Friday, November 5, 2004

100 years ago: Coney Street, one of the main arteries of York, was "up," and was likely to remain in this condition for the greater part of the week owing to the laying of a new electric cable. The scene in the street was remarkable in its way, as it reminded passers-by of the distress which must exist in many quarters of the city: on one side of the street was a gang of men working, and three or four yards away stood a small army of unemployed, looking on with envious expression at their more fortunate brethren. The dejected appearance of the lookers-on told a tale of misery and woe, and led many to ask why some of the more deserving of the unemployed could not be given work on such operations, where they would minimise the serious dislocation of traffic, and disruption to trade.

50 years ago: If readers saw a chap looking like a cross between Errol Flynn and Robert Taylor, with abundant locks of glossy black hair, walking down Coney Street on his hands and with a brass-knobbed bedstead balanced on his upturned toes, it wouldn't be John Blunt, the columnist assured them. He had a theory that people are, by and large, such a sensation-jaded and sober lot that it takes nothing less than a hydrogen bomb to make them look twice. There seemed to be an idea going the rounds that if someone made themselves look silly enough they'll soon be rich enough, hence pole sitters perched aloft, peanut rollers grovelling below, raw-fingered marathon pianists, and blarney-tongued marathon talkers. York's own contribution to the 1954 silly season included an ambitious fellow who traipsed down to London on ice skates, in quest of a show business contract: the only thing he got was plenty of exercise.

25 years ago: Students from Askham Bryan College of Agriculture and Horticulture were helping to save York £1,000, as part of their work in the Museum Gardens. The college had responsibility for the upkeep of the gardens, where their task was to restore the city centre park to botanical garden status. One of their projects was to tidy up the area where once stood an air-raid shelter and brick shed, the removal of which would have cost about £1,000 to be done privately. The students would not only save money by doing it themselves, but also gain valuable experience as part of their work.

Updated: 16:35 Thursday, November 04, 2004