Monday, April 19, 2004

100 years ago: A sea eagle or osprey had been reported off the east coast of North Yorkshire. Ospreys, though very rare in the area, had occasionally been captured on the Yorkshire coast, though one had not been caught in fine feather since 1831, when a splendid young specimen that had pinned the cabin boy of a brig to the deck off Flamborough. The bird refused to let go its hold and so was killed, its stuffed body being, for many years, in the possession of a member of a famous family of Yorkshire shipbuilders and owners. A smaller variety of the bird was more frequently seen on the bluffer headlands of the coast, but the osprey observed recently was said to have been of the giant order. If it stopped around the district it was expected to end up in a glass case, for the news had put quite a number of bird and gun men on its track.

50 years ago: A group of people travelling to York in May looked likely to attract a lot of attention, as all the men in the party would be over six feet in height, and the shortest woman five feet nine inches tall. The trippers were members of the Yorkshire Branch of the Topliners' Club for Tall People, who would be joined by members of the Lancashire branch, and they issued an open invitation to tall people in York to join them on their outing. The association was originally the Association of Women with Large Feet, founded by a woman who was tired of having to wear heavy unattractive shoes that were more suited to men. That group became famous and it was not long before the footwear trade was persuaded to make a variety of big size footwear in attractive designs and shades. With its purpose achieved the association changed its name to the Tall Women's Association, and it was so successful she was asked to form a similar movement for men. She preferred to form a mixed club, and so the Topliners was formed, their main object being to make life more comfortable for the biggest Britons of both sexes.

10 years ago: A gravestone in York Minster which dated back to the 18th century was to be replaced after being worn down by tourists' feet. The gravestone of Honor and Mary Lamplugh was the only one due to be replaced, but with 17,000 tourists visiting at the height of the season, more replica stones could follow. The work would be carried out by the Minster's own archaeologist and should be finished within a week, without causing disruption to visitors, and it was hoped the new gravestone would remain in place for at least another 200 years.

Updated: 08:50 Monday, April 19, 2004