100 years ago

MORE Barnoldswick ambulance men were despatched to the war in South Africa. R Blanshard, J Whiteley, W Lambert, T W Holgate, A H Greenfield and H E Slater received a rousing send-off. They joined a group of their friends at the Drill Hall and then, led by the brass band playing Soldiers of the Queen, paraded through the streets to the train station where a large crowd was waiting to see them off.

Meanwhile the Herald published a letter from Captain Edgar Dewhirst, of Skipton, who was commanding a contingent from the Skipton Volunteer Battalion in South Africa. He and his troops had just been ordered to march 120 miles to Bloemfontein. "We had to leave our tents behind, therefore we had to bivouac at nights," he wrote. While nothing of importance had happened there were one or two alarms to see how soon the troops could take up arms. "It is no joke, however, getting up at 3.30 and standing until 6 o'clock and then marching the whole of the day on the top of it," wrote Captain Dewhirst. "Now we are here we have to wait for the general advance under Roberts."

On a lighter note, men were complaining that women were superseding them. A milk seller in Birmingham had been engaging girls to go around with his float serving customers. "He said he found that they took less time than men and did not waste precious time talking to the servant girls," reported the Herald. "Should the butchers and bakers follow his example the policeman will have only the postman and lamplighter to compete with."

50 years ago

PLANS by Yorkshire Electricity to site overhead lines across the village green at Linton sparked concern among Skipton Rural District Council. Just a year previously Linton came first in a competition to decide the loveliest village in the north, and the council felt everything should be done to safeguard the amenities of the parish. It was unanimously resolved that a sub-committee be formed to confer with the area planning officer on the issue. A Herald correspondent wrote that Linton Parish Council "resented" the plans, commenting that the overhead lines were "quite unthinkable".

Extensive damage was caused in what was described as one of the most disastrous fires in Skipton for many years. The blaze broke out at the Albion Garage, between Otley Street and the Cattle Market. The ground floor, where the fire started, was used as a garage by Stephenson and Co taxi proprietors while the upper floor was a printing works. Two Rolls Royce hearses, four Rolls Royce cars, three Austen cars and two privately owned vehicles were burnt out and a printing press and other machinery crashed onto the cars when the floor collapsed. The overall damage was put at between £30,000 and £40,000.

Skipton's new bus station at Waller Hill was officially opened by Mr W H Rycroft, chairman of Skipton Urban District Council's streets and buildings committee. He cut a ribbon stretching across the entrance and immediately afterwards a Silver Star bus left for Carleton.

25 years ago

Skipton Town Football Club was celebrating after clinching the league and cup double. Not only had the team won the championship but it had just emerged victorious in the Division One Cup Final against Foulridge. According to the Herald, Foulridge had proved "doughty" opposition and it was only a solitary goal by Mick Patrick 10 minutes into the first period of extra time that swung the game in Skipton's favour.

Residents in Addingham and Ilkley were to get a new-style refuse service using plastic sacks. Bradford Metropolitan Council workers were to deliver the sacks to homes for domestic refuse. The new service was designed to make the service more hygienic, cleaner and quieter and would eventually be introduced in other parts of the Bradford Met area.

Emmerdale star Frazer Hines proved a crowd puller when he opened a new glass and china showroom at The Gift Shop on Skipton High Street. A crowd gathered to welcome the celebrity guest and two policemen had to clear a passage for busy shoppers.

10 years ago

ANTI poll tax demonstrators took to the streets when a march and rally was held in Skipton. The protest was organised by the Skipton Anti Poll Tax Union and over 300 people took part. Demonstrators threw away their bills in a dustbin at Aireville Park before marching through the town centre led by a six-piece brass band.

Settle Carnival, due to be held in July, was to be cancelled due to a lack of support from townsfolk. The carnival's future had been in doubt for some time, with just a handful of people struggling to keep it going. Appeals for more helpers had failed and the four remaining committee members decided to cancel the carnival, which had been held annually for almost 30 years.

Work on Gargrave's new bypass would start the following December, the Department of Transport announced. Minister for Roads and Traffic, Robert Atkins, said: "I am sure this will be very welcome news for the people of Gargrave. Gargrave will become a safer, quieter place and the quality of life for those living near the existing route will be greatly improved." Ten years on and the village is still waiting for its bypass.

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