Saturday, July 17, 2004

100 years ago: The Wild West Show came to York at six o'clock in the morning. The first train of 18 cars was 972 feet long and weighed 432 tons, the second was 17 cars, 918 feet long and weighed 421 tons, and the third one was 14 cars, 756 feet long and weighed 331 tons. Most of the horses for the show came from Colonel WF Cody's horse ranch in Wyoming, in what was known as the Big Horn Basin, and were a cross between the wild bronco horses of the Western plains and the fine-blooded Eastern strains. Over 400 of them were employed in the battle scenes, Indian raids and "rough rider" evolutions amongst other things, all of which could be seen on the Knavesmire. A number of Japanese Cavalrymen were with the show, but they would be returning home at the end of the year to take part in the war in the Far East, the same being the case with the Cossacks.

50 years ago: "That's mine you lying devil"... "if you don't give it to me I'll kick your 'ead in." this forthright piece of prose was a quote from a conversation Mr Nobody overheard while waiting for a train in York. It came from two young train-spotters, discussing the merits of ownership of a list of engine numbers and pencil. Train-spotting was not their only concern. With three others, whose ages ranged from seven to 14, they ran marathon races through the double doors at each end of the waiting room, and spent part of their time "bashin' the 'ead in" of a boy in a brown suit, all with the greatest possible good humour. The final crisis before they disappeared from his sight was when one boy discovered he had lost a packet of cigarette papers. A minor panic was avoided, however, when another member of the quintet, aged about 11, produced a packet of ten cigarettes of the more expensive variety. "Were these youngsters typical of our age?" wondered Mr Nobody.

25 years ago: The Battle of Marston Moor was refought at Norton Comprehensive School and duly won by the Roundheads, though some Cavaliers were reluctant to stop fighting the battle. The battle, first fought in 1644 and the turning point in the Civil War, was re-enacted to help second year pupils appreciate the event. The entire year of 170 pupils took part as soldiers, trumpeters and drummers, using newspaper swords and cardboard helmets, and the Roundheads even sang a hymn before taking to the field, as they did at the time.

Updated: 15:34 Friday, July 16, 2004