Tuesday, March 29, 2005

100 years ago: At Selby, a local chimney sweep was charged with a breach of the Chimney Sweepers' Act earlier in the month. A police constable stated that in the afternoon of that day he saw the defendant going from house to house opening people's doors and shouting. The superintendent said he should not really press the case, he simply wanted it known that chimney sweeps could not do this kind of thing of frightening people. The chairman of the bench said: "It is a very foolish thing to do," the clerk adding: "You ought to wash your face before going into these houses." The defendant was ordered to pay the costs.

50 years ago: Dick Turpin's grave in St George's Churchyard in York was to be renovated in time for the influx of summer tourists. The grave had been derelict for some time, and the churchyard had been locked as children were using it as a playground. The extent of the renovations had not been decided, but it was likely that the broken stones would be replaced and flowers planted. A proposal that a "flower portrait" of the famous highwayman should be planted on the grass mound opposite York Station, which was turned down some years ago, was also being reconsidered. Although the legend of the famous ride to York has been disproved - Turpin never galloped from London to York on Black Bess or any other horse - Turpin was still one of the city's attractions. Last summer more than 400,000 visitors to the Castle Museum saw the cell where he spent his last night alive before being hanged on Knavesmire on April 9, 1739.

25 years ago: The stern figure of Queen Victoria was set to be an attraction for visitors to Castle Howard, after a dress bought at Christies for £480 by the stately home was put on a lifelike model to display it. The dress was one which Queen Victoria wore in 1898, and in the last few years of her life. Two years of restoration work had recently been completed at Castle Howard's costume gallery, which had meant an increase in exhibition space, and so more of the 18,000 costumes could be seen by visitors, and also the opening of a new foyer.

Updated: 10:53 Monday, March 28, 2005