100 years ago

Wearing a British khaki uniform Siegfried Schneider, alias Fred Taylor, had again appeared at Bow Street Police Court, charged as an alien enemy in travelling five miles without a permit and with failing to notify his change of address.

He was further charged with wrongfully using a British passport which he knew to be dishonestly obtained by means of a false declaration made by himself at Devonshire House. The accused had been acting as an orderly at General Hospital near Boulogne.

Detective-Sgt Cox said that the accused stated that the passport was obtained by the Red Cross Society and given to him.

The defending counsel said there had been no suggestion that the defendant had acted disloyal towards this country.

He was born in Germany, but had lived here since he was a year old.

He considered himself an Englishman, and only gave a false name in order to serve this country. Several witnesses gave the defendant a good character, and he was discharged.
 

50 years ago

More and more restrictions on motorists and eventually no traffic within the city walls, except buses. That was the forecast given to York City Council by Alderman WT Burke, chairman of the city's Development and Planning Committee.

“In my opinion, York within the city walls will eventually become practically traffic-free,” he said.

He was replying to a question from Councillor SE Brearley who had asked for an assurance that there would be renewed vigilance in approving redevelopment in the Stonegate-Swinegate area.

Alderman Burke forecast “more and more restrictions” within the city walls, but added “every move we make we are opposed by everyone.”
 

25 years ago

North Yorkshire was facing a shortage of turkeys this Christmas as a result of the salmonella scares of the summer.

Fewer birds were available after farmers had cut back or gone out of business following the scares. And some butchers had decided to sell only frozen turkeys, if any, because they feared the public would let fresh birds go off during the weekend before Christmas Day.

Mr John Kenny, owner of Cross of York, which would sell up to 1500 fresh turkeys this year from its stall in the market and its shop in Clifton, advised shoppers to book their bird early.

“There is going to be a scarcity of fresh birds, there is no doubt about that, there just is not the amount of birds on the market.”

Ryedale environmental health officers had advised shoppers to buy a thermometer to ensure their bird was stored in a refrigerator below 5°C.