Craven through the years

THE Herald suggested that Craven Show, held in Skipton (but long since abandoned), should introduce the novelty of donkey racing which had been an attraction at other shows in the area. The Herald said that the idiosyncrasies of the donkey pitted against another and carrying riders in grotesque get up was a grand sight to see. The race, it was suggested, could be held at the end of the day to encourage visitors to stay a little longer.

A woman was told that she could not keep a child that she had bought for a shilling. She was thought to be an unfit mother and the child was taken into the care of Keighley Board of Guardians.

A rather unusual headline appeared in the Herald: "Sex Man Dead". Not nearly as exciting as the headline suggested, this was the announcement of the death of a Professor of Embryology at Vienna University, who had formulated a theory that it was possible to determine the sex of a future child by the mother's diet.

50 years ago

The problem of slum houses in Settle was causing Settle Rural Council concern. While slum clearance was a long and costly business, the effect on public hygiene of unfit houses was as bad in rural areas as in industrial cities and towns. Members were recommended to look into re-conditioning old properties as a cheaper and more desirable alternative.

Glusburn Primary School was to be divided into two schools: a primary school for infants and a secondary school. Meanwhile urgent repairs were needed at Cowling School - there were no tables and chairs for the pupils to sit on.

Gargrave Show was held without cattle or sheep this year but still managed to break records with the number of entries in the other classes. The horse classes in particular and the new poultry classes boosted the size of the show which was declared a great success.

25 years ago

THE return to school in Craven was marked by controversy as the county council had withdrawn free bus passes for those who lived less than three miles away. In Carleton parents were taking it in turns to lead 15 children across fields to school in Skipton rather than risk the busy main road. One mother said it was not a protest but a matter of economics. There were similar scenes in Bradley where the decision had "caused more upset than anything ever had in the village". Three Settle schoolchildren had to walk along the busy A65 after their farm was found to be just a few yards inside the three mile limit.

Noted Dales historian Arthur Raistrick was under fire after he resigned from the advisory committee of Craven Museum in protest at the decision to charge for admission. But Craven Council took a dim view, Robert Heseltine saying the council should not bow down because one man could not accept a management decision and JB Dawson saying the eminent academic was putting a gun to heads.

A cat called Judy, owned by William and Doris Bailey from Embsay, was laying claim to being Britain's oldest as she reached her 30th birthday. The couple had been licensees at the Elm Tree pub in the village, where regular customers were wary of her fiery disposition and more than a few had been scratched.

10 years ago

IT was only 10 years ago that a compromise agreement was finally reached about Skipton's markets. In recent years there had been stalls out every day of the week, but under the agreement the council would take over management of the market and trading would be limited to Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Cars would be banned from parking on those days.

Skipton's plans to celebrate the 10th anniversary of its twinning with Simbach in Germany caused a fierce debate in Skipton's town hall. Town councillor Henry Gillett said it was a disgrace that money was being spent on celebrations when the council could not even afford to repair broken seats. But others pointed out that the German visitors would pay all their costs, many people had benefitted from the link and the town council's many duties included fostering leisure and cultural activities.

New age travellers were a plague on the district and their way of life and flaunting of the rules caused some trenchant comments in the council chamber. One councillor, who had seen Linton Camp left in a disgusting state, said the cost of recovery should be stopped from their social security payments. The council resolved to pay £55 to landowners and parish councils, the cost of a "DIY court order", to remove travellers from their land.