FROM this newspaper 100 years ago. - On Thursday afternoon a meeting of Darlington rate payers was held in the Lecture Hall of the Central Buildings for the purpose of protesting against the introduction of water gas. Mr J E Backhouse was called to the chair, and said he felt very strongly in the matter of introducing water gas into the town, because he did not want the death-rate to increase, and greater facilities afforded to people of committing suicide. If this gas were introduced he, in common with many others, would probably have to do away with all their existing gas arrangements and return to the old oil lamps. (Hear, hear.) People who had by-passes would be likely to suffer a great deal, and with the introduction of the electric light he failed to see the necessity of it.

From this newspaper 50 years ago. - A search in a fairly thick fog in the Northallerton-Scorton-Darlington area was being made by North Riding police late last night (Friday) for two prisoners from Northallerton Gaol who had made a dash for freedom while employed with a working party near Scorton yesterday afternoon. The escape is the first from Northallerton Prison for more than a year. During the war the prison was an army detention barracks when it was the scene of a riot, a mass escape, and a daring escape by two men through a ventilation shaft.

From this newspaper 25 years ago. - An extra £12,000 a year could be raised at Teesside Airport if free parking was ended, members of the airport's committee heard on Wednesday. Mr Edwin Shaw, engineer to the committee, said that if they are going to charge for car parking they ought to have a survey carried out to see how many people used the car parking spaces and the effect it would have if a charge was levied. He suggested fully automatic control would be the best method