100 years

THE typhoid epidemic was still running riot in Craven, with Kildwick taking more than its fair share of casualties. In all 10 people had died and another 40 were ill. The costs of caring for the sick was being borne by the council, who estimated the final bill could be as much as £600 - a figure it regarded as "serious". An inquiry into the epidemic was to be discussed to determine exactly how it had begun. It was thought it could be connected to a stone drain at Kildwick Hall which had tanks containing the village water supply. It seemed the work had been carried out by someone who was not aware that the stone drain not only carried surplus water but also sewage.

Meanwhile members of the medical profession were at loggerheads in deciding the effectiveness of carbolic acid as a germicide, with some believing it was not effective against the disease.

The culmination of a popular series of dressmaking classes held at Cappleside, Rathmell, the home of Mrs Geldard, ended with a social evening. Between 60 and 70 ladies, no doubt all wearing their own nimble-fingered creations, enjoyed the event in the company of their proficient tutor Miss Dolby, from the Yorkshire Training School at Leeds.

50 years

THE small North Craven village of Hellifield was transformed into a mini Wembley, at least for a day, when Easter Saturday saw the Craven League Cup Football Final between Waddington and Ingleborough. A mass of supporters arrived by bus, train and car, together with an impressive array of rattles and bells. The match itself was clearly not a particularly exciting one. A goalless draw had been assumed by almost everyone, and even the officials had begun to pack away their equipment when Ingleborough achieved a last minute goal and thus the honour of becoming the cupholders.

No mention of global warming was made as the unusually high Easter temperatures had the crowds flocking to the Dales. The weeks prior to Easter had been cold and wet, and when Good Friday dawned blue and bright people packed their sandwiches and headed for the broad acres. Motorists, hikers and cyclists packed into Skipton, believing the nice weather was too good to let pass by "unprofited". Despite petrol rationing, the High Street was said to be reminiscent of pre-war days. In Upper Wharfedale tents were pitched along the River Wharfe with the bravest people taking dips in the chilly water. Temperatures had soared to 78 degrees fahrenheit on the Friday, 69 degrees on Saturday and 71 degrees on Sunday, with up to 10 hours of sunshine each day.

25 years

A PART of old Skipton disappeared forever when the old wooden Gallows Bridge, which spanned the canal near the bus station, was replaced with a new metal structure. The old bridge had derived its name from the fact that many years before the canal had been constructed, wrongdoers were executed on the site upon sentence of death at the Skipton Court Leet.

The annual meeting of the Wharfedale Beekeepers' Association reported a tremendous crop of honey the previous year due to the good summer of 1973.

Meanwhile, the North Craven branch of the Sub-Aqua Club saw the culmination of six months' work come to the surface with the raising of a Miles Master MK 1 aircraft at Ullswater in the Lake District.

10 years

THE possibility of losing a favourite walk in Langcliffe put the parish council in a spin. Members had heard that the owner of Langcliffe caravan park was intending to block off a footpath from Langcliffe Locks which was used by many villagers on a circular walk. The path, which was not a right of way, was also said to be used by some people on their way to work. It was claimed the real right of way went through Langcliffe paper mill but this was not yet open. Chairman of the parish council, Robert Walker, said the caravan park owner was acting quite properly. However, he was concerned that as summer was fast approaching, and with the mill not open, a popular walk would not be available to villagers.

Bolton-by-Bowland, Gisburn Forest and Sawley Parish Council chairman, Polly Brown, had been invited to a special reception at the Royal Agricultural Society's council chamber in London. The occasion was the launch by Princess Anne of the National Agricultural Centre Rural Trust's Guide to Rural Housing. The invitation followed Mrs Brown's involvement in helping to bring a low-cost housing project of rentable and shared accommodation to Tosside.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.