THE efforts of an arsonist to destroy the speed camera on the A66 between Darlington and Stockton appeared in yesterday's paper.

Petrol was poured on the camera and when the consequent fire failed to put it out of use, the arsonist returned and necklaced it with burning tyres. Our reporter speculated that the guilty party was "possibly a driver who had been caught speeding".

The first driver to be caught speeding was Walter Arnold, of East Peckham in Kent, in 1896. He was spotted by a policeman scorching past his house at 8mph, clearly breaking the 4mph limit. The officer jumped onto his pushbike and pedalled for five miles until he caught up with the offending vehicle and booked the driver. Mr Arnold - who later became the first manufacturer of petrol-engined cars in Britain - was fined a shilling.

All of which would have been irrelevant, although fascinating, had a headline from a 1902 Darlington & Stockton Times not leapt out of the page yesterday afternoon. "The Motor Crusade", it screamed.

By 1902, the speed limit was 14mph although speed cops in the North Riding were working to the Light Locomotive Act and crusading against anyone who exceeded 12mph.

On the day in question, they had measured out a quarter-of-a-mile stretch between Richmond and Scotch Corner. Sergeant Alexander stood at one end in plain clothes armed with a stopwatch "supplied by the chief constable". In the middle was an officer with a pushbike "ready to follow any motorist if required". At the other end was Sergeant Smith skulking in plain clothes in the hedgerow. As the speeding vehicle went past, Sgt Smith would rise up waving a white pocket handkerchief - Sgt Alexander's signal to start the stopwatch.

Thomas Manning, of Darlington, was the first through, traversing the distance in 33 seconds - 26mph. He was fined £5 - roughly £250 in today's money. Next up was John Feetham, of Darlington, "for furiously riding a motorcycle". He was clocked at 50 seconds - 18mph - and was fined £1.

Finally, Captain LE Elwis, of Coniscliffe, was timed at 51 seconds - 17mph - in his heavy family tourer. "He swore by all the Bibles made that he was not doing the speed stated," said his lawyer, Mr Staplee Firth, expensively called up from Chancery Lane, London. Mr Staplee Firth considered the chief constable's stopwatch too cheap to be reliable; he said Capt Elwis had 10,000 miles of driving experience and that Capt CE Hunter of Selaby Hall, no less, "had driven hundreds of miles with Capt Elwis" without complaint.

The bench retired, found Capt Elwis guilty but fined him half-a-crown (2s 6d) - an example of social standing and money tilting the scales of justice?

A few months later, the national speed limit was raised to 20mph.

THIS week Richmond has enjoyed its first Royal visit since 1902 - although no one can say who turned up then. And there are no headlines in the 1902 papers to suggest that there was a top-level Royal visit. Indeed, 1902 was a worrying year for Royalists because two days before his Coronation, Edward VII was struck down with abdominal pains. Surgery was the only cure.

"I have a coronation on hand," protested the patient.

"It will be a funeral if you don't have the operation," said the physician.

Edward was old, obese and flatulent, a terrible surgical risk. His courtiers planned his funeral, but he pulled through and a new word entered the English language - appendicitis.

Published: 17/09/05