Thursday, January 6, 2005

100 years ago: An effort was being made to revive interest in popular weekly concerts in the shape of Saturday evening "pops". Some time previously a similar experiment was tried, but unfortunately interest flagged owing to the lack of variety. On Saturday night the public would love the opportunity of patronising a high-class concert in the Victoria Hall, according to a columnist, admission to which would be possible on the payment of one penny. The wonder was that the Corporation had not taken the matter in hand, he added. "Why should not the Exhibition Hall by used for the purpose of Saturday evening popular concerts? There is a fine organ and there is a capable city organist, and thus the expenses that would be incurred would be of small indeed. The programme need not always be confined to music of a 'classical' character; it should contain popular items which would attract the people." Saturday "pops" were organised by other corporate bodies during the winter months, for which the nominal sum of two pence was charged, and these concerts invariably yielded a profit.

50 years ago: The first meeting of the Editorial Sub-Committee for York, which had been formed to assist in the compilation of a special volume of the Victoria County Histories of England, was held in the Public Library in the city. Sponsored since 1933 by the London University, the books were a work started more than half a century before, and with several volumes now complete they were accepted as authoritative textbooks. York, with Hull and the East Riding, agreed in 1953 to contribute money to the compilation of a volume covering the area under the three authorities. At the meeting it was discussed who to approach with invitations to contribute on the York section, but that list would not be made public yet, although it might be after the next meeting in six months' time.

25 years ago: Plans were being made to celebrate 25 years since Moorlands Wood near York, famous throughout Yorkshire for its rhododendrons, became a nature reserve. The 18-acre reserve between Skelton and Wigginton was the second to be founded by the Yorkshire Naturalists' Trust, the first being Askham Bog. The trust bought the land from Clifton Hospital for a mere £500, and it had seen 5,000 visitors in the previous year, some of whom travelled 100 miles to see the reserve.

Updated: 14:53 Wednesday, January 05, 2005