100 years

BOGUS callers in Victorian times; surely not? Well, yes, there apparently was a Victorian equivalent of this very modern crime and the incident was reported in the Herald under the headline "A daring robbery". A man of "fairly respectable appearance" who called at a house in Ilkley managed to steal £100 worth of jewellery from an upstairs dressing room. He had gained entry to the house under the pretext of examining water pipes. He was thwarted at another house in the town, however, where he was met with an indignant "There's nothing the matter with our pipes". His response was that he must have mistaken the house.

Airton village was celebrating the opening of a new reading room, generously provided by president of the Mutual Improvement Society William Illingworth, of Newfield Hall. He provided the premises for use as a reading and recreation venue. The iron building boasted a porch, two well-lit rooms (one for those "fond of the weed"), varnished woodwork, furniture and a small library, all donated by Mr Illingworth.

The lamp sub-committee agreed to erect 18 new lamps in the Middletown, Greenside and Keighley Road areas of Skipton. Members also decided to employ an additional lamp lighter at a wage of 18 shillings per week.

50 years

RECOLLECTIONS of the days when hired horse transport distributed the mail in the Skipton district, and when the penny post was at the height of its popularity were recalled by James Parker, of Regent Road. He had just retired after 45 years' service with the Post Office. Mr Parker, a native of Ingleton, began as an unpaid learner at Skipton in 1903. He was appointed sorting clerk and telephonist in 1908 and in 1932 became overseer. He joined the local territorials at the outbreak of World War One in December 1914, and was transferred to the signals section of the Royal Engineers serving in France, Egypt and Greece.

In the Herald he reflected on the changes he had witnessed during his 45 years and upon the great lengths they went to to ensure a parcel was safely delivered. He recalled one amusing story when a chicken was delivered to the sorting office with a label attached round its neck. Part of the address was missing and all that could be read was Mr Holmes..... After combing the streets of Skipton, the recipient was finally found -- working in premises next door!

25 years

REMEMBRANCE services in respect of the two world wars had been held throughout Craven. In Sough, the day held particular significance for Bert Bowker, a member of Earby Brass Band who sounded the Last Post at the service. He was one of those who was "snatched" from the beaches of Dunkirk in what Sir Winston Churchill had described as "a miracle of deliverance". Many of his comrades had not be so fortunate. The event was attended by a large contingent of young people from various groups and organisations whose lives had not then been touched by war - it being some time off the Falkland's and Gulf wars - and who had to rely on stories from parents and friends, as well as school history books.

In the Herald, a soldier of the 1914-18 war, Brigadier Barclay of the 49th division, Machine Gun Battalion (though it does not say whether he was a Cravener) was looking back to over 55 years earlier at the end of the First World War and quoted extracts from his book: "Armistice".

10 years

THE culmination of the Womens' Royal Voluntary Service's (WRVS) golden jubilee year was marked with a series of presentations benefitting Airedale General Hospital at Steeton. Consultant Archie McAdam was presented with a cheque for £7,500 to purchase computer equipment for the breast cancer screening unit. Also presented was a cheque for £1,500 to buy couches in the plaster room and £500 to buy a CRY/AC flask used in the treatment of warts.

Addingham's Parish Council and Angling Committee was pleased to announce it had jointly bought the fishing rights -- 670 yards of double banking and 1,930 yards of single banking -- of the River Wharfe from the residuary body of West Yorkshire County Council. The area would stretch from the left bank upstream above the caravan site at High Mill to the centre of the beck at Farfield Cottages, and from the right bank downstream from the centre of Kexgill beck to the canoeists' hut. It was said the purchase would mean an extension to the "excellent amenities enjoyed by Addingham residents".

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