FROM this newspaper 150 years ago. - In excavating the works of the Darlington and Barnard Castle Railway, the workmen have come to what appears to have been the burial ground in connection with the Roman camp at Piercebridge. Several skeletons have been found, laid north and south. On each of the chests of the two found last week was an urn of clay or pottery. The teeth of one of the last skeletons were quite perfect.

From this newspaper 100 years ago. - A curious freak of the maternal instinct is reported from Carlton Miniott. Among a newly hatched brood was a chicken with a crossed beak. The mother hen - possibly considering such a deformity a disgrace to her family - refused to have anything to do with it, so the young lady of the house, recollecting that a former cat of hers had behaved kindly to a chicken, placed the poor creature among the three kittens of her present pet. Instead of eating the newcomer, as might have been expected, the cat washed it affectionately as if it were a kitten, and when it was taken away to try and pick she carried it back to her basket by the neck. Unfortunately, however, the malformation of the beak prevented the chicken from picking and, after about five days of life under the kind care of this strange foster mother, it died of starvation.

From this newspaper 50 years ago. - A new score box erected on Stockton Cricket Club's ground at Grangefield at an approximate cost of £260 was opened on Saturday by Mr Alf Smithson, an honorary life member of the club, and one of the ground trustees.

The President (Mr E Baldwin) stated that the club had been desirous of installing an up-to-date score box for many years but had not had the funds for the purpose. Mr Smithson paved the way with a very generous subscription and over £200 was received from other friends of the club.

From this newspaper 25 years ago. - Firemen using 15 fire pumps and nine water jets brought a large fire under control at a Darlington timber yard early on Sunday afternoon.

The fire was contained after about an hour, but an area of stacked dressed and undressed timber measuring 100 metres by 150 metres, was destroyed at the premises of A R Jolly, timber merchants, of Haughton Road, Darlington.