100 years ago

A GROUP of young Silsden men emigrating to Australia received a hearty send-off at the start of their long jouney to Queensland. "They are strong and lusty chaps and seemed in capital spirits," reported the Herald. "They have been given assisted passages and are going out with the intention of taking up anything in the way of employment. It is to be hoped that their venture may meet with the success that such spirited enterprise deserves." The vehicles transporting the men to Keighley Station for the first leg of their journey to London were cheered on their way by hundreds of spectators.

An experiment at Skipton's Workhouse had brought to light the interesting background of one of the inmates. A new system meant every inmate's history was recorded and pigeonholed so it could be immediately referred to when required. It revealed that one of the inmates was a survivor of the Crimean War whose rheumatism had driven him to seek the shelter of the workhouse. "The man is not in any way connected with the professional tramp, but has served his country in memorable campaigns," wrote a Herald columist.

50 years ago

ERMYSTED'S Grammar School in Skipton held its annual Founder's Day. The event began with a service at Skipton Parish Church and in the afternoon a School versus Old Boys rugby match at Sandylands, followed by the annual meeting of the Old Boy's Society. Headmaster Mr ML Forster said about 30 boys at Ermysted's now took the Higher School Certificate each year and about 60 the School Certificate examinations, nearly all of them getting through. At present there were 55 old boys at 10 universities - "Clever people get on in life without requiring much help," said Mr Forster. He added that the two thirds of pupils who went on to work locally were the salt of the earth, rendering their services to the community in which they were brought up.

The first meeting of the reformed Earby branch of the Skipton Division Young Conservative Association was held. Years before the club's predecessor - the Junior Imperial League - had a very strong branch in Earby and at its peak attracted some 300 members.

25 years ago

A SUGGESTION that sheep be allowed to graze in Bradley's cemetery to keep the grass down was causing a stir. The idea had come from the parish council after members were unsucessful in finding a worker to maintain the site. The idea prompted several letters of objection, however, and it was decided to raise the idea at the annual parish meeting.

Skipton cameraman Sid Perou and Earby doctor Jon Buchan returned home after five months in the virtually unexplored jungles of Papua New Guinea. They were part of a team of British potholers and among their achievements were the discovery of the fossilised bones of an unknown prehistoric creature, 400 live species new to science and the longest cave in the southern hemisphere.

The shock announcement was made that Addingham's last textile factory, based at Low Mill, was to close. Rising costs were blamed, and most of the 67 workers would be made redundant. The mill was built in 1788 and in 1826 was the scene of a serious Luddite riot when workers barricaded themselves inside and a man was killed when the Luddites attacked.

10 years ago

CRAVEN was hit by blizzards, and suffered "the worst conditions for almost a quarter of a century". Snow ploughs had been working round the clock, as had staff from Yorkshire Electricity restoring heating and lighting to villages in the Dales which had been cut off. Residents of Airton had to be dug out by snow ploughs while Grassington and Addingham were cut off from Skipton. Thousands of sheep and cows had survived, despite being buried for over 24 hours in snow drifts.

Iraqi hostage Bob Robinson was reunited with his three daughters after being released. Mr Robinson, of Eastburn, has been held as part of Saddam Hussain's human shield during the Gulf War. The electrical engineer had been working in Kuwait when Iraq invaded and he and his colleagues were captured from their flat.