100 years ago

A Skipton youth performed a dare-devil cycling trick to the delight of the press when he rode backwards from Skipton to Keighley in under 50 minutes. But concern was expressed in the Herald that if such behaviour caught on, it would lead to 'hare-brained' schemes such as pedalling with the hands, steering with the teeth and putting a brake on with the teeth - dangerous activity with the rise of the motorcar.

There was support from the area for the Yorkshire County Rugby Union committee's decision to suspend the Castleford club after a cup final against Skipton. The West Yorkshire club had added insult to injury by having the Challenge Cup they won from Skipton engraved, despite the threat of having to relinquish it. Castleford were alleged to have repeatedly disobeyed the committee's rules.

It was "genuinely supposed" that otters were on the verge of extinction in upper Wharfedale after another unsuccessful hunt was held. A fine pack of hounds had been engaged for the event, which was well attended by local sportsmen. However no trace or scent of an otter could be found on the stretch of the river between Grassington and Barden. Today it is a different story (see page 12).

50 years ago

CELEBRATIONS to mark the Coronation had come to an end and workers were returning to the mills and factories - so the weather then decided to perk up! Most of the galas, processions and other festivities had been held in pouring rain.

Buckden returned to Tudor times for the theme of its pageant with Miss Evelyn Horner playing the lead role as Queen Elizabeth I.

Earby potholers made a return visit to Pikedaw caves, between Settle and Malham, to continue their exploration of a previously undiscovered hole. They had made the discovery a few weeks before but had not had the equipment to explore it. They found three pitches: 10 feet, 15 feet and 30 feet, the latter leading to a large chamber, estimated at 60 feet long, 30 feet wide and 40 feet high.

25 years ago

ELSLACK parents lost their fight to save their village school. A letter was sent to local MP Mr Burnaby Drayson by Miss Margaret Jackson, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Education with the news that the school would be shut down. The decision to close it was taken in the face of fierce opposition. After the closure pupils then had to attend Thornton school two miles away.

Saturday night fever struck Skipton's Melody Dancing Club when members raised £230 towards the Yorkshire body scanner fund. Prompted by the death of three members from cancer, the club decided to do all they could to help the appeal.

The fire brigade was called to a house on Clitheroe Street, Skipton, after three-year-old John Atkinson got his head stuck between the seat and the back of a chair.

The headmistress of Rainhall Road Primary School, Barnoldswick, issued a blunt warning regarding statements about the closure of the school. The caution was: "Miss Riding wishes to state that Rainhall Road County School is remaining open as usual. She will be prepared to take action over any untrue statements made about the school." She explained that the school was occasionally subject to rumours that it might be closing and this clearly would have an affect on parents thinking about sending their children there. The school did close two years ago.

10 years ago

THE Prince of Wales paid the area a visit and donned his hiking boots to stroll around the Yorkshire Dales. He stopped off to open a National Nature Reserve at Ingleborough to be managed by English Nature and the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust. As he unveiled the plaque Prince Charles jokingly referred to English Nature's official banner as a "dishcloth".

Outspoken pensioners won the first round of their fight to scrap new arrangements at Skipton's post office. Supermarket bosses were forced to reconsider their access plans when shoppers inundated them with complaints about the erection of a turnstile at the entrance to the main post office. Objectors said that a turnstile made it difficult for the elderly and disabled.

Quarter ton reams of paper narrowly missed hitting a builder as they smashed through a wall in Cowling after falling from a lorry. The blocks of paper demolished the wall that was being repaired by builder David Gott after they were flung from the vehicle on the sharp corner bend approaching Keighley Road from Colne.