Thursday, June 2, 2005

100 years ago

At a meeting of the City Council it was agreed that the byelaws regulating public bathing in the Ouse and Foss, having been provisionally approved by the Local Government Board, would be submitted for adoption. From Clifton Ings up the Ouse to the city boundary; from the south end of the New Walk down the river to the city boundary; from Scarborough Railway Bridge to the entrance gate, Clifton Ings; and from the Blue Bridge to the south end of the New Walk; were the places where, from both sides of the river, persons could bathe without using a shed, tent, or house; also in the Foss near Yearsley Bridge. With the exception of the last two named places in the Ouse, bathing was allowed at all hours, but in these portions of the river no bathing was allowed during June, July, and August between 8 am and 9 pm.

50 years ago

A British team of mountaineers led by Dr Charles Evans had conquered mighty Kanchenjunga in the Himalayas, up to that point the highest unclimbed peak in the world, reaching within five vertical feet of the summit. Dr Evans had previously promised the Sikkimese people, on whose border the mountain lies, that his team would not set foot on the actual summit, which the Sikkimese believed to be the home of their gods. The news came two years, almost to the hour, after the dramatic announcement in 1953 (Coronation Year) of the conquest of Everest. Dr Evans had been a member of the Everest team led by Sir John Hunt. The 28,146ft Kanchenjunga - "Five Treasures of the Snows" - was said by mountaineers to be a tougher proposition than Everest, which lies 80 miles to the west.

25 years ago

Lucky schoolgirl Mandy Wallace met her Prince Charming over the coffee counter in a York shop. Mandy, aged 15, of Newton-on-Derwent, was at her Saturday job serving in the Bread Basket, Goodramgate, when in walked Prince Andrew with some friends. The Prince, who was stationed at RAF Leeming, near Thirsk, bought a sandwich from Mandy, and sat down to eat it. "I was very glad about it, but I felt sorry for him because everybody is always after him. We tried to leave him in peace," said Mandy. Ron Murphy, who owned the caf and was highly delighted, commented: "We often get people from the theatre in here, but it is the first time we have had Royalty."

Updated: 15:46 Wednesday, June 01, 2005