FROM this newspaper 100 years ago. - Snowfall in July: On Monday morning snow fell on the Hambleton Plain, east of Thirsk, accompanied by a cold wind. It is many years since snow was known to fall during the first week in July, in this portion of North Yorkshire. There was also a slight fall of snow at Eaglescliffe junction the same morning. Surrounding areas were not free from the poor weather, and cold blustering winds prevailed during the whole of the day.

From this newspaper 50 years ago. - Final touches were being given yesterday to preparations for Yorkshire's farm showcase, the Great Yorkshire Show. The 65 acres of timber and canvas in Harrogate is waiting to welcome Yorkshire's men of the land, and also the city folk who go for a breath of fresh air and to see how the industry ticks. Cattle entries stand at 591, which easily exceeds the previous high figure of 558 at the 1951 show. For three days next week the site will house the cream of Northern agricultural livestock, the stands with their up-to-the-minute examples of modern "push button" farming, the flower show, the demonstrations and a host of other attractions that make the show such a popular success.

From this newspaper 25 years ago. - Many post office users have given a negative response to the new queuing system at Darlington Post Office. The new "snake" system is designed to make the queuing time shorter for each customer, but it makes for much muttering when all one wants is to buy a 9p stamp and is caught in a tide of people renewing their motor tax discs. One lunchtime visitor complained that this new system of one half queuing opposite the other made things very cosy. But at the end of a hard morning's work, togetherness and cosy chatter is the last thing she wants. "Give me back the short impersonal queues of the old regime," she said. "Everyone facing towards strangers and gazing into each other's eyes is too much, and at lunchtime too!"