Thursday, October 21, 2004

100 years ago: A graveyard was probably the last place which one would expect to see utilised for sheep-grazing purposes, according to a columnist. Several Hampshire rams had been seen during the present week, however, sleeping and cropping the grass in the yard adjoining a well-known York church. The animals had been turned into the yard intentionally, for a number of cabbages had been placed at the rams' disposal to add to their comfort. The columnist asked if the authorities were ignorant of the fact, or whether they entirely lacked respect for the remains of the dead, as the Hampshires were scampering over the graves as if the mounds had been placed there for their especial benefit.

50 years ago: Nelson's immortal signal was to be hoisted during the Trafalgar Day parade at HMS Ceres, Wetherby, and "thereby hangs a tale". For no one, it seemed, really knew what it was, Mr Nobody informed readers. "England expects every man to do his duty," was the version quoted in Southey's Life of Nelson, but in The Times of December 26, 1805, two months after the battle, the signal was reported as: "England expects every office and man to do his duty this day." Further confusion was added by William Pryce Cunby, first lieutenant on Nelson's flagship, Bellerophon, who gave it as: "England expects that every man will do his duty." And still more by Capt Pasco, Nelson's flag lieutenant, who said the admiral's order was: "Say to the fleet, England confides that every man will do his duty," " but at the last minute the word expects was substituted for confides. Even the signal flown at the HMS Ceres ceremony would be different, as an officer gave the columnist the wording: "England expects that every man shall do his duty."

25 years ago: A 65ft crane arrived in York from Chesterfield to work on the Viking Hotel extension and caused traffic chaos. It had travelled along a route approved by the county council, the only one it would fit along. However, nobody had accounted for the illuminated bollards at the end of Spurriergate. While someone was brought in to remove the bollards, huge tailbacks formed, and a cyclists' demonstration was caught up in the middle of one of them. They were protesting about the lack of cycle routes in York.

Updated: 09:12 Thursday, October 21, 2004