FROM this newspaper 150 years ago. - Middlesbrough and Guisborough Railway: At an extraordinary general meeting of shareholders held at the town hall Guisborough on Thursday, December 21, Henry Pease Esq. in the chair, the following resolutions were agreed to: That the Directors be fully authorised to prosecute through Parliament in the ensuing session a Bill for making a branch ralway to connect the Middlesbrough and Guisborough Railway with the authorised North Yorkshire and Cleveland Railway. That the Directors be also fully empowered to negotiate, and to come to any and such arrangements as they may think proper with any company who may bring before Parliament any scheme which may be deemed a competing line with the above mentinoed Branch.

From this newspaper 100 years ago. - SEASONAL BENEVOLENCE AT RICHMOND.- The first of the annual distributions of coal to the deserving poor and needy took place on Monday, under the supervision of the Mayor and members of the committee of the poor coal fund. Generous contributors to the fund are the Marquis of Zetland, the Corporation, and the surrounding gentry and tradesfolk. Each person was the recipient of half a ton, and the leading was given gratuitously by the farmers and tradesmen of the neighbourhood. The second distribution generally takes place in March.

From this newspaper 50 years ago. - School Boilerhouse Fire.- Most of the children at Ripon County Secondary School went on with their lessons on Monday morning unaware that a fire had broken out in the boilerhouse under the school. But there was no immediate danger. Ripon firemen quickly had the outbreak under control and electricians who went into the smoke-filled boilerhouse made safe a burning cable believed to be the cause of the fire. The alarm was raised by teachers who went to the boilerhouse to find the cause of a flickering of some of the school lights