Friday, May 20, 2005

100 years ago

Preparations were being made to celebrate the bicentenary of the York Blue Coat Boys' School. Subscriptions were being raised amongst past and present scholars for a photographic memorial and an oak tablet, to be presented to the committee at a meeting in St. Anthony's Hall. The 41st reunion of old scholars would be held in the school, and there would be tea and entertainment for them and their wives. The ex-scholars of the Grey Coat Girls' School would hold their reunion at the same time, and an invitation was extended to the husbands of those who were married. The ex-pupils would be heartily welcomed to all the functions in connection with the bicentenary festival.

50 years ago

Mr Tom McKitterick, Labour candidate for York, speaking at a "questions only" meeting in the Co-operative Hall, was asked if he considered it possible in the near future to reduce the period of National Service, or abolish it altogether. He gave a personal assurance that if he was elected to Parliament he would do all in his power to abolish National Service. Several times during the previous 18 months the Labour Party had urged the Government to consider a reduction in the period of service, said Mr McKitterick. The Labour Party believed that if the whole question of defence was gone into, especially in view of the fact that some overseas commitments had been reduced, the period of National Service could be reduced.

25 years ago

Wrights of York was a name appreciated by people with a taste for fresh pork pies, and a wide selection of other meat, bakery and frozen products. This old established family firm, with ten shops throughout the city and others centred in Haxby, Scarborough, Knaresborough and Leeds, served thousands of regular customers each week. As many of these shoppers might be interested to know just how their daily bread, pies and frozen provisions were prepared, Wrights were staging a three-day food fair at their headquarters on Shipton Road, Skelton, when many secrets of the company's fresh food processing would be revealed. Anticipating that after a tour of the factory building some people might start to feel a little hungry, there would be a chance to sample various foods in the freezer centre where suppliers would be holding on-the-spot demonstrations of their products.

Updated: 11:55 Friday, May 20, 2005