REPRODUCTIONS of a 140-year-old poster advertising a Victorian Christmas sports day have gone on sale in Saltburn.

But the sports day is at the centre of a long-running mystery as to why it was cancelled before the races could be run.

The poster, which dates from 1876, is believed to be the oldest surviving published item connected to a community activity in the town. Saltburn had only been founded 15 years earlier as a railway seaside resort, as Looking Back noted a couple of weeks ago.

The 1876 poster promotes an extensive programme of Boxing Day sporting events. Top of the bill was the 120 yards foot race, open only to amateurs living within a six mile radius of the town, with the top prize being a silver watch.

Other events included a quoits match, a pigeon-shooting contest, a sack race and “a manx or three-legged race”.

Local historian Tony Lynn has found that the event was advertised in The Northern Echo, where, on December 19, 1876, there was a paragraph saying that the sports “have been suddenly nipped in the bud and consequently are not coming off. Various reports are current as to the why and wherefore”.

It remains a mystery.

The poster appears to be a draft, as it has notes and revisions marked on it. It was found in the 1970s in the attic of what is now the Victoria pub in Dundas Street East, and the Saltburn Framing Company, in Station Buildings, is now selling reproductions for £10.

LOOKING Back of October 9 featured a two-tone car in Stokesley Market Place in 1969. Practically every one of our large legion of car-spotters said it was a Wolseley 16/60.

“The '16' denotes engine size (1,622ccs) and '60' the brake horse power (it was actually 61bhp),” said David Yeadon in Barnard Castle. “It's a 'C' registration, so it was registered sometime during 1965, with the letters 'PY' denoting it was registered in Darlington.

David adds plenty more fascinating trivia about the car’s Italian designer, Sergio Farina, before signing off with: “Ah, the pleasures of useless information!”

Derek Noble in Hutton Rugby added colour to the picture by saying: “My boss had a cream and green 16/60 which looks identical to the one in the Market Place.”

We also asked about the 299 bus heading for Seamer. Lots of people said it would be bright red and operated by United. Gary Cunningham of Thirsk thought it was a Bristol MW while Gerry Simpson in Darlington said it was a “45-seater British BU with a five cylinder Gardener engine”. Gerry spent seven years driving United buses out of the Richmond depot from 1968 – “one of the most enjoyable jobs I ever had”.

More old vehicles in future weeks. Many thanks to everybody who responded, and for the kind comments about this page.