Way we were

100 years ago: A conspicuous object for miles around, and one which scarcely ever fails to attract the attention of the travelling public, is the White Horse of Kilburn, near Thirsk. Recently a paragraph appeared in the paper columns intimating that the curious object on the hillside was "casting its coat," as it was in need of a whitewash. Originally, it was believed, there was, at a local hostelry a "corn box" in which those interested occasionally dropped a copper towards this periodic whitewashing, although this no longer seems to happen and the horse is becoming dull. The figure was formed in November, 1857, by Mr Thomas Taylor, a native of the village of Kilburn. The "horse" is 180 feet in length, 80 feet in height, and on the day in which the figure was completed 33 men were engaged in giving it a white coating with six tons of lime. Two stories were told of its origin: one is that it was formed to commemorate a legend of a horse trainer who was said to have been borne down a precipice, along with his steed, and killed. The other story was that the figure was cut out merely to gratify the whim of the projector, not to commemorate any remarkable event.

50 years ago: Strange uses had been made of St Anthony's Hall in Peasholme Green, which was drawn in the paper for a series of sketches of historic York buildings. Originally it was the headquarters of a religious gild, the building being completed about 1453. But in later years it became a poor hospital, workhouse, house of correction, archery was practised there from 1555 to 1602 and, during the Civil War, a munitions store and hospital. Great feasts were held in the main hall when the religious confraternity was in occupation, from about 1453 until the middle of the 16th century. They were so popular that they had to be held on a Monday instead of Sunday to make sure the majority of "gatecrashers" would be at work.

25 years ago: The AA was advising drivers not to panic buy fuel in the York area. There would be enough to go round, although they did suggest that anybody going away for the weekend should fill up and take a two-gallon can with them. However, there was a shortage of these, too, as wholesalers and manufacturers were running low on cans, and also on locking petrol caps. Petrol stations in York were getting their fuel allocations delivered, but were on average 15% down on their normal order, and so some were closing early on evenings and for all of the weekend to conserve stocks. Petrol at the time was priced at 96.2p to 99p a gallon.

Updated: 16:38 Friday, June 04, 2004