From this newspaper 100 years ago. - At the meeting of the Stockton Board of Guardians, presided over on Wednesday by Mr G M Watson, Mr Knowles moved that the inmates of the workhouse be allowed the usual Christmas dinner, with a pint of beer for those who cared for it. He appealed to the members to be unanimous for once, and to grant the poor people in the workhouse this small privilege, and throw a ray of light over their otherwise monotonous existence, by giving them once in a way a drink of the brown ale of England. Mr A Liverseed seconded the resolution, which was carried, only two voting against it.

From this newspaper 50 years ago. - Better late than never is a maxim which apparently never applied to Mr Edward Elliott, 60-year-old retired postman, of West View, The Bank, Barnard Castle, who in his 39 years service, the greater part of which has been spent in the market town, has not been late for duty on a single occasion.

Such a fine record of punctuality suggests that Mr Elliott's motto throughout his career has been "Better never late." His reward for good conduct as a postman is the Imperial Service Medal which has been presented to him by the head postmaster of Darlington (Mr T J Smith).

For a great number of years, Mr Elliott delivered in the Scargill district and later was transferred to delivery van work operating between Barnard Castle and Harwood.

From this newspaper 25 years ago. - Mrs Scarlet O'Hara, of Leyburn Road, Darlington, came third in ITV's talent competition New Faces, on Saturday, when she presented three minutes of jokes based on her early life in Newcastle. The panel, Tony Hatch, Lionel Blair, Les Reed and Shaw Taylor, were more impressed with Mrs O'Hara's warmth and personality than with her material.