From this newspaper 50 years ago. - A criticism of modernistic art contained in the Secretary of Art's report, which called upon members to beware of "these queer, self-styled artists" caused some resentment at the Darlington Arts society's annual meeting on Tuesday. Mr Douglas Pittuck, art master at Barnard Castle school, asked if the report intended to express the opinion of members and if members were expected to subscribe to its views. If they were, he said he would feel bound to resign. Mr J B Harrison, the secretary, said that he believed when he wrote the report that he expressed the views of the majority of the society's members. Mr Pittuck asked, who were the representatives of modern art against whom members were supposed to feel so indignant - Picasso? Braque? Sutherland? Mr J L Bird, art master of Darlington grammar school, declared as in regard to art, Darlington was living in a backwater. Mrs J R Dixon, vice-chairman, who presided, intervened to say that she had been to the Royal Academy's Ecole de Paris exhibition. "I tried awfully hard," she added, "but I don't think we in Darlington can quite understand these cubes." "That is the fault of Darlington rather than the fault of the Royal Academy," interjected Mr Pittuck.

From this newspaper 100 years ago. - Between seven and eight o'clock on Thursday night the inhabitants were alarmed with the news spreading through Thirsk that a fire, apparently of stocks, was raging to the east of the town. The Thirsk fire brigade were in readiness awaiting orders and the horses for convening the engines were harnessed. Some hundreds climbed the Clumps Hill on the Helmsley highway, fully expecting to see a blaze, but on their arrival they were doomed to disappointment, for at the Jackie Hollins farmstead it was found that in its vicinity 12 or 14 loads of thorns had been set ablaze. Hollins Barn farmstead is about two miles to the east of Thirsk on the high ground.

From this newspaper 25 years ago. - The tug, John H Amos, centre of controversy at Stockton for years, made its final journey down the river on Thursday afternoon. After 36 years of working life and nine in retirement, all it left behind was a loan charge of £1,760 for Stockton Borough to pay each year for more than 30 years to come. The paddle tug has been bought for £3,500 by the Medway Maritime Museum in Kent. The Mayor of Stockton (Coun Norman Duff) performed the re-naming ceremony - the museum has decided that the vessel should be called Hero to fit in with its other boats - by smashing a bottle of Pomagne over its rails and managing to get most of it over his suit.