Friday, April 16, 2004

100 years ago: A married woman, from St Ann Street in York, was charged at the York City Police Court with having been drunk and incapable in Cemetery Road in the early hours of the previous Sunday morning. She admitted the offence, and stated that she had only come out of the St Joseph's Inebriates' Home at Ashford in Middlesex two or three days earlier. She had been there for 20 months and had come out on licence, and at the first opportunity was drunk again.

50 years ago: A columnist asked whether readers threw the envelopes on the floor when they opened their letters in the morning, or if they tossed their newspapers in a corner of the room when they had finished reading it. If they didn't, he wanted to know why so many people insisted on throwing bus tickets, paper bags, wrappings and such like on the streets. Apart from the aesthetic standpoint, "and that in this enlightened age should be sufficient deterrent", this scattering of litter was costing ratepayers quite a lot of money.

From York's 130 miles of roads, no fewer than 35 tons was collected each year, costing about £32,000. The authorities provided 200 litter baskets in the city centre, especially near coach and car parks, and so it seemed that too many people, not only in York but throughout the country, either from laziness, thoughtlessness or indifference, qualified for that "ugly but apt description" of "litter louts". It was seen as regrettable that the Government was having to launch a "Keep Britain Tidy" campaign - regrettable not only for the money it cost, but because it was such a reflection on manners that it should be needed. In commending the aims of the campaign, the columnist hoped that those to whom it applied in York would pay heed.

10 years ago: A mysterious panther-like creature was spotted on the prowl in a village near Scarborough. A resident said she came within yards of the large cat when her sister dropped her off outside her house in the village of Cloughton. As left the driver noticed a very large cat in the field just opposite the house, and worried by the size of the cat compared to children playing nearby, she locked herself in the car then drove back to alert her sister.

The householder then also saw the animal, which was described as being as big as a Labrador but more cat-like, very dark brown in colour with a light brown tinge on it. This was the third sighting of an animal fitting this description this year, and local farmers were worried it would attack the sheep just as lambing started.

Updated: 09:58 Friday, April 16, 2004