Monday, December 5, 2005

100 years ago

A North Street bricklayer, aged 38, was charged with stealing a shirt from a yard on Scarcroft Hill, the property of Caroline Nekervia, and also with stealing a shirt from a clothes-line in the garden of 45, Wentworth Road, the property of Mary Jackson, and further, with stealing another shirt from a clothes-line at 55, Horner Street, belonging to John Nash. John Nash, telegraphist, said the shirt, produced in court, was his property, and that it had been hanging out to dry in the afternoon, and in the evening he missed it and informed the police. Richard Rollinson said that he lodged with the accused at 14, North Street, and had been in the habit of pawning all sorts of things for him. He had never asked him where he got all the shirts. William Robinson, assistant pawnbroker to Mr Merriman, of York, said that Rollinson pawned the shirt (produced), on which he gave him 1s 3d. The Court cautioned Rollinson, telling him that he acted in a very loose way in pawning the shirts, and he was very much to blame. The bricklayer, who had a number of previous convictions, was sent to gaol for a month's hard labour, on each of the charges, or three months in all.

50 years ago

In general, most people did not realise what a strain last minute buying before Christmas put on shop staff, apart from frayed nerves on the part of the customer, through having to jostle in the crowds milling around the counters. To help people who wanted to do their Christmas buying in comfort, certain large stores were having a late night until 7 o'clock. It was hoped this would alleviate the pressure on the two Saturdays before Christmas. In order that husbands and wives could meet in town on that late night, when the man came straight from the office or factory, one store was holding an informal fashion parade from 4.45pm to 5.30pm, which would enable the wives to take tea in the restaurant before shopping.

25 years ago

One of York's best-known churches, All Saints', Pavement, was to get a stainless steel roof. Work on the 17th century building, noted for its superb octagonal lantern tower, had started and would take about a month. The cost, including other repairs to roofs and stonework, was about £11,000. The Department of the Environment had made a 50 per cent grant. One great advantage of steel, according to Mr David Leckenby--a partner of Brierley, Leckenby, Keighley & Groom, the York architects responsible for the fabric of the church -- was that, unlike lead, it had a low-scrap value which reduced the risk of theft.

Updated: 11:46 Monday, December 05, 2005