50 years ago, November 20, 1965

COLONEL RJL Jackson, of Guisborough, told the biannual dinner of the Richmond Company of Mercers, Grocers and Haberdashers “that one of the factors in Richmond’s continuing prosperity is the increasing use of the motor car, which enables people to see the more remote parts of the countryside by touring from such centres as Richmond.

“All that is required is for local traders and hoteliers to make such people welcome.”

The Company still meets, and has its minutes dating back to 1580. The 1965 meeting was historic because the Mayor of Richmond, Councillor Miss PR Batson made history as the first woman to attend the function for about 200 years. She wore a 3,000-year-old gold bracelet that had been found locally and lent to her by Miss Bridgit Talbot of Kiplin Hall.

Said the D&S: “After the dinner, the 110 members and guests joined in the traditional ceremony of drinking in turn from a loving cup.”

100 years ago, November 20, 1915

UNDER the grim headline, “Leyburn grocer’s lonely death on the moors”, the D&S Times told how “the first fall of snow this winter has been accompanied by a sad tragedy on the Wensleydale moors”.

Oswald Spensley, 29, had set off on his motorcycle delivery rounds to Grinton and Reeth as usual only to be caught in a snowstorm in the early afternoon. After slithering off his bike, he called in the Bridge Inn at Grinton for a small whisky and lemonade. By now there were seven inches of snow outside and so he left his bike at the inn and attempted to cross the moor on foot.

“After struggling on for some time he got off the path and was evidently overcome and sank into a fatal sleep,” said the paper.

More grim news from Ripon, where, in the same week, Bernard Gowing, aged two-and-a-half, and Lilian Bosher, aged five years and nine months, had both burned to death in domestic accidents. Bernard was found in his cot by his mother with his woollen jersey smouldering and a box of matches nearby; Lilian had been momentarily left with her two younger brothers in a room with an open fire. Her pink flannelette chemise had touched a flame and set her alight.

“The coroner, in summing up, drew attention to the Children Act of 1908, Section 15, which sets out the penalty to which a person shall be liable who neglects to sufficiently protect a child from burning. He called attention to the danger of using flannelette, and to the desirability of using fire guards.”

150 years ago, November 18, 1865

BIG improvements were taking place in Barnard Castle. “We understand that directions have recently been given, through her Grace the Duchess of Cleveland” for the around and within the walls of the old castle “to be laid out and beautified”.

The D&S said: “The deposit of rubbish at the Castle Hill has been stopped, and other nuisances will doubtless be swept away, as the authorities at Raby will be anxious to get the improvements carried out during the period that his Grace the Duke of Cleveland is away in the south.”

In Darlington, the winter hirings for farm hands was taking place with attendant entertainments.

“In the market there were a few shows, among which was that containing Chipperfield’s living skeleton,” reported the D&S. “There were also photographic “studios” where you could have a "likeness" taken for a mere bagatelle, but before entering these booths if you felt at all timid, you might have the advice of the man hard by and have your nerves strengthened at a galvanic battery for a penny.”

The paper concluded: “Happily, the usual drunken scenes were not so numerous.”