100 years ago

A Skipton labourer and his wife were charged with neglecting their four children, who were described as "starved and hungry". A policeman visited their house in Union Square and found three of the children sitting on the cold floor while a baby was on the bed in a "dying state". There was no food in the house and the only furniture was a chair and one bed, which had to suffice for all six inhabitants. The man said he had not worked lately apart from a few odd jobs. The children were removed to the workhouse.

The Mormons were recruiting in the Craven Dales, noted a Herald columnist, who warned local folk against joining this "peculiar sect". "Anyone who could be pursuaded to become Mormons is advised to go to Kettlewell and seek information from certain old inhabitants about their experience of families who were persuaded to leave their country 30 or 40 years before to try their luck with Mormonism," he wrote. No further explanation was given as to what actually happened to these families.

A Glasgow to London motor car trial caused great interest when it passed along Skipton High Street. The drivers had a maximum of 18 hours and 10 minutes to complete the 212 mile journey between Glasgow and Leeds, where they would stay overnight before completing the remaining 191 miles to London in no more than 16 hours and 30 minutes. The motorists were banned from driving faster than 12mph.

An incident in Leicester in which a "lady" eloped with the family coachman was causing a great sensation - so much so that it was reported in the Craven Herald. The lady in question was the niece of a large and wealthy hosiery manufacturer, who had a fortune of £200 a year left to her by a relative. She was reported to have married the coachman in a quiet ceremony at Bolton. Apparently he had acted as groom to the family and had taught the young lady to ride.

50 years ago

TOP sporting story of the week was news that the "gallant" Ingleborough had been easily defeated by Barnoldswick in the final of the West Riding County Challenge Cup. The match took place at Valley Parade in Bradford, where the trophy was presented in the ceremonial box watched by delighted fans. Later there was rejoicing outside Barnoldswick Town Hall where the chairman of the Urban District Council congratulated captain Phil White and his team. In other sporting news, it was reported that a magnificent century from professional D Emmott enabled Skipton to humble the previously undefeated Earby in the Ribblesdale League.

Trooper Terry Nicholson, from Skipton, was to ride in the Queen's Coronation procession on June 2. Mr Nicholson had been a member of the Household Cavalry of the Royal Horse Guards for 18 months and had carried out extensive training at Windsor and Knightsbridge. Previously he had worked at Mark Nutter's mill in Skipton and had never ridden a horse in his life. He had also taken part in the funeral procession of the late Queen Mary and was seen by his mother on the family television.

Meanwhile, Skipton was dressing up for the Coronation with red, white and blue streamers flying from each side of the High Street and fairy lights in the trees. Traders had been decorating their shops and the library, parish church and castle gateway were being prepared for floodlighting. More than 200 old folk had applied to watch television coverage of the Coronation at the town hall.

25 years ago

A STRIKE by 60 drivers at Silentnight over the use of "spy in the cab" tachometers closed down the Barnoldswick factory. The strikers refused to talk to chairman Tom Clarke, saying they had "nothing but aggro" from him. They claimed the tachometers, which are now legally obligatory, would cost them bonus money. The company said it had no intention of keeping a minute by minute check on the drivers. Around 800 workers were laid off.

Eleven-year-old Stephen Lofthouse was already bowling over local sporting enthusiasts. Stephen, who attended Brougham Street Primary School in Skipton, astounded Craven's bowling fraternity when he played for the Devonshire Bowling Club in a Craven and district bowls league match and won 21-19. He had been asked to make up the team, which was a man short, otherwise Devonshire would have forfeited 21 points.

Dacre Son and Hartley announced the sale of just under 15 acres of land at Rockwood Park to the Fairclough Building Company who proposed to build 100 "executive" properties on the site.

Barnoldswick and Earby Cricket Club's cup tie produced considerable rancour. Played in midweek due to fixture congestion, Earby bowled out their great rivals for just 87 but when the sides came back the following night, showers meant Barnoldswick refused to play as the wet ball would hamper their bowlers. They then said they could not raise a team to play on Friday and the match was decided by the toss of a coin. Earby skipper Billy Greehalgh called wrongly and Barlick went through, to the jeers of the Earby supporters.

10 years ago

TEENAGE runaway Barbara Dunne was reunited with her brother 40 years after disappearing. Barbara had fled the family's Carleton home without a word back in 1953 and lived in Bradford and Nottingham before emigrating to Canada. She tracked down her relatives through an appeal in the Telegraph and Argus and was reunited with her brother Peter Gott, in Skipton.

Gypsy caravanners upped and left their makeshift home, honouring their promise to leave the Coach Street car park in Skipton.The travellers were anxious to avoid a repetition of a recent battle between council officers and new age travellers in the area.

A lorry smashed through a Silsden shop window causing £3,000 worth of damage. Vehicles had ploughed into the frontage of JH Copper Shoes, on Main Street, four times over the last year, and now the owner was calling for action to stop lorries and buses mounting the pavement outside his shop.