100 years ago

THE public swimming baths being planned for Skipton would help cut the number of deaths by drowning, the urban district council was told. Bathing fatalities occurred every year, but it was felt a public bathing area would improve safety. The canal dockyard was felt to be the best place, with water transferred from local reservoirs. Councillors also discussed the need for a recreation ground. The previous evening Coun Smith had seen three teams of footballers playing in the street which, he said, demonstrated the need for such a facility.

A memorial window to the late Anne Batten was unveiled in the north aisle of Giggleswick Church. The subject of the window was "The Good Shepherd" and it was executed in the best antique glass by the studio of Mr T W Cann, of Smethwick, near Birmingham. Mrs Batten died on May 5 1900 and the window was dedicated by her husband and son.

Austwick was to get a new public hall thanks to local man Henry Shepherd. He had purchased a structure behind the Post Office which was then demolished and a public building - to be called Pretoria Hall - built in its place.

Long Preston's oldest inhabitant died at the age of 94. Thomas Read passed away at his home where he had lived for 32 years. Three of Long Preston's oldest residents - all men - had died in the past three weeks, their combined ages adding up to 275.

50 years ago

THE eighth Rathmell and District Young Farmers' Club show was said to be the best since the event's inception. The championship challenge cup, awarded by the president, Col N Geldard, was won by Dorothy Lister and the cup given by Bernard Robinson for the young farmer of the year went to Arthur Charnly. The prize for the best member in the younger age group was won by Eva Charnley.

Captain Stephen Tempest, of Broughton Hall, was to be awarded a medal for long service as a brancardier (stretcher bearer) at Lourdes. Captain Tempest was presently on his fourth pilgrimage to Lourdes and had put in 35 days as a helper of the sick.

A suicide attempt landed a teenager from Farnhill before Skipton magistrates. He was remanded in custody charged with attempting to commit suicide by inhaling coal gas. Luckily for the teenager the gas was on a pre-pay meter and had run out.

An automatic telephone exchange was about to open in Barnoldswick meaning subscribers could dial local numbers without the assistance of an operator.

25 years ago

THE Duke and Duchess of Gloucester enjoyed a five-hour tour of Craven to see its contribution to European Architectural Heritage Year. The royal couple enjoyed visits to Skipton, Long Preston, Settle, Giggleswick and Malham, being greeted by flag waving youngsters along the way. The Duke, a practising architect, planted a beech tree in Giggleswick Churchyard and the couple later inspected restored cottages and pictures of the restoration work at Twistleton's Yard in Settle. The Duke also inaugurated the Settle-based Building Preservation Trust and unveiled a plaque commemorating his visit.

West Marton Creamery was celebrating 75 years of production. Part of the Associated Dairies Group it handled 27 times the quantity of milk it first processed and was the main producer of cheese supplied to Yorkshire's wholesale customers. The dairy was formed as a farmers' co-operative for the pasteurisation of milk from the Gledstone Estate.

10 years ago

NEWS was just breaking that Rebecca Trueman and Damon Welch, the children of well-known celebrities "Fiery" Fred Trueman and Raquel Welch, were to reaffirm their marriage vows in a ceremony at Bolton Abbey's Priory Church. The vicar, the Rev Roland Hirst, was keeping mum about the date and time of what was to be known as Craven's wedding of the year in 1991.

Silsden gardener Vincent Throup was enjoying the spotlight as he broke the world record for growing the largest onion. It became the first ever to weigh more than 10lb and at 10lb 14oz earned him a £2,000 prize and world title at the Harrogate Flower show.

Former Generation Game host Larry Grayson rose from his sick bed to open the Embsay-with-Eastby Flower Festival. The star was suffering from laryngitis and a bad cold, but felt he could not miss the appointment. He was invited to Craven by his old friend, the then vicar of Embsay-with-Eastby, Rev Rob Marshall.

The proposed wind turbines at Chelker were causing debate as councillors claimed they would drive Draughton residents "bananas" with their noise.