100 Years Ago

Skipton Hospital Gala attracted large crowds but the Herald commented: "Generally speaking, the bill of fare was plentiful and attractive; for instance, the pierrots, gymnastics display and comic band. There was, however, too much of the acrobatic wire walking, body twisting element present. It seems inevitable that this sort of thing should enter into every kind of outdoor entertainment and it is intensely monotonous and wearying. People soon tire of watching the ape-like antics of acrobats whose attitudes are not always even becoming. It is suggested that something more generally entertaining might be introduced in the shape of wrestling contests on the stage or some old fashioned sports on the field".

The shares for the new Skipton auction mart were fully subscribed and it augured well for the removal of the cattle mart from the High Street to Jerry Croft. Work on the construction would now proceed for completion in time for the fairs of next spring.

Six hundred children had been absent from Skipton schools in the past four weeks, mainly because parents were taking holidays while the schools were open, the education committee heard. Among them were 104 children of railway "servants" who could only take their holiday during certain summer months.

Cases heard by Settle magistrates revealed early versions of police speed traps. Four motorists appeared charged with driving at more than 20 mph between Long Preston and Settle. They were caught when a policeman, standing some distance away, was given a signal from a flag when a car passed. He set his stop watch going and timed the car reaching another point. The magistrates fined one motorist £2 after hearing his passengers were seen laughing at the efforts of Long Preston villagers to avoid the clouds of dust raised by his car.

50 Years Ago

A LIVE Piat mortar bomb, one of two found on Grassington Moor and fenced off, had vanished and police had tried in vain to locate it. The bombs were deemed highly dangerous and the army considered them too dangerous to remove. They had fenced them off with galvanised sheep netting and put up a notice saying: "Unexploded bomb: Dangerous, keep out" and left to come back next day and detonate them but they were astonished to find only one bomb when they had left two. Police toured the villages of Upper Wharfedale, urging parents not to let their children on to the moor and asking anyone who had information about the bomb's whereabouts to report it to Grassington Police Station. The superintendent suspected that a hiker had picked it up and dropped the bomb down a mine shaft.

An unusual divorce case was heard in Skipton County Court. A Skipton man had been married 43 years previously but at the reception his wife had returned to her father's home, despite having a new marital home prepared for her off Broughton Road. When the man went round to find out what was happening, she slammed the door in his face. It was only 43 years later when the man realised he had grounds for divorce for desertion.

Farnhill football referee Bob Wilson had an offer to officiate in matches in the Brazilian league. He had reached the FA's enforced retirement age and told the Craven Herald he had accepted the contract and waited official confirmation before flying out for the Brazilian season, starting on August 1.

25 Years Ago

AFTER 65 years as a butcher, John William Hebden was selling his shop in Cracoe where he had lived most of his life. He started as a butcher on the family's Threaplands farm at the age of 15, was wounded twice in the First World War and then delivered his self-butchered meat around the Dales on a motorbike and sidecar. He opened a shop opposite Ings House in Cracoe in 1936 which he was selling as a going concern.

Some golfers never have a hole in one in their life - Danny Clark had four in nine months at Skipton Golf Club. Danny was blind in one eye and had never seen any of his shots actually go in!

Craven District Council gave planning permission for Hillards to build a supermarket on land owned by British Rail in Skipton (now Tesco). The council rejected objections based on fears it would suck business from the town centre and concerns about access opposite Christ Church school.

10 Years Ago

GUESTS arriving for Ermysted's School speech day had to contend with flashing lights and sirens. A blaze in the boiler room had to be dealt with by the fire brigade before proceedings could begin. Headmaster David Buckroyd warned of "acute belt tightening" at the school due to financial cutbacks.

Langcliffe was to add the names of four men from the village killed in World War Two its war memorial. The parish council made the decision after an approach by the sister of one of those who died, Sgt JH Hocking.