100 years ago

The Archbishop of Melbourne, a pupil at Sedbergh School from 1866 to 1870, preached in the school’s chapel. He said he was anxious the school rose to the full height of its possibilities.

A parish meeting was held in Earby to consider how to relieve distress in the parish. Although the meeting on the whole was disposed to consider the issue seriously, the Herald stated there were “a few militant socialists who utilised the occasion as a cheap advertisement for their peculiar views”.

The Bishop of Ripon, the Right Rev Boyd-Carpenter, visited Barnoldswick and preached at St James’ Church. Half an hour before the service the church was full and many people stood in the aisles.

50 years ago

Concern at the slowing up of Barnoldswick’s slum clearance programme was voiced by chairman Dr S D Robertson at the Health Committee of the town’s Urban District Council. He said one of the biggest problems was re-housing tenants from the slum clearance properties.

Three search parties were sent out by the Upper Wharfedale Fell Rescue Association when it was feared that two Bradford Scouts, who were supposed to be in the area, were presumed missing. The lads were eventually found to have hitch-hiked unwittingly to Berwick-on-Tweed. It appeared they hitched a lift from a lorry, but forgot to tell the driver where they wanted to go.

25 years ago

More than 100 Kildwick and Farnhill residents crowded into a public meeting to voice their anger about bus services. Villagers claimed that one bus an hour was inadequate. There were also a considerable number of complaints about bad timekeeping and passengers saying the bus drivers seemed unfamiliar with timetables and often went the wrong way.

The RSPCA had been inundated with complaints following Craven District Council’s decision to lift the ban on performing animals in Aireville Park, Skipton. The recreation and amenities committee had agreed to allow two circuses a year in the park grounds. But local people said the shows caused unnecessary suffering to animals. RSPCA chairman Kevin Perry said: “My phone has been red-hot with people complaining about the decision.”

Skipton and Ripon MP John Watson headed a deputation to the Department of Transport about the threatened closure of the Settle-to-Carlisle railway line. The group said not only would hardship be caused by the closure, leaving Penrith the only open station in central Cumbria, but run properly, the line could be a profitable asset for British Rail. Bus subsidies would have to increase and there would be increased traffic on the roads if the line closed. It was agreed after the meeting that an independent engineer should survey the Ribblehead Viaduct as it was estimated it would cost £6 million to repair.

10 years ago

Some of the worst flooding for 50 years swept through parts of Craven during the early hours, leaving a trail of destruction. North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service received more than 60 distress calls and the worst affected areas were Grassington, Hebden, Hellifield, Airton and Long Preston. In some places stone walls lining roads and bridges had been reduced to rubble as the force of the water flattened them.

Many Craven farmers were set to face the bleakest Christmas of their lives, according to Skipton MP David Curry, visiting the town’s auction mart. He was meeting farmers suffering from poor beef and lamb sales because of Government policies and problems associated with high interest rates and a strong pound. Mr Curry said lifting the beef export ban was more urgent than ever.