100 years ago

TWO Bradford waggoners, who had been found asleep in charge of their horses and carts in Craven, were fined a hefty £1 each. Fred Foster was found asleep in Cowling and George Hodgson had nodded off, wrapped in rugs on the front of his cart in Farnhill.

Transport of a different kind brought grocer Mark Oldfield, from Barnoldswick a fine of 2s 6d. He had been riding his bicycle on the footpath between Glusburn and Kildwick because he had found the going too rough on the road.

It had been reported that the jubilee trees, which had been planted in Skipton High Street the previous year, were putting on their foliage and adding to the "picturesque character of the street".

Mary Matthews, a dressmaker from Skipton was charged with absconding from the workhouse whilst wearing clothing belonging to the guardians. She escaped a fine as long as she returned the clothes.

50 years ago

MRS Sedgwick from Selside, the only railway signalwoman operating between Leeds and Carlisle, was a guest speaker of radio broadcaster Garry Hogg on his programme "Pennine Journey". Mrs Sedgwick was responsible for a five-mile line of track near Horton-in-Ribblesdale, and worked on the night shift.

Dangerous dogs were roaming the Threshfield countryside with spring lamb on their menu. The dogs landed their owners in court after they attacked sheep belonging to Mr S W Metcalfe of Park Grange Farm, Threshfield. They were each fined 13s and 6d and ordered to keep their dogs under control in the future.

A farmer from Bentham was fined 10s for driving a car without a mirror. It appeared that he had no rear visibility at all because the view from his inside mirror was obscured by a bale of hay.

25 years ago

JUST to prove water shortage isn't a new concern, the Herald reported that Craven Water Board was attempting to allay fears of an impending water crisis due to a lower than average rainfall over the previous four years. The main areas of concern were Gargrave, Steeton, Glusburn and Eastburn. However, it was hoped that the laying of the Airedale main would help to alleviate the problem. Improvement could be expected in Bentham, too, once the Badgerford borehole was in use.

Craven farmworkers were in celebratory mood after having their working week cut from 42 hours a week to 40 hours. This was on top of an earlier wage increase to £19.50 per week.

Chapel-le-Dale had been targeted for a massive clean-up campaign. The Yorkshire Council for the Environment had rustled up a team of volunteers, and two wagons had been hired to collect the scattered oil drums, rusty buckets, polythene sacks and even derelict vehicles in an attempt to make the area more attractive.

Polling had taken place in the first ever Craven District Council elections.

10 years ago

CRISIS was looming in the face of 1st Bradley (St Mary's) Scout Group. It was in serious danger of being forced to close because of the lack of a permanent scout leader. An appeal was sent out to the community and parents for help in order to keep it going.

The Settle-Carlisle railway would benefit from privatisation, said MP David Curry at a House of Commons debate."It was the best option in the light of British Rail's desire to close the line down," he declared. "The line was part of England's heritage and was an educational and economic tool which could still be profitable due to the increasing passenger traffic figures."

The cemetery at Cowling Hill was causing the villagers and police some consternation. It was because a mysterious new grave had appeared almost overnight marked out with chippings and bearing a wooden marker with the inscription: "Florence". The truth was eventually unearthed when someone from outside the village came forward to say that it was a old burial site and relatives had simply wanted to refurbish the grave but had not told anyone.

Skipton's Broughton Road recreational ground was to receive a facelift thanks to the efforts of the parents and children of the town's Ings Primary School. Money had been raised to buy equipment and the children would be able to play in the new ground in the summer.

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