100 years ago

A WELL attended public meeting was held at the Elm Tree Inn, Embsay, when it was decided to form a cricket club for the coming season. There was every prospect of raising a good local team and a committee was formed to make the preliminary arrangements. Mr Wm Maud had placed a field at the disposal of the club free of charge for a year.

The Herald carried a report on the annual meeting of the bizarrely titled Royal Albert Asylum for Idiots and Imbeciles at Lancaster. Fortunately, one of the proposals was a change of name and it was agreed it would now be known as the Royal Albert Asylum "with the addition, when desirable, of the explanatory subtitle A Training Institution for the Feeble Minded of the Northern Counties." It was agreed the initial description was neither scientifically nor strictly accurate.

Schools in Skipton were to be closed for a fortnight following a rapid increase in cases of scarlet fever. The temporary isolation hospital was to be extended in order to cope with the outbreak and the local schools were to be fumigated with sulphur and the woodwork washed down in order to prevent the spread of the disease.

50 years ago

SKIPTON Police were in possession of an "atomic bomb" found on Bradley Moor by a local farmer. The spherical-shaped object, slightly bigger than a football, was hollow and made of light metal alloy and was neatly scratched with the words "Bombs Atomic No 1 Mark 1". There was some speculation as to whether it was a practical joke but the farmer wasn't taking any chances. Indications were that it had been dropped from an aircraft as it was scratched and dented. The police would be sending the "bomb" for further examination.

Plans to develop Aireville Park for recreational purposes were revealed by Skipton Urban District Council. Part of the site was to be handed over to West Riding County Council for a school. Anyone who had been in the park recently would have observed that it had become a place of desolation, said one councillor. "One could describe it as a mass of thistles," he added.

Also at the urban district council, members were to put several recommendations to the county council in a bid to ease traffic congestion in Skipton town centre. One of the recommendations was for a one way system in Otley Street.

Women members on the Kildwick and Farnhill Institute Committee walked out of a meeting in disgust after a male member suggested the committee should be made up of men only. His suggestion met with the approval of another member, who said most men would prefer to work with an all male committee. The women later held a special meeting when it was agreed a ladies section should be continued. It was hoped matters would be smoothed out at a further meeting of the existing committee of both men and women.

25 years ago

RESIDENTS on Skipton's Greatwood Estate were not seeing red - but blue and green. Council workers had been busy painting the authority-owned homes in blue and green, but the residents were up in arms about it. One said the estate was beginning to look like Billy Butlins. Compared to the privately owned houses the newly painted homes stuck out like a sore thumb, said the tenants. A petition was organised and presented to Craven District Council protesting over the "horrible" colours. The council agreed to stop the work and repaint the homes in natural colours.

The Unicorn Hotel on Keighley Road, Skipton, was to close the following January, it was announced. The closure meant three of the town's public houses had closed in the last 12 months, the other two being the New Ship on Mill Bridge and the Craven Arms in Newmarket Street. These followed previous closures of the Old George, King's Arms and Harts Head. At the turn of the century there were over 30 public houses in Skipton and the number now stood at 22.

Salterforth schoolboy Tony Bellamy would be allowed to keep a rare Saxon coin he found on moorland above Malham, a Treasure Trove inquest decided. Tony, 14, said he would add the rare and valuable "Sceatt" coin to his collection. It was minted during the reign of Eadbert Northumbrian king from 737 to 758 AD.

10 years ago

IT was red letter day for the Royal Mail when Skipton's new £750,000 sorting office was opened at the Sandylands Business Centre. The new premises were officially opened by former England cricketer Fred Trueman. The Royal Mail had moved its sorting office from a listed building on the town's Swadford Street.

Also being officially opened this week was Craven College's new annexe at the Old Fire Station off Skipton's Coach Street. The premises were being used for hairdressing and beauty therapy facilities and a fashion and design unit. Performing the opening ceremony was the college's chairman of governors Robert Heseltine. He said the building had a long history and had seen many changes but he was pleased it was being put to such a useful purpose for the future.

Customers planning their Friday fish and chips were treated to a different combination in Skipton - fish and champagne. The corks were popping as part of a double celebration for George Fisheries - 20 years on coming to Skipton and the purchase of a new vintage van. George Holt's van was a familiar feature outside the Black Horse on Skipton High Street on Friday, his many regular customers enjoying his friendly banter as much as his Fleetwood fish.