100 years

That great British topic, the weather, was the subject of great discussion at a meeting of Silsden Mutuals. It threw up some suprising similarities between conditions we are putting up with today, and those of 100 years ago. It was said that the weather for the previous two months had not been the happiest, but the sappiest kind. Frost required by the lady skaters 10 weeks earlier had never come and the clouds had wept like the last wailings of Niobe. Nearly three inches of rain had fallen in less than three weeks, and it was suggested we were drifting into a wretched foreign sort of climate, neither winter nor summer - sound familiar?

Mention was also made about the difficulties of weather forecasting. It was said that with the absence of real data to forecast the meteorological conditions beyond a few hours, all was pure conjecture. 'For who is there amongst us who can foresee with certainty the simplest change in the weather of this small globe of ours for more than 24 hours ahead?,' it was stated. What would they think nowadays, when despite all our satellites and high-tech equipment we too can struggle to determine what the heavens will send us more than one day's hence!

New year, new street - at least that was the proposal in Bentham. Arrangements had been finalised between Messrs C Knowles and Sons and Mr R Gorrill about building on one of Mr Gorrill's fields. The new street was to join the main street.

50 years

'Come and train for a career in coalmining' was the message from the Youth Employment Office. An advert in the Herald was recruiting youngsters into the industry, saying that it was one of the nation's most important industries of the day with the opportunity to train for skilled, interesting jobs. At 15 years old a youth could earn 39 shillings and sixpence (approximately £1.97) per week above ground and 49 shillings and sixpence (around £2.47) per week below ground. A fully trained 21-year-old could earn at least £5.15 shillings (£5.65) per week below ground.

Plans to stage an exhibition of rayon fabrics at Skipton Town Hall as part of the town's textile 'drive' were an ideal way of educating the non-textile working people of the area, many of whom - and particularly the young - were appallingly ignorant in the production of the different fabrics, reported the Herald. It was believed the exhibition would add impetus to the campaign, which aimed to increase textile production by 10 per cent. Mr A Barker, secretary of the Skipton and District Weavers' Association, said he had been greatly impressed with a previous exhibition connected to a national service campaign. He added that from what he had seen of a recent display in Lancashire, Skipton had nothing to fear with regard to success.

25 years

FOUNDER member of the Upper Wharfedale Fell Rescue Association, Len Huff, hung up his boots after 25 years and announced his retirement. During that time he had been secretary, pothole leader, warden and chairman. He also was one of the prime movers in getting the Association off the ground.

The plight of Craven's farmers was top of the list of appeals which Skipton MP GB Drayson put to Prime Minister, Ted Heath. He urged him to do something quickly to help the small dairy farmer and beef producer, who were being badly affected by the worldwide increase in the cost of feedstuffs.

A brand new restaurant, said to be the largest seafood eating establishment in Skipton and for miles around, opened on Keighley Road. Eastwood's Fish Restaurant promised to give the area something it had never had - or at least not had for a long time. Cedric Eastwood built the restaurant on the site where his father had built a fish and chip shop back in 1935. The premises had been in the family ever since. The eatery, which overlooked the canal, promised to provide more than the average fish and chips - all accompanied with piped music.

10 years

SALTERFORTH WI had come of age and celebrated its 21st birthday by throwing a bumper party in the local Baptist schoolroom. President, Elva Wilkinson, welcomed the 63 guests, and a cake was cut by founder president, Beatrice Bellamy. After the meal, guest speaker Albert Mawson spoke of his work as an auctioneer, as well as giving an account of his experiences as a long suffering WI husband!

A dead owl discovered on the Malham Tarn Estate turned out to be the oldest ringed tawny owl found in Britian. The 22-year-old bird had been found by National Trust warden and naturalist Alistair Clunas, who discovered that it had been ringed in 1967 as a first year bird. It had originally been ringed by H Mayer-Gross, and was found very close to its ringing place. The find beat the previous record for the oldest known tawny owl by four years.

Craven district councillors were pressing for £50,000 to allow Skipton's High Street pavements to be renewed with natural stone flags instead of cheaper concrete ones. The gradual improvement to the High Street was said to be a matter of civic pride. Ten years later and we see the pavements running along Sheep Street have been replaced with stone flags.

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