Tuesday, December 6, 2005

100 years ago

The man who wished to ingratiate himself with any lady of his acquaintance was advised to send her a box of cigars as a Christmas present. The cigar merchants were producing, for this purpose, dainty boxes of Havanas, because the modern woman was alleged to prefer a weed that tasted. In women's clubs and women's homes the after-dinner cigar found many devotees. The cigarette was, in fact, merely the plaything of the debutante who aimed at being up-to-date and smart. Although one or two women's clubs with strong-minded committees had totally extinguished the smoker, the great majority encouraged her. The Lyceum, New Century, Empress, Sesame, and Pioneer Clubs provided cosy smoking rooms for their fair members. Here, in cushioned corners or hidden in the padded depths of enormous armchairs, the members enjoyed their alleged cigars and cigarettes.

50 years ago

The clock sited on the over-bridge at York Station, between platforms eight and nine, had been a guide and friend to countless travellers since the station was opened in 1877. Taken down recently for renovation, the clock surrendered a copy of the newspaper The Sportsman, dated Saturday, June 9, 1877, which had been used for padding round the rim when the clock was erected. York Stationmaster, Mr R W Clampitt, with a twinkle in his eye, suggested that when the clock was replaced a copy of the Yorkshire Evening Press for that day should be inserted in the rim. Up to the Blitz, the clock had been illuminated from the inside, but a bomb that fell on York Station blew out several portions of the opaque glass, which were replaced by plywood painted white, and the clock was then lit up from the outside. When it returned from the repair shop, it would re-appear in all its former glory and as the centre of all eyes on its busy station.

25 years ago

A number of Christmas shoppers in York did not bother to scour the city for a place to park their cars. Instead, they found the going easy with the start of the park-and-ride scheme. There was plenty of room for them to park free at the large Leeman Road and Heworth Green car parks. Then for 10p for adults (free for children) they took a quick bus ride from the car park to the city centre, the buses leaving every 10 minutes. Mrs Pauline Blades, of Mill Hill Farm, Deighton, said: "Unless you get up really early in the morning to get a car park space, this is the best way to do it. It takes you right into the city centre and you don't have to carry your shopping too far on the way back."

Updated: 12:16 Monday, December 05, 2005