100 years ago 

“One Who Knows the Danger” wrote: “When will parents realise the danger to their young daughters of allowing them to attend social evenings where kissing games are allowed, and socials which do not leave until late hours of the night (11.30)?

"Those who get up these socials for churches and chapels should strictly prohibit kissing games and should finish at 10pm, and also ask the relatives and friends of young girls (14 to 18) to escort them home.

Casual acquaintances picked up often lead to disastrous results, and parents are neglectful of their duties who do not look after their young folks outside.”


50 years ago

According to the Registrar-General, approximately 310,000 babies – including the four VIP Royal ones – will be born in Britain this spring.

A delightful thought. Not quite so delightful, but quite inescapable, was the thought of nearly three million nappies which would have to be washed every day to keep the newcomers happy and comfortable.

Like most routine jobs, it was deadlier in thought than in practice. Nappies, though they did tend to outnumber any mother foolish enough to let them start piling up on her, were not awkward items to wash, compared with some of the more complicated shapes and fabrics which had to go into machine or tub.

But it was essential, of course, that they should be washed clean; and, however you washed them– by hand or by machine – boiling was advisable.

For nappies normally washed by hand, regular boiling was recommended. Whether their destination was machine or hand-tub, nappies, it was advised, should be put into cold water immediately they came off baby.

They should then be washed in hot water and soapflakes, rinsed thoroughly and put to dry.


25 years ago

Education as a leisure time activity became an option for retired people in York this week.

The recently formed York branch of the University of the Third Age launched the first of its new taster courses for older students in the Bar Convent Museum.

The man behind the university in York, a retired Scarborough local government officer, Mr David Hughes, said: “There are 40,000 retired people in the York Health Authority area, and there is a wealth of talent among them, lying dormant. This is an ideal way of helping people to use their leisure time constructively.

"Some of the offers of courses have come from retired teachers, and professional people. It’s an ideal way of adding life to years, not years to life. And it certainly keeps you out of the fourth age.”

The U3A – to use its short name – had branches in France, where it originated, and elsewhere in Europe.