Tuesday, January 31, 2006

100 years ago

It was the tercentenary of the death of Guy Fawkes, of York, who was brought on this date in 1606 from the Tower of Westminster, and there hanged, drawn and quartered on a scaffold facing the Parliament House that he had meant to blow-up. He was so weak and ill from his sufferings on the rack, to which he had been subjected to compel him to disclose his accomplices that he had to be assisted up the steps. Before he died, he made no long speech, but, seeming sorry for his offence, asked a kind of forgiveness of the king and state of his bloody intent. Yet the youth of England still continued to take annual vengeance for King and State.

50 years ago

A ban on parking in many of the streets in the centre of York was included in a plan to ease the city's traffic problem. A joint committee of the Streets and Buildings and Watch and Fire Services Committees also considered several other measures. The effect of a revision of the one-way traffic system in York would be to create within the city walls "a complete one-way system for practically each street." It appeared that any new comprehensive scheme for the city would have to operate on a "traffic separation basis" and would demand the clearance of the market and car park in Parliament Street.

25 years ago

Railways in Britain could be "near total collapse" within five years, NUR general secretary Mr Sid Weighell, warned. Mr Weighell was addressing the annual council of the York and Darlington area of his union, in Darlington. Within 10 years, more than 3,000 miles of track would close and more than 7,000 miles of signalling would be more than 50 years old, unless investments were made, he said. Mr Weighell's talk followed news earlier that British Rail Eastern Region was to press local authorities and the Government for much-needed extra money. Eastern Region warned that a number of rural branch lines, including several in North Yorkshire, might have to close because they would soon be unable to meet minimum safety standards. Mr Weighell had talks with the Transport Minister, Mr Norman Fowler, about the worsening problem. "He said he would give it his urgent consideration but the promises he made are at the moment, totally inadequate. The Minister is going to have to move very quickly indeed before the railways get into a disastrous state, and we told him so quite bluntly. But having said that we are going to fight every inch of the way to make sure that not a mile of line here or elsewhere is closed."

Updated: 08:42 Tuesday, January 31, 2006