Way we were

100 years ago

A very useful guide to health, especially at this period of the year, had been largely distributed amongst the labouring classes of York at the instance of Dr E M Smith, the Medical Officer of Health for the city. In hot weather food of all descriptions was very liable to contamination, and, as was pointed out in the pamphlet, it was highly essential that householders should take every precaution to keep their pantries as cool and well ventilated as possible. One of the worst enemies was the house fly, and every effort should be made to prevent them from swarming either in the house or the pantry. Some valuable information was given about cleaning grates, waste pipes, and gullies, in order to keep down offensive smells, and parents were encouraged to follow the advice given on feeding babies.

50 years ago

A statement on nuclear weapons, signed by eight eminent world scientists - including the late Dr Albert Einstein - was issued to journalists, newsreel men and radio commentators from all parts of the world. Einstein signed the statement the week before his death on April 18. It was his theory that led to the development of the A-bomb and eventually the H-bomb that he called "the very essence of evil". It said: "We appeal, as human beings, to human beings: Remember your humanity, and forget the rest. If you can do so, the way lies open to a new paradise: if you cannot, there lies before you the risk of universal death." It continued: "All, equally, are in peril, and if the peril is understood, there is hope that they may collectively avert it. The general public, and even men in authority, have not realised what would be involved in a war with nuclear bombs. We now know, especially since the Bikini test, that nuclear bombs can gradually spread destruction over a very much wider area than had been supposed."

25 years ago

The deathblow fell on the MG car factory at Abingdon. The announcement of its closure came from British Leyland top management. All but 100 of the workforce would be made redundant. Possibilities were being explored for attracting small businesses to the site. The MP for Abingdon said: "We must do our utmost to help the MG workers, who have behaved with great responsibility. A sit-in would achieve nothing because BL has other problems and there is no way in which it will go back on the decision. The closure, which followed an Aston Martin-led consortium's failure to raise money for a takeover, would in time have a knock-on effect at four other BL car plants.

Updated: 16:32 Friday, July 08, 2005