100 years ago

SETTLE Rural District councillors were asked to send details of roads where cars should be prohibited or restricted. The clerk reported that West Riding County Council had the power to declare certain roads closed to motor cars (an interesting comment in the light of modern arguments about "green lanes") if the highway was less than 16 feet wide. The speed limit on all roads was 20 miles per hour, but this could be limited to 10 on some roads.

Skipton Cricket Club held its centenary dinner and a gold watch was presented to Foster Horner, who had played for the First XI for 21 years. The chairman looked back on his time in 1876, when it was 25 years old. He said there were only six to eight matches a year, no leagues but large crowds and wondered if leagues were such a good thing. Cricket in 1903 was now more of a business than a sport.

50 years ago

THE old isolation hospital for diptheria and scarlet fever patients at Harden Bridge, Austwick, had been refurbished and could accommodate 22 chronic sick female patients. However it did not open to take patients from Raikeswood Hospital in Skipton because of a shortage of nurses.

The secretary of the Skipton branch of the British Legion, KA Knowles, called for more young blood. "Unless more men of the Second World War take more interest in the work of the British Legion this great organisation will not last another 20 years". The president, Major TP Brighouse, deplored the small attendances at Remembrance Day parades in the district and called for a revival of enthusiasm.

Giggleswick parishioners met to discuss how to distribute surplus funds raised during the Coronation festivities. It was decided to plant two trees to form an arch at the gateway to the recreation ground. The remaining £80 would go to the fund to build a village hall as there was nowhere for groups such as the WI to meet.

Magistrates were a heartless lot 50 years ago. A prisoner from Grassington remanded in custody for breaking and entering asked for bail so he could make arrangements for his wedding, which would be held before his case was heard. But the superintendent of police said the prisoner was the sort to wander off, and so magistrates refused his request and sent him back to jail.

25 years ago

A PETITION with the signatures of 300 Glusburn residents was handed in to the council calling for a block on any new housing in the parish, which included Cross Hills and Sutton. It said there were too many vehicles, nowhere to park, too many children for too few school places and a general lack of facilities. All these problems should be sorted out before any more houses were built said the organisers.

Skipton Town Council heard of the benefits of twinning. In the debate it was said that somewhere in north Germany, Denmark or Holland would be a suitable "twin". It emerged that Skipton had looked at twinning with a French town as close as possible to the birthplace of Robert de Romille, who built the first Skipton Castle in the late 11th century and steps had been taken to twin with St Lo. However, this had been abandoned when local government was reorganised in 1974.

Craven Museum bought a grandfather-style clock at auction from a private owner. It was built by John Green, the earliest known Skipton clock maker, who died in 1742 and was buried in Skipton churchyard.

10 years ago

A CRAVEN farmer held a burglar at the end of a shotgun for 12 minutes until police arrived. Peter Sharp, from Malham, spotted someone entering his workshop at 5am and went out armed with his 12 bore. He pushed the door to and threatened the intruder that he would use the gun if any escape attempt was made. In court the defendant claimed he had been looking for his dog, a defence dismissed as "a cock and bull story" by prosecutors. Magistrates agreed and found him guilty of breaking and entering.

European grants worth £20 million were earmarked for Craven's villages for a wide range of projects. The 'Objective 5b' money would be used for "deprived" villages such as Bolton Abbey, Embsay, Clapham, Settle, Upper Wharfedale. But the area for which money was available was shaped like a doughnut - Skipton in the middle was not eligible. An explanation was given that Objective 5b status was aimed at tackling rural not urban deprivation - but that didn't quite tally when Scarborough and Whitby had also been given Objective 5b cash.

Ron Maxfield and Ted Roach were leaving the Black Horse in Skipton after 15 years as landlords. Pennine Inns (part of the Scottish and Newcastle group) were having a reshuffle and sending them to a pub at Lowick Green near Ulverston. Mr Maxfield admitted that at first he had been disappointed to be moved on but now he had got used to the idea and was looking forward to a new challenge.