Monday, July 12, 2004

100 years ago: The Lord Mayor of York proved a smart wicketkeeper in the civic cricket match at Naburn, and His Lordship also showed good style as a batsman. The Sheriff did not arrive in time to participate in the work of his team, but the city electrical engineer, who was a member of the team, was a host in himself. He contributed 28 to the total of 42, and was responsible for taking the majority of the other side's wickets, and the Chief Constable's wicket fell to the first ball. While the cricket match was in progress others of the company engaged in games including bowls and "brasses", and the dinner, "admirably cooked, and efficiently served", included Ouse salmon.

50 years ago: The policeman on point duty at the junction of Nessgate and Spurriergate in York was expected to have grown accustomed to strange sights, especially during the Festival. But all the same, the eyebrows of one bobby jumped in surprise when, among the line of traffic which he was directing, he saw a 70-year-old tandem tricycle ridden by two characters in period dress. The tricyclists were both staff from the Castle Museum out for a spin in the city, which included a visit to the site where a cycle shop owned by Charles Binks once stood, the sole agent for the type of tricycle used in York in the 1880s.

25 years ago: Memories of the First World War were stirred when a 30-strong team of Army cyclists set off from Driffield to Aldershot in aid of charity The men, wearing 1914-18 uniforms whilst riding "sit-up-and-beg" bicycles, were members of the 32 Junior Leaders' Squadron, Royal Corps of Transport, from the Alamein Barracks at Driffield. They were planning to cover the 250 miles in five days.

Updated: 11:32 Monday, July 12, 2004