100 years ago

A story headed "How some people live" reported the sorry tale of a married Skipton woman who had appeared before the court for being drunk and disorderly. A policeman had visited the woman's home and found her in a drunken state with neither fire nor food in the house. There were also a number of "destitute" children in the house, which was said to be very dirty. One of the children had complained that the woman had ill treated him and the court adjourned the case so the police could take out another summons against the mother for cruelty to children. In the meantime the youngsters had been sent to the workhouse.

Over in Langcliffe meanwhile there was concern about a case of overcrowding. The medical officer told local councillors a 36-year-old woman was sleeping on a staircase landing and two children in a four foot square recess over the staircase, which was dark and dangerous. The owner of the property was to be contacted about the matter.

Barnoldswick Urban District Council's water cart would be a travelling advertisement for a certain type of oil, members agreed. The advertiser had approached the council to say he would give them a cask to use with the cart if they would allow his name to appear on the side. Members agreed, subject to him providing a cask which would hold between 280 and 300 gallons of water.

50 years ago

A 15-YEAR-OLD youth was fined 20s for firing missiles from a catapult to the danger of other people. The Chief Inspector said the youth had been firing metal staples at children in a school playground. The boy, however, said he had been aiming the staples at a wall to show his friend how far the catapult would fire.

The lack of nursing staff at Grassington Hospital, which treated cases of tuberculosis, had been an acute problem for many years. However, all that was set to change with the opening of a new hostel to accommodate 32 ex-patient staff. All of the employees would be ex-patients who had been cared for at the hospital and they would work as nursing orderlies, technicians and clerical staff. Chairman of the Middleton Grassington Committee, which administered the hospital, said at the official opening of the hostel: "Ex-patients bring to this kind of nursing a very deep understanding of the physical and psychological aspects of TB."

The annual May Day festivities at Earby had been a credit to the organisers, reported the Herald. The procession was full of life and colour while the chief feature of the day was the crowning of new May Queen Pauline Hands.

25 years ago

FILM director and actor Richard Attenborough paid a visit to the Bay Horse Inn at Cowling and later presented a special award to licensees John and Sylvia Clues. The presentation took place at a dance organised by the Bay Horse at the Keighley Variety Club, where Mr and Mrs Clues received an inscribed silver salver. They won the prize for finishing third in a national inter-pub competition organised by the Muscular Dystrophy Club of Great Britain, of which Mr Attenborough was president. Prizes were awarded to the pubs which raised the most money for research into muscular dystrophy over a set 12 week period. The Bay Horse had raised a total of £2,100.

Cyril Smith MP officially opened the Skipton Division Liberal Association's annual bazaar. Mr Smith said the Liberals intended to win the Skipton division at the next election, particularly as they had Claire Brooks as their prospective candidate. The House of Commons needed more women and personalities and Mrs Brooks was a personality in her own right, he said.

10 years ago

SETTLE'S historic Folly was on the market for an undisclosed sum. The grade one listed 17th century mansion was described as the most historic building in the Settle area. It had formerly been used as an antiques centre and "extremely elegant" family home with five bedrooms and a secluded garden.

Steeton and Silsden Railway Station was re-opened after 25 years. It had been constructed on the site of the original station at a cost of £260,000, with the old station house looking on. The official opening was carried out by Bob Sowman, spokesman for the Passenger Transport Association.

Plans to bring a former Settle mill into the modern business world were revealed in the Herald. The former Shed Mill, on Langcliffe Road, was to become home to a high quality business centre with accommodation for offices, studio workshops and storage. It would be known as the Watershed Mill Business Centre and the first tenants were expected to be in place by August. The mill would be re-opened following an intensive and sympathetic restoration and conversion. It had once been used as a cotton spinning and weaving shed and belonged to the Christie group of mills at Settle.

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