100 years ago

THE "glorious twelfth" turned out to be so hot a century ago that it made the first day of grouse shooting difficult. There was a report that birds were plentiful and well fed, though the weather was better for picnics.

The West Riding County Council had made many wheelmen happy by adopting universal lighting of all vehicles. Cyclists in particular were most relieved, as one rider wrote that now they would not have to endure the shock to the nerves experienced when suddenly realising the close proximity of a vehicle in the dark. More and more drivers were lighting up their vehicles though the courts were still dealing with those who insisted on driving in the dark.

50 years ago

GARDENERS in Craven who were not having any luck keeping the birds off their young plants and peas would have been relieved to read a tip in the Herald. They were advised to hang up pieces of bicycle inner tube or sections of hosepipe because they resembled snakes and the terrified birds would stay away.

A story at Skipton's Mechanics Institute dinner told of a geologist who was working in West Yorkshire and who had heard about the Craven Fault. This had prompted him to study the natural wonder and he wrote to the Liberal agent in Skipton asking him to tell all he knew about the Craven Fault. The reply he got was "impolite bluntness"!

Cross Hills was to get a new automatic telephone exchange in December. New purpose-built premises in Wheatlands Lane would replace the manual exchange in Main Street. The new system would cater for 400 subscribers initially, although it would ultimately be able to cope with 800.

Elslack Reservoir, which supplied Barnoldswick, was causing consternation as it only had four days' supply of water left although records showed that in the first seven months of 1948 there had been 24 inches of rain.

Six houses in Hardcastle Yard, Skipton, together with two workshops and lock-up garages had been sold at auction for £2,000.

25 years ago

GUIDE Dogs for the Blind was the recipient charity of Skipton Lions' Annual Garden Fete. Though the weather was fine, attendance was said to have been lower than usual and the sum raised, though an impressive £100, was also lower than normal. The club heard that it cost £500 to train a guide dog - and its owner - and this was paid for by the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association through voluntary contributions.

With roadworks completed, Bradley Parish Council asked that a bus shelter at Lane Ends be reinstated. Members wanted it to be returned to its original state.

The passenger service on the Settle to Carlisle line had earned a reprieve. The line was going to be closed down after the electrification of the West Coast line but it was decided that slower moving freight was better on the Midlands line and therefore, passenger services would also be able to continue.

10 years ago

AFTER its reprieve 15 years ago, the Settle to Carlisle rail line was back in the news. It was once again threatened with closure and the suggestion that it should be turned into a long-distance footpath should a buyer not be found came from local farmer, Derek Binns, in an address to the National farmers' Union. He suggested it would be a shame to see it wasted if it became disused and thought the station buildings along the route could be used as rest and accommodation places.

Dales planners were considering an application to build a three-metre stone dam at the end of Stainforth Force on the River Ribble. The aim was to allow the spawning salmon a trouble-free route past Settle. The fish were having trouble negotiating the falls and were therefore spawning further downstream in locations which were not suitable.

Carleton mum Vivienne Ambrose looked set to become the first-ever female referee in the Craven football league after passing her exam. Mad keen on football, she was the first woman chairman of the Carleton Football Club as well as being secretary. She had played football since the age of 13 at Aireville School, Skipton, and then went on to play for Bronte Ladies of Haworth. Her seven-year-old son, Liam, was thrilled his mum was such a good footballer though she was taking it all in her stride.

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