From this newspaper 150 years ago – Messrs. Richardson Duck and Co. launched from their yard a fine ship of 1,600 tons burden, the largest iron sailing ship that has, as yet, been built in the Tees. She is built for Messrs Holmes, Knorts and Holmes, and is intended for the India trade. As she glided majestically into the water she was christened the ‘Punjaub’ by Mrs Howard Head.

From this newspaper 100 years ago – At Thirsk Police Court on Thursday (before Messrs W Foggitt presiding and TJ Foggitt), William Arthur, a tramping painter, was charged with begging at South Kilvington. Arthur said he was 69 years of age, and a painter by trade. He had not worked since the latter part of July, and could not get employment. He was generally out in winter.

The chairman remarked that he understood there was plenty of work in Middlesbrough and Newcastle. They did not wish to send the defendant to prison considering his age and seeing he was out of employment, and would give him a shilling and he must leave the town.

From this newspaper 50 years ago – Ripon’s age-old curfew, rung nightly at 9 o’clock on a bell in the south-west tower of the Cathedral, is to become a mechanical one, within the next few days. Perhaps, even last night would be the final occasion on which a member of the Cathedral staff had to toil up the 70 steps to the ringing chamber to ‘put in the curfew’, a duty which has been in existence through past centuries.