Thursday, January 27, 2005

100 years ago: An "important step" was taken by a Tobacconists' Association when, at a recent meeting, it was resolved to recommend that special legislation should be introduced for the suppression of juvenile smoking, co-operation was promised by the more respectable sections of the trade. If such support could be counted upon in any future action, it would go far to limit a habit which medical men are unanimous in condemning as detrimental to the physical development of the rising generation, a columnist declared. If some such measure as the Child's Messenger Act could be put into force, prohibiting the sale of tobacco to anyone, "say, under the age of sixteen," a very salutary obstacle would be put in the way of juvenile indulgences. The demand for penny cigarettes, which boys principally favour, would be so far reduced as to make the supply of these hardly remunerative, he thought, adding that "it is of little use putting the responsibility upon parents as long as every tobacconist's shop offers facilities to the youthful smoker."

50 years ago: Thirsk and Sowerby are parishes which adjoined in places in such a "wiggly-way" that none but the expert on local boundaries could tell "t'other fra which," and separately they are among "the North Riding parishes of lesser note," according to Mr Nobody. Together they formed a prominent, prosperous market town and centre for a wide agricultural district, and so over the years there have been attempts to get them to combine. But parish "feeling" runs strong and, particularly in Sowerby, or so the columnist was told, there is liking for the old order of things. He was not alone in these observations though, as his comments were in response to a councillor summing up the "separatist" feeling in the two parishes by saying "It is the old ladies and not the council which cause the trouble."

25 years ago: After taking a fare to Christies' York office, a puzzled taxi driver was left with a 1936 penny as part of his tip. Then he saw an appeal in the Evening Press from a Bridlington widow who had been taking the coin to be valued, but after travelling by taxi from York Station to Bootham she confusedly tipped the driver with the rimless penny, and so had made an appeal for its safe return. The generous owner said that if it was "worth a fortune," both she and the honest taxi driver would benefit.

Updated: 11:13 Thursday, January 27, 2005