Craven through the years

AN unexpected obstacle to the development of a rail line between Barnoldswick and Gisburn was thrown up at an inquiry in Gisburn. The Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Company announced that it would not let trains stop at Gisburn station. Promoters of the railway described their actions as "selfish and blocking the progress of the district for no cause".

The local Liberals met at Settle's Victoria Hall and selected William Clough, of Steeton, as their candidate for the next election. The Skipton seat was held by F Whitley Thompson, a Liberal, who had inexplicably decided not to stand again. The Herald was to have a long battle with Mr Clough, culminating in a ruinous libel action which the paper won leaving the politician with huge costs. The Herald described the Liberal candidate as "ultra radical" and "a stranger" and "outsider" - he was after all from Keighley!

50 years ago

THE Medical Officer of Health for Settle Rural District came up with some surprise statistics. Dr DP Lambert said the traditional picture of children from farming backgrounds was of healthy, sturdy and fresh complexioned. However a comparison of medical cards of children leaving school in the Settle area showed that those from a farming family had more medical defects than those from a non-farming background. Dr Lambert had three possible reasons: that farmers' children ate fewer green vegetables, that their parents were less likely to report ailments or that they arrived at school tired and listless because they had been helping on the farm. The doctor's view caused uproar.

When the Herald ran a story saying that Ronnie Potter, of Springbank House, Skipton High Street, had found a blue budgie, he was inundated with letters and callers hoping it belonged to them. On the following Tuesday he received eight letters, two phone calls and 19 callers at the house, on the Wednesday 13 letters and postcards and on Thursday a further 14. "I would never believe that so many budgerigars could be lost," he said.

Skipton and the Dales had suffered an irreparable loss with the sudden death of Dr George Annesley Fisher, head of the Otley Street medical practice. "His singularly attractive personality and great charm did as much for his patients as his high qualities as a family doctor," said the Herald.

25 years ago

MILK churns vanished from Craven's roadsides. The last collection of churns was made by driver Peter Gaunt, of Addingham, as the Milk Marketing Board switched to bulk tanks. The phasing out of churns, once a familiar countryside sight, had taken six years.

The shame of it all! The sixth Littondale sports fete welly throwing competition was won by - an American. Brad Baker, from Texas (where else?) was one of 50 Yanks who descended on Arncliffe and threw themselves into the events.

The landlord of the country's first non-smoking pub, John Showers, of the New Inn, Appletreewick, successfully applied for permission to be buried in the pub's grounds. As it was unconsecrated grounds, a vicar could not perform the ceremony so Mr Showers announced he was inviting a top lung surgeon to perform the ceremony. He said that when he died the pub would be run by his friends and Timothy Taylor's brewery had assured him that after them the ban on smoking would never be lifted as long as the building was a pub.

Mink were causing problems in the area, said the Ministry of Agriculture. Mark Thompson, from Horton-in-Ribblesdale and a bailiff on the river Ribble said people no longer killed them as a pest. He said he had killed 41, but it had made no impact on their numbers. Mink were also a pest on the Wharfe and the Skirfare.

Local people were said to be angry at the news that Earby's last blacksmith, Harry Taylor, had been told to quit his building adjoining Victoria Mill. Mr Taylor said he understood the mill owners had served him the notice on instructions from Pendle Council, which was carrying out "environmental improvements". Mr Taylor believed his premises would be grassed over.

10 years ago

THREE children from the Regents estate collected a petition signed by 20 youngsters calling on the council to open a sweet shop on their estate. The council said their initiative was excellent but unfortunately there was nothing it could do.

Eastby residents were furious about the colour of their water and some were threatening to withhold their water rates. Water was pumped to the village from Embsay, but over the last few weeks there had been long periods when the pump was broken and when it was repaired the supply was dirty and discoloured. When landlord Chris Booth, of the Mason's Arms, complained to Yorkshire Water that a pile of his one-year-old's washing had been stained, they sent him a packet of soap powder.

There were also water problems in Silsden, where 2,700 households were told to boil their water before drinking it. The problem was due to the failure of a local chlorination plant.

Craven College was celebrating its centenary by offering vocational qualification courses at 1894 prices - one shilling.