FROZEN food is a fact of modern life, but in 1898 the arrival of frozen mutton on the market provided this comment from the 'mother of a family' who said that "frozen mutton is not so cheap as it appears as the dripping from it is like tallow, and not much of that. With a family of hearty boys this is a consideration; good dripping such as we can get from both mutton and beef of home growth is an excellent substitute for butter, which latter I get 1s 6d per pound."

The Cyclists' Touring Club wrote offering to supply "danger" and "caution" boards to be fixed on the side of roads in dangerous places on local roads. It was resolved that two "caution" and one "danger" boards be asked for, and be erected by the council.

An advert offering 'money-back guarantees' and positive cures for Holdroyd's Gravel Pills of Medical Hall, Cleckheaton, would no doubt have tempted people to part with one shilling and tuppence. Sufferers could expect to get relief from such ailments as: gravel, lumbago, piles, pains in the back, dropsy, wind and water complaints, diseases of kidneys, bladder, urinary organs, stone, gleet, stricture, sciatica, rheumatism and gout. A real cure-all!

50 years ago

DUE to the high cost of smoking, and the necessity for economy, an article suggested that women would now take to pipes instead of cigarettes. "It is an uninviting prospect, that is if it becomes widespread, although most of us can recall elderly women in Craven to whom a pipe is not unknown," the Herald commented.

" Whether or not now that women have taken over the cigarette they will go a stage further and take over the pipe remains to be seen. If they do, then we can be sure that the final stage, the cigar, will be mastered too."

Following numerous requests, a boxing club was started in Skipton under the expert guidance of Messrs G Pendle and H Tosney. Temporary headquarters were found in the Thanet's Arms yard and an appeal was sent out to boxing enthusiasts and supporters in Skipton for any equipment which may be of use in a boxing gymnasium, and for better accommodation to further the sport.

25 years ago

THE village of Appletreewick was up in arms after Major Yorke applied for a licence to mine six square miles of land in and around the village. The licence was to mine lead, limestone and calcite but more than 60 people turned up at a public meeting in the village and only one person (a mining engineer!) spoke in favour of the application. Residents angrily said that any local jobs created would be more than offset by a loss of jobs and income caused by tourists staying away.

Major Yorke bravely turned up but responded tartly to a suggestion that he should give up his family's mining rights as a gesture of goodwill. "What will you do with them - dig?" he asked.

He contested arguments that the landscape would be destroyed and said that he also did not want to see the area "messed up" and that the extraction would be deep, not on the surface. But it looked like a bumpy ride as villagers reacted enthusiastically to suggestions that they establish a fighting fund to oppose the plans to the bitter end.

Skipton's new courthouse building was just about completed, to much adverse comment. "No doubt it has architectural merit but it has aroused widespread criticism in town and district," remarked the Herald

A red chestnut tree was planted in Langcliffe to mark the 40th anniversary of the founding of the WI's Ingleborough group.

10 years ago

CRAVEN launched its year-long campaign to 'Help Clean Up Craven' with a message from above.

Mollie Bell, chairman of Craven District Council's environmental services committee launched the initiative by being swept up, up and away in a hot air balloon from the Skipton Building Society, piloted by Malcolm Dear.

Funded by the Manpower Services Commission, the idea of cleaning up Craven was so dear to Mrs Bell's heart that she had suggested she parachute from an aeroplane holding a dustpan and brush in an endeavour to get the message across to the people. This was turned down by her colleagues.

Lothersdale's disused Raygill Quarry had been given the go-ahead for a fish farm after a site visit. Permission was also granted by North Yorkshire's Planning Committee, subject to conditions, to an outline application for a general purpose building on the site. Craven Council commented that having a fish farm on the site could add favourably to the district's tourist potential.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.