100 years ago

AT Barnoldswick Urban District Council, Coun Brooks expressed concern about the "shocking treatment" of passengers to Barnoldswick by the Midland Railway Company. He was referring to the fact that there was no heating in the carriages, saying it was like travelling in a refrigerator. Coun Brooks was concerned because he knew of cases of illness arising from chills caught in these carriages and called on the company to resolve the problem.

A Skipton labourer became the first local to be prosecuted under the new Child Messenger Act. He appeared before the court accused of sending his daughter, who was under the age of 14, to buy liquor. The shopkeeper was also summonsed for supplying the ale. Each defendant was fined five shillings plus costs and the judge said he hoped the case would act as a deterrent to others.

50 years ago

COWLING textile manufacturers John Binns and Son celebrated their centenary by hosting a tea for the village's Over 65s. Over 200 people attended the event at the institute, where they were served refreshments and entertained by the Victory Players and conjurer Professor Fox. An official welcome was given by the firm's chairman of directors, Mr W Stanley Emmott.

Skipton's Aireville Secondary School had been included in the 1952/53 building programme by West Riding County Council. The new school would be built for 600 pupils aged between 11 and 16, but would ultimately hold 1,050. The gross cost of building the school was put at £155,000.

A heavyweight contest between Barnoldswick boxer Frank Bell and American Steve McCaul was top of the bill at a forthcoming boxing programme at Leeds Town Hall.

25 years ago

Children from the Burnside Community Home in Skipton would be enjoying a day out thanks to the town's Nearly New Shop. The home was to receive a £100 donation from the shop committee as part of a £3,500 handout to local good causes. Others to benefit from the cash were Raikeswood Hospital, who received £1,000 towards building a new therapy department, and local disabled people who would enjoy a holiday thanks to a donation towards their holiday scheme. The Nearly New Shop was closed just last year, due to competition from other charity shops.

A thief with a penchant for Brussels sprouts had been raiding gardens and allotments in Settle. Gardeners had returned to their plots to find the greenfingered thief had either stripped the plants of their sprouts or uprooted the whole plant and taken it away. One victim had been robbed of 15lb worth of the sprouts.

A new coat of arms was approved for Settle by the town council. They chose a design by Mr E Heeley, head of art at Settle High School.

Heavy snowfalls were causing chaos throughout Craven with even some of the major roads unpassable. Many motorists had been forced to abandon their cars, some spending the night at Skipton Police Station after finding local accommodation fully booked up.

10 years ago

EMBSAY Playgroup celebrated its 25th anniversary with a get-together for parents, children and staff, both past and present. Attending the celebration were Dorothy Rae, the group's first teacher, and Betty Almack, one of the mothers whose idea its was to start the playgroup. Also celebrating its silver jubilee was the Skipton branch of Dacre, Son and Hartley estate agents.

Skipton and Ripon MP David Curry announced a major boost for environmentally sensitive farming. The Government had designated 18 new Environmentally Sensitive Areas (ESAs) in the Pennines and Yorkshire Dales, allowing farmers to apply for cash incentives if they undertook to protect special features of the landscape.

A Barnoldswick bus shelter blighted by vandalism was brightened up by public spirited pupils from the town's West Craven High School. Barnoldswick Town Council decided a mural should be painted inside the shelter in a bid to discourage the vandals and West Craven pupil Matthew Fitzpatrick came up with the winning design.