From this newspaper 150 years ago. – Cockfield. Mormon Exodus. – Last Saturday morning, a large number of people assembled at Cockfield Station to take farewell of a family of emigrants bounds for the Mormon settlement in the Utah district. The emigrants consisted of a family long resident in this neighbourhood, named Wiggins, and comprised thirty persons, in which number three generations were represented.

Greta Bridge. Petty Sessions. – Tuesday. Before the Rev W Wharton, John Michell, and Morley Headlam, Esqs. – Cruelty to an Animal. – At the Petty Session held in March last, Thomas Smith, of Ovington, Innkeeper and horsebreaker, was charged by PC Martindale, with having on the 10th of February last, at the Township of Hutton Long Villiers, ill-used a gelding, left in his possession for the purpose of breaking in, belonging to Mr Bartholomew Metcalfe, of Ovington. The case was adjourned until today, for the attendance of the defendant's attorney, but it was now proved that he had been cruelly beating it about the head, with the thick end of a whip handle; and the Magistrates therefore ordered him to pay the owner £10 for compensation, including costs £1. 13s. 10d. – Assault. – Robert Woodhall, of Booze, Arkengarthdale, was charged by James March, of Hope, with ill-using him on the 5th instant. The plaintiff and defendant both work at Scargill lead mines, and on the day in question, some trifling dispute having arisen between them, Woodhall struck the complainant with a stick, and severely injured his head.

From this newspaper 100 years ago. – The Dust Nuisance. – Shopkeepers and the residents generally of Northallerton, Bedale, and Leyburn have this week been suffering from a great plague of dust. Clouds of dust rolled before a high wind, and swirling round playfully searched out every cranny by which to enter houses and shops, and where there was no evidence whatever to ordinary sight of any possible ingress - where the shop windows are modern, and have the goods enclosed in glass at the back as well as the front for the better preservation of the material from soiling – the subtle invader nevertheless mysteriously found a way in and covered the delicate material perceptibly with dust, while the dust on the floors had to be brushed and shovelled out several times a day, and grit was everywhere. The water cart had an opportunity of distinguishing itself and earning the general gratitude. But the days go by, the great clouds of dust still roll-up, and still no water cart sought benediction. Every one was asking where is the water cart? On Wednesday, when the win had subsided, the water cart at length appeared at Northallerton, and explanation offered for its non-appearance earlier was that they could not get a horse to draw it. At Bedale the whole of the main street and market-place could probably be watered from the hydrants. At Leyburn the dust problem is even more acute by reason of the policy of the Rural District Council, which refuses to put down tar-macadam, as is done everywhere else.

From this newspaper 50 years ago. – From 10.20 on Saturday morning when they left Bank Top Station, Darlington, until their return at six in the evening, passengers on board a "Flying Scotsman Pullman Special" were "shot" from every angle by cameras of all shapes and sizes. Hundreds of railing enthusiasts and train spotters, some up trees and chimneys, on house tops, in windows and on car roofs, were all the way along the 360-mile excursion route taken by the 150-ton Flying Scotsman, majestic prima donna of Britain's steam age railways. The outing was Mr Alan Pegler's way of saying "thank you" to the 120 railway men who have carried out a major overhaul of the engine at Darlington during the winter. In 1963, Mr Pegler, a company director, hit the headlines by paying British Railway £3,000 for the famous engine built for the LNER at Doncaster in 1923. The new owner promised more than a quiet museum retirement for the engine. She was to be kept in working order. To pay for maintenance and keep, Mr Pegler, announced that she would be available for hire, to haul special excursions and make "personal appearances." Relaxing in eight luxury Pullman coaches with an observation car at the read, Mr Pegler's guests were speeded through Yorkshire, Nottingham, Lincolnshire, Northampton and Cambridgeshire to circle through the Fen country – glorious with bands of daffodils – before heading home. The North Road Workshops men were served lunch and tea on the train and there was also a bar. As hundreds of school children milled around the platform at Bank Top Station, the locomotive, gleaming green and gold in the sunlight steamed quietly while the guests climbed aboard. Mr Pegler said that a major task in the overhaul, which cost nearly £10,000 was the replacing of the boiler. This had not been immediately necessary, but he decided to have it done because it would be a very costly job in a few years when all steam engines had been withdrawn from British Railways.