would probably be stunning Ursula Andress (Honey in Dr No) as the girl who got The Man; for the mothers and daughters there was Elvis and eleven songs – including his recent hit Bossa Nova Baby – ranging from rock and ballads to some new Latin America material.

 

25 years ago

An appeal to preserve Selby Abbey for future generations had failed to reach its £350,000 target. When fundraising closed the total was £90,000 below the amount needed to carry out major restoration and improve the fire-detection system.

Church officials were hoping that English Heritage would come up with a £70,000 grant to help prevent further deterioration in one of Britain's finest historical and architectural treasures. And, though the official appeal was over, Selby Abbey Trust had stressed that fundraising would continue in an attempt to make up the remaining £20,000 shortfall.