Tuesday, March 30, 2004

100 years ago: A York publisher issued an "admirable" series of picture postcard views of York. A columnist said: "No city in the world lends itself more effectively to the skill of the photographic artist than this ancient city, with its hundreds of quaint and picturesque corners, historic memorials, and artistic 'bits', and Messrs Arthur have included in the present series of reproductions some of the best and most striking features of the city."

There were several views of York which "inevitably" must appear in any pictorial collection illustrative of the Minster town, but to some extent they had departed from the conventional selection, and added a number of pictures not taken from the usual viewpoints. The series embraced a fine view of Coney Street, showing the Herald and Press building, and St Martin's Church, with the big clock.

50 years ago: The peace of a young couple's home in York was shattered by their piano playing when nobody was near it, not a melodious tune but nevertheless the unmistakable sound of someone touching the keys. Suspecting a ghost was at work, with trembling lips and knees shaking they cautiously advanced upon the piano as the sound grew louder, stopping and starting at irregular intervals.

Nervously the husband's hand reached out and slowly, inch by inch, he raised the lid and peered over the side, to find a mouse tinkling the ivories.

10 years ago: Prince Charles, as founder and president of the Prince of Wales's Institute of Architecture, was in Ripon to open A Vision of Ripon, an exhibition of ideas for the future of the ancient North Yorkshire city when its long awaited bypass opened in 1996. The institute had done similar studies in Italy and France, but this was the first time it had undertaken such a project in Britain.

Though the city still had its compact medieval street plan, its narrow streets were choked with juggernauts and cars heading to the A1, and the bypass would divert these from the historic centre. It was hoped the exhibition's ideas would not only be adopted by local councils, but also become a model for other British cities and towns.

Updated: 08:40 Tuesday, March 30, 2004