100 Years Ago

A "cheap jack" operating at Craven Agricultural Show was acquitted by Skipton magistrates of swindling a farmer. At the show the stall holder was selling watches for £1. The farmer watched the cheap jack put two and a half sovereigns in a case and offer this with a watch for a 'bargain' price of a sovereign. Fooled by the trick, the farmer discovered the money was no longer in the case and contacted the police. Magistrates felt this was a case of the 'biter being bit' and let the stall holder go.

A practical joke on Barnoldswick Brass Band misfired after the secretary to the band received an urgent request for its presence at a local landowner's hall. After a quick whip around of members, they arrived at the hall to find their presence was not required. But all turned out well when the landowner invited them in for dinner and the band gave an impromptu performance to the family. They even received their expenses and good night was had by all.

An Addingham man took celebrating the King's coronation, which coincided with his own 50th birthday, too far and ended up in court for being drunk and disorderly.

50 Years Ago

THE last links between Skipton and a brewery which flourished in the 19th century were severed when plans to demolish the building were passed. The Scott & Co (Skipton) brewery was housed in a building on the banks of the Leeds-Liverpool canal near Brook Street which had stood empty for some 50 years. The brewery, which was established in 1816 and closed at the turn of the century, was famed for its Golden Pippin pale ale.

Households in London were to supplement their rations with Craven lamb after a special shipment of meat was sent to the capital. Twenty-five trucks conveyed 1,000 lambs to the Holloway abattoirs to grace the tables of restaurants and rich households.

A Settle man was about to embark on a Yorkshire tour with his homemade puppet theatre. The 26 year old man made all the puppets himself in his spare time and was to tour the county in a small van.

A farmer anxious to trap the raider of his chickens and geese was amazed to discover a badger was the culprit. The farmer had set a trap intending to catch what he had presumed to be a fox or stray dogs. The badger had not been seen in the West Marton area for some years.

25 Years Ago

THE Herald described the "well-established annual battle of Embsay Creek" as a major attraction for the weekend. Organised by the Yorkshire Dales Railway Society and the American Civil War Society, double the amount of Union and Confederate soldiers would be fighting it out around Embsay station compared with previous years. Craven Old Wheels were also putting on a vintage car display.

Graham Webster, professional at Skipton Golf Club, set his second world record of the year. Just weeks after setting the new world record for most golf holes played in daylight hours, he broke the 46-year-old record for the fastest 18 holes of golf ever played when he zoomed round the Skipton course in 25 minutes and 36 seconds. Mind you, he was ferried around in the sidecar of former world trials champion Marti Lampkin!

A woman who was born in the same house and lived there for all of her 82 years died. Former weaver at King's Mill Elizabeth Wright's long residence at Armistead House, Tems Street, Giggleswick, came to an end with her death.

Litter from stalls was turning Skipton High Street into a filthy tip and it was costing a fortune cleaning it up said Craven District Council's Environmental Health Committee. Men had to be paid overtime to clean up rubbish from the stalls and the rate payer had to foot the bill. Some wanted to make the shop keepers who rented out their frontages on the setts to pay, others said the stallholders should pay. But it was decided to proceed by asking the stallholders to be a bit tidier.

10 Years Ago

A PLAN to resurrect Skipton Show on land by the Craven Heifer had been formulated. The event had lapsed at the turn of the last century but some Skipton Town Councillors had drawn up a brochure to bring it back and claimed it had widespread support. However other members of the town council criticised them for going ahead and producing the document without approval.

A public inquiry took place as White Scar Caves tried to overturn a ban on it using the disused Ingleton railway viaduct to host an advertising hoarding. Craven District Council had vetoed their plans, saying it would introduce a brash, commercial element to an important historic building.

Earby's Glenn Chapple took his first wickets for Lancashire. He took two for 26 for his county in the match against Warwickshire at Edgbaston.

Just to show how much house prices have risen in 10 years, James Pye & Son was offering 3 Regent Drive in Skipton for £61,950. Ten years on and 8 Regent Drive is on offer at £145,000.