100 years ago

A NEW organ was dedicated at Christ Church in Skipton. Its arrival removed a great disadvantage under which the congregation at Christ Church had laboured for many years. An old organ entirely inadequate for the requirements of the church had been replaced by an up to date and capable machine. It was the third organ in use at the church, the first being an adapted barrel organ. In 1880, at a cost of £87, the existing organ had been built by Mr Lambert of Skipton but was never big enough for the church's needs. A bequest of £200 in 1893 had started talk of a new organ but it was not until 1904 that the congregation launched its scheme to raise between £1,500 and £2,000 for the new organ.

The first accounts of the Skipton Cattle Market Company were issued. The Herald said that the cattle market would soon be disappearing from the setts to its new location behind the Town Hall and it was amazing how that long and bitter fight had now passed out of public recollection.

The weavers' strike at a mill in Earby was resolved and the workers were back at their looms. The strike had been over union recognition and six men had been fined £5 for intimidation of the Earby Manufacturing Company's managing director and his family. A concert was held in Earby by mill workers to pay off the fine.

Skipton Traders Association asked for trees to be planted between the railway station and the High Street. The route into town from the station was unprepossessing for a town which was vying for tourist business. Their first approach met a refusal from the relevant council committee.

50 years ago

THE new organ at Christ Church mentioned above was in the news 50 years later. Christ Church's Parochial Church Council was told that a considerable amount of money needed to be raised for repairs and heating. The vicar's warden, W Hardacre said that judging from the behaviour of the organ, something would have to be done quickly and at heavy expense.

Major renovation works at Water Street School in Skipton would not cause too much disruption, but contingency arrangements had been made to use the Methodist Church on Gargrave Road for temporary classrooms. Some parents were worried the six month long programme could harm their children's chances of passing the 11-plus exams.

Meanwhile a familiar face was to return to Appletreewick School until a new headmistress could be appointed. Mrs Plaistead, a county supply teacher would be acting head. Before her marriage she was known as Miss B Wynn and had worked as headmistress at Appletreewick, so she knew her way around.

25 years ago

EMBSAY Steam Railway was permanently reconnected with the main line network. A British Rail locomotive drew into Embsay station for the first time since the closure of the Skipton to Ilkley line 16 years previously to deliver a consignment of carriages for restoration by the Yorkshire Dales Railway. Previous railway stock had to be brought in by lorry. It was believed to be the first time British Rail had trusted amateurs to lay a junction on one of its main line links.

The Craven Local Plan envisaged the construction of 2,600 new houses in the area of Craven outside the national park, most of them in Skipton and south Craven, in the next 10 years. Since April 1974, only 400 buildings had gone up, 330 of them in Skipton itself. Many of the new houses needed to be smaller to cater for the reduction in size of the average household.

A by-election for the Aire Valley ward of Craven District Council was won by Frank Harrison of Cononley for the Conservatives. He beat his Liberal rival and fellow Cononley resident John Phillips by 588 votes to 528.

Barclays Bank said it might try again to install bollards on the setts outside its premises and use the land as private parking for bank staff. Other businesses were watching developments with great interest.

10 years ago

THERE was bad news for workers at Albert Hartley's in Barnoldswick. The textile printers announced it was making 144 jobs redundant, most of them in the hemming department. The company blamed an acute downturn in business and foreign competition.

Houses in Clapham could be numbered for the first time. Only those in Clapdale Way had a number, with the rest being known by names - although in some streets there were instances of more than one house with the same name. Craven District Council was to write to residents asking if they wanted to introduce a numbering system but Dr John Farrer, of the Ingleborough estate, which owned many of the houses in the village, said he thought most people would prefer to leave things as they were.

Gargrave residents spoke out to give their side of the story after a village resident had been told to get rid of his collie dogs because of the noise they made. Some villagers stuck up for the owner, but his neighbours contacted the Herald to say their life was being made a misery by the incessant barking.