FROM this newspaper 150 years ago. - Middleton Fair - The annual Spring Fair was held on Thursday. There was a good show of cattle, and most of them were sold at good prices. There were also premiums for the following:- For the best cart horse, £8, awarded to Mr Wm. Longstaff of Stotley Hall, near Middleton, for his horse "Starling"; for the best Scotch Pony, £4, awarded to Mr Wm. Raine's horse "Hue and cry", of Mickleton; for the best coach horse, £2, awarded to Mr Myers' horse "Golden Pippin"; for the best bull under 2 years old, £4, awarded to Mr Thos. Raine, of Barnley, near Egglestone.

From this newspaper 100 years ago. - The collie at Darlington Station, which carries collecting boxes for the Railway Widow and Orphans charity, sometimes comes in for a bit of luck. This week, on the arrival of an express from the South with saloon attached, a lady and child got out and put coppers in the box. Then another occupant came out and followed suit. The dog seemed to be rather wideawake, for he followed the lady into the saloon, and a further harvest was reaped. Then, hearing the whistle he vacated the train. Said an official in answer to the remarks of a looker on that the dog seemed to know his way about: "Yes, he knows his job". The dog, however, is getting overfed, his body being too highly nourished. He will soon be as obese as his mongrel predecessor, who took up his quarters at the station, and infallibly spotted the dining trains, barking at the kitchen until he was thrown out a portion.

From this newspaper 50 years ago. - Northallerton Fire Brigade was called out on Saturday afternoon when a platelayers cabin south of Northallerton station caught fire. Damage to the wooden building amounted to about £65.

From this newspaper 25 years ago. - More than 600 residents of Teesdale, who have been suffering from hazy television pictures for years, will soon be receiving better reception.

The BBC was given conditional approval to build a 98 feet tall mast at Bail Hill, near Romaldkirk, which will benefit the area between Eggleston and Newbiggin, at a meeting of Durham County Council's development control sub-committee last week.