100 years

CROSS HILLS was the home of a very clean tramp who had been brought before Skipton magistrates charged with begging. Jas Cleary, a joiner of no fixed abode, had in his possession tea, sugar and soap. He was ordered to spend a fortnight at Armley jail - without hard labour as he was suffering from a cold!

Those new-fangled bicycles were causing a few problems. Storrs Brow at Ingleton proved a dangerous descent for a cyclist whose brakes failed. R Winder, a local builder, was cycling down the brow when he lost control and found himself careering down High Street and across the square. His bicycle came to an abrupt halt when it hit a garden wall. Mr Winder was said to have been 'precipitated' over a wall before coming to rest among some rockery stones. Amazingly, though his machine was wrecked in the impact, Mr Winder sustained only slight grazing to his head.

Over at Otley, an experiment with sewage manure had resulted in some amazing findings. Mr Garnett, of Wharfeside, had written to the Herald saying he had a piece of land adjoining Otley Sewage Works and had used some of the deposit on his land. The results, he said, had produced good crops of grass, which he had mowed in June and September, and he had another good crop of fog (new-grown grass) in November. He suggested its benefits could be used on poor land to the north of the Wharfe and suggested that anyone who had access to sewage systems should try the experiment.

50 years

DENSE fog throughout Craven was affecting a whole variety of activities. Sport was one of them, and the Keighley cup football replay match between Cowling and Eldwick turned out to be a pea-souper. After 55 minutes the match was abandoned with Eldwick leading 2-1.

Meanwhile, at Skipton Town Hall the first of the Skipton Permanent Orchestra's concerts went ahead - despite the fog keeping many of the audience away. In fact, many members of the orchestra were also missing. It was reported that a girl flautist reigned in solitary state when members of the woodwind failed to appear. No oboes had managed to get to the town hall either, and both the brass and string sections had suffered depletions.

Retiring after 35 years' service was Rev Arthur Blunt, the vicar of Gargrave. The report of his retirement was recorded in the village's parish magazine and much praise had been bestowed upon his services over the years. He was described as a quiet, almost shy man, but his friendly and caring manner had found him in much demand from outside the parish.

25 years

A SHORTAGE of caving lamps would have made it impossible to put more members of the Upper Wharfedale Fell Rescue Association underground if the need had arisen in recent rescues, the Herald reported. The matter was raised by warden Howard Driver at the association's annual meeting at the Tennant's Arms, Kilnsey. Rising costs amounted to £630 per year and it was stated that more money was needed to furnish and equip new headquarters for the group.

These were deemed necessary because the premises it occupied at the time (at the signal box behind Grassington Station) were on land being sold for property development.

Where was the fortlet at Long Preston? That was the question being asked by the secretary of Giggleswick School Local History Society, RW Hoyle. The question was in connection with a letter he had written, following reports that a Roman road linked the fort at Ilkley with fortlets at Long Preston and Ingleton. He went on to say that the fortlet had been excavated by a Dr Villy and added that the road was said to have been discovered by archeologist Richard Jones. It was thought to follow a walled track from Addingham to Skipton before heading up the valley. In Long Preston the road was said to lie in a sheep pasture to the north of the church. An article on the Roman road by Dr Villy appears in volume six of the Bradford Antiquary.

10 years

SETTLE bypass had been officially opened by Minister for Roads and Transport, Peter Bottomley. At a special ceremony, which took place in a lay-by between Rathmell Road and Brackenber Lane, the Minister cut the tape with a pair of sheep shears. He then drove along the four-mile stretch of road, which had cost £9m.

Ings Primary School in Skipton was particularly proud of coming first in a national competition for its work in tidying up the environment. The school had secured funding to the value of £3,400 from local businesses, plus £2,000 from Skipton Town Council, and had transformed a derelict bus shelter and recreation ground to make a safe and attractive play area. The school was presented with a cash prize and a trophy after beating over 200 other entries.

An appeal had been launched to find a home for Muffin the dog, a stray which had been picked up and nursed 'back from the brink' by Dorothy Kitson of Banks Ghyll Kennels.

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