Saturday, March 27, 2004

100 years ago: In the course of a few weeks the former ladies' first-class waiting room at York Station, which had been undergoing considerable attention and renovation, would be opened as a first-class ladies' tea-room, in conjunction with a still room and waiting room. A complete transformation had been effected in the interior of the room, which had been prettily done up in white enamel, and with wallpaper of a dark salmon tint. The new room would be under the superintendence of the company's hotel manager.

50 years ago: Officials at the Castle Museum in York were facing the sad fact that their famous horse in Kirkgate was beginning to feel its years. Since the museum was opened 16 years previously it had stood there at the end of Kirkgate in the shafts of a hansom cab, head held proudly erect, ears pricked. Visitors just "had" to give it one sly pat, and the thousands of pats it had received had given it a threadbare look. So now the search was on for another "Dobbin" - in fact the museum would ideally have liked two or three, and possibly even a stuffed cow if anybody wanted one taking off their hands. The cow and any stuffed carthorse that someone may have tucked away were for the agricultural gallery, which was being reconstructed in the form of an old barn. Any spare horse would be found a place in the military section.

10 years ago: If readers had ever wondered what sex the Evening Press building in Walmgate was, they were finally enlightened by a letter received this week. It was addressed to Miss YE Press of 78 Walmgate, beseeching her to become a member of Britannia, allegedly the largest music and video company in the country. Miss Press, unused to such overt advances, coyly refused, via the auspices of her friend Turpin.

Updated: 12:01 Saturday, March 27, 2004