March 19, 1966

“Catterick bypass experiment with telephone”, said the D&S Times 50 years ago, breathlessly breaking the news that “an experimental telephone will be provided at the northern roundabout on the Catterick bypass”.

The paper said: “It will be an all-weather, open telephone for emergency calls and transferred calls.” Other rural areas, it said, would be watching with interest to see how the roadside phone performed.

The three-and-a-half miles of the Catterick by-pass had been the first stretch of the A1 to be upgraded after the war. The by-pass cost £1.06m and was opened in November 1959 by Lord Chesham, a transport minister and motoring enthusiast.

The A1 north to Scotch Corner was dualled by 1960 and the seven-a-half-miles around Leeming were finished in 1961 – yet they kept coming back for new initiatives, such as signage and, of course, the most sophisticated roadside telephonic communication devices of 1966. Nowadays, of course, everyone has at least one personal phone beside them so they never have to leave the warmth of the car.

March 18, 1916

One hundred years ago, there was a lovely letter headed: “Bowls in war time.” It addressed the debate about whether people at home should be enjoying themselves playing sports and games when so many young men were being killed at the front.

“Sir,” it began. “It is impossible to speak about bowls without bias at any time, much less in war time, but there has never been a game the playing of which has appealed more to the player and afforded him more enjoyment and advantage than the game of bowls.

“Public opinion is divided as to the playing of games in war time, but whatever the views of those against, they cannot be taken as applying to bowls, but to the more spectacular games where professional players are engaged.”

The writer – CP Matthews of Darlington – argued that bowls was cost-effective as it only took up a small space, and “an evening’s recreation can be had for the price of a shave”. No gambling was involved, and it was “good physical recreation – a good walk under ideal conditions, and a capital bend and stretch exercise”.

Mr Matthews continued: “Temperamentally too, the game, while calling for sound judgement and nerve, induces a calm, reflective mood by reason of the absence of the physical exhaustion accompanying some of the other more boisterous games. It was just such an effect which Sir Francis Drake sought when playing the ancient game while waiting to wipe out the Spanish armada. In such a way, too, it has fostered in our fighters and war workers today that calm resolve and sporting spirit which is winning us through the present appalling conflict.

“Such is the claim of the game of bowls that when – aye when – we return to the piping times of peace, the bowling clubs of the country should insist upon Royal recognition for the useful part the game has played in war time.

“They should also considerably extend the present international games, even to the continent, not excluding Germany, who might be taught for the first time in their history how to ‘play the game’.”

March 17, 1866

EVERYONE’S eye 150 years must have been caught by the D&S headline “A lady and her two lovers”.

The story was set in Durham, and was beautifully written.

Henry Chapman, landlord of the Crown Inn in New Elvet, formerly a master mariner from Scarborough, accused gardener William Sinclair, of Coulson’s Buildings, Hallgarth Street, of assaulting him.

“Miss Mary Ann Kellett, a prepossessing young lady of some twenty-six summers, also preferred a charge of assault against the defendant,” said the D&S. “The court was crowded.

“It would appear that the defendant Sinclair, a widower, about 40 years of age, had paid his addresses to the fair Mary Ann for some two years past, and considered himself her accepted lover. As such had possessed himself, or, as the defence had it, was presented by the fair deceiver with a latch key by which he was enabled at all seasons to introduce himself into the presence of his lady-love.

“Things went on thus pleasantly for some time, when Miss Kellett’s father, a man of some property and occupying a respectable position, took ill and died, upon which something substantial devolved upon the young lady. Whether this had any effect in deciding the young lady’s intentions, or whether in the evil hour when her attention was first drawn by the superior attractions of the gallant captain, is only to be inferred.

“Suffice it to say, however, that her warmth of affection began to cool towards her old love, and she speedily took on with the new, in the shape of the gallant captain.

“The defendant, stung with the pangs of jealousy, armed himself with candle and matches, and about two o clock in the morning, stole upon the sleeping and unconscious lovers. Entering a bedroom, he found the gallant captain fast asleep; it was then that the assault on the male complainant was alleged to have been committed.

“Defendant next went to Miss Kellett, who had taken refuge in a dark room, and upbraided her in no measured terms for her perfidy and unfeeling conduct.

“The lady, being in mortal fear of his violence, prayed for his forgiveness, promised eternal fealty, and consented to become his wife next week if he wished it.

“Defendant was now master of the situation, and he retained it, remaining in the house till six o’clock in the morning, when he took his departure.

“The lady did not stand true to her promise for next morning, with her new love, the captain, she went off to Sunderland.

“In the course of the case, some humorous passages from love letters which had passed between the defendant and the female complainant were read, but it was proved the assault was of the most trivial character.

“The bench fined the defendant 2s 6d, each party paying his own costs. The announcement was received with loud applause in court.”