Tuesday, May 25, 2004

100 years ago: A rescuer hauled a young motorcyclist and his sidecar passenger from the Foss after an accident with a cyclist forced the pair into the river. The motorcycle was being driven by the son of the proprietor of a cycle and motor depot on Lowther Street, and his younger brother was in the sidecar. They were turning from Monkgate into Huntington Road, when the motorcyclist had to avoid a cyclist trying to keep pace with him on his inside. He ran onto soft ground beside the Foss and lost control, plunging in and ending fully immersed in ten feet of water. As onlookers raced for lifeboats, a holidaymaker from Shildon, County Durham, plunged into the water and pulled both boys out. After first aid, they were not long in coming round. They were taken home to Lowther Street, and the motorcycle and side car were ultimately recovered. The rescuer was complimented on his gallant and plucky effort, and it was later discovered he had previously saved two other persons from drowning.

50 years ago: A distraught bachelor who asked, through the pages of the Evening Press: "Do you know a York woman who will darn socks for bachelors? Please, please, please! Of course I will pay." No doubt the SOS would cause many readers a good deal of amusement, thought columnist Mr Nobody, but, as many ex-Servicemen would realise, it was not so funny for the man concerned, and he urged any woman willing to answer the call to get in touch.

10 years ago: Dame Judi Dench was to unveil a scale model of a Shakespearean theatre to be built in North Yorkshire. The actress was a patron of the £1.2 million White Rose Globe Centre project, which, when completed, would be the first classical performing arts venue to be permanently based in the North of England. It was hoped that the theatre would be finished in time for the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare's first stage appearance on December 28, but the ill-fated venture never came to fruition.

Updated: 15:33 Monday, May 24, 2004