Friday, December 10, 2004

100 years ago: A man who was said to be an out of work groom was charged with wilfully damaging holly trees to the amount of five shillings in Moreby Park, south of York, on two separate occasions. Evidence was given by gardeners at the park to the effect that the prisoner was warned not to touch the holly on the first instance, after he had taken a sack full of holly. On the second occasion he was seen on the top of some railings with another sack full. The prisoner told the magistrates that he took the holly from the trees on the highway, but not from the park. He was known by a great number of gentlemen up and down the country, in whose stables he had been employed, and who would give him a good character reference. The chairman of the bench said the prisoner would be fined five shillings, costs and the damage, or he could go to gaol for fourteen days in default of payment.

50 years ago: In York Cattle Market the following week there would be one of the biggest auction sales of fat pigs since before the war. And, as it was the first Christmas sale since the de-control of meat in July, a "bumper day for the butcher and housewife is expected", a prospective buyer told columnist Mr Nobody. Coming under the auctioneer's hammer were 1,821 fat pigs, in addition to 293 cattle and 577 sheep, the largest number the market had handled in the 14 years since the market superintendent first came to York. He and his staff had been making special arrangements to handle the sale with the minimum of delay: extra straw had been got in, portions of the market have been hurdled off and permission had been given to close Paragon Street. Specially printed notices to direct the cattle truck drivers where to go had been produced and extra men had been hired to see that the traffic moved smoothly, as a very large number of people were expected to attend.

25 years ago: A York police officer apprehended Whisky, a large rabbit, hopping along Tadcaster Road one evening, heading towards the city centre. The black and white bunny was taken to the Fulford police headquarters, where he promptly bit another officer, and so was quickly transferred to the RSPCA home until his owners could "bail him out".

Updated: 14:06 Thursday, December 09, 2004