Monday, May 10, 2004

100 years ago: Seaside holidaymakers for Whitsuntide were warned by the Incorporated Society of Medical Officers of Health of the danger of eating contaminated shellfish. The warning applied more to the south of the country than the north, according to columnist TT, for the Yorkshire coast is "happily free of contamination". He told holidaymakers they were safe to pick and eat as many shellfish as they can find on the rocks without danger, but if they bought them from stalls they must take their chance as to whether they were contaminated.

50 years ago: Rationing would end next month and there were already signs that a pre-war delicacy, succulent York hams, may soon reappear. For the past 15 years, they had been more difficult to obtain than even a Cup Final ticket, and optimistic inquiries which had been received from the USA by York City Information Service had drawn a tactful though definite blank. Similar queries addressed to the York Chamber of Trade from over the Atlantic had received the same answer. But a York butcher supported the view that York hams would soon be back in the shops, the dry-cured and matured hams being much sought after in Canada too, from where he had received inquiries. The price was expected to have rocketed, being 5s a lb, three times the pre-war price, with a decent ham weighing in at 26lb or so, the bigger ones going up to 40lb.

10 years ago: Four hounds at an Easingwold farm went out for their walks for more than just exercise. It was part of the training for the dogs, whose owners were avid followers of the Yorkshire Hound Trail Association. They were priming them for a race which took the unusual sport to its farthest in the north-east in 40 years. The first race in the Weardale Hound Trail season would take place at Kiplin Hall, east of Richmond, which was also the start of an attempt to publicise the dying sport. Hound trailing, which involves hounds chasing after rags soaked in paraffin and aniseed, had been up and running in the Vale of York since before the war.

Updated: 09:24 Monday, May 10, 2004