Headline news from the Darlington & Stockton Times 150, 100 and 50 years ago

From this newspaper 150 years ago. – Darlington Horse Fair. – This annual horse fair was held on Tuesday and Wednesday. There were more horses than buyers, we are told, on the first day – horses of superior quality and action, but better animals were said to have been left at home by those who brought them. Stabling sufficient to accommodate the large number brought was not to be had in the town. Very many changed hands.

On Wednesday, there were more buyers – men with long purses and keen to purchase – than really good horses. The trade on the second day was chiefly done in old hacks. That the fair this year has been more successful than in any previous year is admitted on all hands, and its promoters are encouraged to continue their efforts to bring it into respectable notoriety; but still, as was remarked to us, those who sold said it was a good fair, and those who did not sell said it was a bad one.

From this newspaper 100 years ago. – Trap accident. – On Thursday, Mr John Norfolk, farmer, Northallerton, was driving in a trap along the Boroughbridge road, and when under the bridge near Northallerton Station he was passed by a motor lorry and trailer.

The horse passed the motor lorry all right, but as it was passing the trailer the animal shied at a heap of stones lying on the side of the road, and backed the trap into the trailer, broke from the harness, and bolted. Mr Norfolk was thrown violently to the ground. Mr Bacon, assistant stationmaster, went to his assistance, rendered first aid, and brought him to the station. Mr Norfolk had two nasty cuts on the head, and some abrasions. Mr Bacon, an ambulance scholar, dressed his wounds, and had him conveyed home. The injured man was suffering from shock. The horse, unhurt, was stopped at the railway crossing, where the gates were shut.

Aeroplane passes over Yarm. – About midday on Tuesday an aeroplane passed over the town.

The noise of the engines attracted the attention of the inhabitants, and a large number witnessed the flight northward.

From this newspaper 50 years ago. – An increase in drunkenness figures for the Richmond and Gilling West division during 1963 was reported at Tuesday’s Brewster Sessions at Richmond. Presenting his annual report, Supt J B Bumby said that in 1963 there were 42 cases of drunkenness and seven cases of driving or being in charge of vehicles while unfit through drink. This compared with figures of 35 and three in 1962, and 25 and four in 1961. Of the 42 people convicted of drunkenness last year only 12 were residents, 23 were Service personnel, and the remainder were non-residents. Of the total 24 were under 21. He continued: “The incidence of convictions of drunkenness and persons being unfit to drive or in charge of motor vehicles while their ability to drive was impaired through drink has unfortunately increased somewhat during the year. In an attempt to curtail this rising trend, I would specially request that licensees and their staff give keener and closer supervision and where necessary exercise their Common Law discretion of refusing to dispense liquor to customers who appear to be imbibing too freely. This applies more especially to the “one for the road”

driver, who has usually drunk enough to impair his driving but considers firstly that he can take it, and secondly that he drives better when he has had a few more drinks. He is a menace who imperils road safety today.” His report showed there were 45 fully licensed premises in the division and 14 off-licences. The population of the division was approximately 21,852, and in addition there was a large military population. Excluding the military population there was an average of 485 persons for each fully licensed house.