Friday, January 6, 2006

100 years ago

Citizens of York and regular readers would be pleased to learn that the future of the surviving children of the late John and Sarah Pinkney, of Heslington, was well provided for. The boy and girl, the only two surviving members of the family horrifically murdered on November 14th, were to be discharged from the York County Hospital in a few days. The boy would go to a home in Scotland and the girl was to be adopted by some friends in London. It was stated that the little boy had no recollection of the tragedy.

50 years ago

A trick-of-the-trade, which was probably the sort of thing a young draper learnt with his alphabet, had been observed being used by at least one York outfitter to make sure there was a crowd outside his shop on the morning of a sale. The bait was a £2 suit. Apparently the suit was put into the window at closing time the night before the sale. Many people on their way home from work noticed it and next morning there was a crowd outside the shop, their eyes bright at the thought of such a bargain. The doors were opened. The crowd poured in. The £2 suit was sold, often without being torn apart first. But there was only one £2 for sale. The rest of the crowd either had to muster up the moral courage to leave the shop without buying anything, or pretend they were really waiting for handkerchiefs or some new socks!

25 years ago

Development of a prime, £4m shopping site in Coney Street, York, had been hit by the Environment Secretary, Mr Michael Heseltine. Shocked members of the City Council heard that Mr Heseltine had protected, with listed-building status, three properties where experts recently discovered remnants of a part-hidden Jacobean building. The experts uncovered the timber framework of a Jacobean house behind Georgian and Victorian alterations. They also found a fireplace and decorative, ornamental, plasterwork carving. The site covered 23 to 31 Coney Street. Councillor Philip Booth, described it as a "public scandal." "The site has been standing vacant for many years," he said. "Then a developer has come along and paid nearly £5m for the site, taking on the responsibility of development. It is a public scandal that they should now be placed in this position." Councillor Samuel Brearley, Chairman of the Development Services Committee, made the announcement that the two early 17th century buildings had been listed by the Secretary of State, along with 23 Coney Street. "This will cause the new owners of the buildings to re-think their earlier proposals, though it is too early to anticipate what action they will take," he said.

Updated: 08:24 Friday, January 06, 2006