100 Years Ago

The annual congress of the ancient order of Romans was held in Skipton town hall. The senators headed by their banner marched from the station to the meeting place, accompanied by the town's brass band. Arriving at 10am, the most excellent consul gave his annual address, discussed business with representatives from centres across the region, including Silsden and Tadcaster, and elected officials.

The Ingleton coronation committee decided to light a bonfire on the summit of Ingleborough to mark the King's coronation on June 26. A similar thing had been done for the jubilee celebrations of 1887. The summit of Ingleborough had been used for bonfires since the Roman occupation.

50 Years Ago

Textile workers in Skipton attended a mass meeting in the town hall to demand the Government make steps to save their industry. The meeting was one of a series being held in Yorkshire and Lancashire to try to bring home to the public the plight of the workers. The crowd heard of appalling conditions and unemployment in Bolton and were warned unless something was done, the situation would spread into Skipton. The increase in the price of cotton and cheap imports were blamed for all the troubles.

A new technique of quarrying was introduced at Threshfield called well-hole blasting. The new system meant that 15,000 tons of limestone could be dislodged with a single blast. The operation required 3,900 pounds of explosives and involved drilling about a dozen holes behind the quarry face and placing explosives in each one.

The fiercest thunder storm for 40 years hit Skipton on a Sunday afternoon. Many houses in the town were flooded and the rain was so unusually intense that roads were quickly steeped in water as the drains could not cope. Householders said they could not see the houses opposite them, and described the rain as 'a solid sheet'. Raikes Road was the worst hit area.

25 Years Ago

THE village of Austwick was asking for North Yorkshire, not Lancaster, to be included in its postal address. Quite apart from the fact that the village was not in Lancashire, residents had missed out on an important circular from North Yorkshire County Council and the problem was traced to the Post Office, which had failed to deliver because the address included Austwick, North Yorkshire, not Austwick, Lancaster. The parish council was also perturbed that the Camping Club had planned 14 rallies for the summer in Austwick.

A public meeting in Settle discussed a new health centre for the town. While there was some concern about the expense, most people agreed that it would avoid trips to Skipton, or even Bradford, for some treatment.

An alarm raised when eight potholers were late back from Dow Cave near Kettlewell abruptly broke up an engagement party attended by most members of Cave Rescue. The party was being held for one of the rescuers, Philip Haigh.

Meg Smith, of Crag View, Cononley, met her brother Matthew Walker for the first time in 35 years. He had served with the Coldstream Guards in Italy during the War and then met a Belgian girl, whom he married, and settled down in Antwerp. It was his first trip back to meet up with relatives.

An Ermysted's schoolboy, Graeme Sands, scored a hole in one on the par four 18th hole at Skipton Golf Club. It was believed to be the first ever hole in one on a par four at the club.

10 Years Ago

SKIPTON'S main post office in Swadford Street was to close and a facility to open across the road in the Co-op store. Customers would benefit from easier access and opening on Saturdays. The sub-post office in Gargrave Road was also closing.

A grant of £15,000 was given to Settle towards the £20,000 cost of celebrating its twinning with the French town of Banyuls-sur-Mer. A candlelit procession and firework display on Castleberg was planned but the cost was criticised by some, who said the money would be better spent on Settle's swimming pool.

In his acceptance speech as the new chairman of Craven District Council, architect Malcolm Riley criticised some of the building in the district. He also said the council had to do something about Skipton Town Hall which he described as "a disgrace to the town". He said it was "a fine building but was being used as just an extension to the market".

Richard and Wendy Pratt opened Craven's first golf driving range on their farm at White Hills, Stirton.