100 Years Ago

THE Craven Bank, founded in Settle in 1791 and with its head office in Skipton High Street, announced it was to proposing to merge with the Liverpool Bank, which came as something of a shock to shareholders. The Craven Bank had £3 million in current and deposit accounts. The Financial Times reported that as the Craven Bank had made a profit of £33,000 in the last year the purchase price of £715,500 was a good deal for shareholders, who would hold a meeting in Skipton to vote on the offer. The Craven Bank had 11 branches and numerous sub-branches at the time of the amalgamation.

Membership of the Cyclists Touring Club had fallen by half since 1899. It was noted in Craven that there had been a considerable falling off of tourists on wheels. The Herald thought it was probably due to the motor cars which filled the road with choking dust. "It seems that cycling touring parties will retire from the road," commented the paper.

A packed meeting in Christ Church School, Skipton, discussed a Government proposal that religious education along denominational lines should be banned in schools. The Government sought views as to whether schools should teach religion in general rather than being allied to one faith, such as Wesleyan or Anglican.

Skipton's third match against Headingley in a week as they tried to settle a cup tie ended in defeat for our local team, despite the return of their captain, John Green, from England duties. A party of 400 went from Skipton to see the second replay of the tie, held at Ilkley.

50 Years Ago

THE president of Skipton Soroptimists Club, Mary Wales, referred to the rumours surrounding the future of Skipton Castle at the group's annual dinner. The council was rumoured to be considering buying the castle. Mrs Wales said she felt sorry for the council which was trying to keep the rates down but she said it was probably a case not of could the council afford to buy it but could the council afford not to buy it. It would be better to find an imaginative but economical use rather than allow the castle to become a decaying white elephant. She suggested an educational centre, a museum or a home for a college of further education.

A diary item referred to a sub aqua club which hoped to explore the Wharfe at its famous Strid above Bolton Abbey. The Herald recalled the feats of Christopher Bailey, a Keighley based expert diver and swimmer, who had descended the Strid on a ladder to a depth of 25 feet. He had discovered several tree trunks on ledges blanched white by many years of the torrent pouring on them.

Joan Evans, from Hereford, was appointed the new head mistress of Settle Girls High School. She was taking over at Settle from the retiring Miss HM Harding.

25 Years Ago

Plans were drawn up to bring the lending library in Skipton down from the first to the ground floor to give easier access to disabled customers. The plan had been tossed around for several years but had gained added impetus with the formation of a Skipton group for the disabled in 1981 - the international year of the disabled.

Bradley Gala looked like being revived after a well-attended meeting in the village decided to pursue interest in a gala. David Burnley of the village hall committee said no date had been fixed but people seemed to think early in August would be a good time.

Young Conservatives in Skipton were at their lowest ebb ever. At their annual meeting it was said that active membership had virtually disappeared and, for the first time in memory, the Young Conservatives did not contribute anything towards national financial targets.

Hebden described itself as a contender for a most untidy village competition. At the annual parish meeting villagers said it would be a waste of time entering a best kept village competition and complained that the main street was no longer swept. A committee was formed to tidy up the village.

10 Years Ago

NORTH Ribblesdale announced it would be the first English rugby club to tour Latvia. Andy Davidson said that a 30-strong touring party would leave in August. He said the rugby players would see a land of beauty steeped in history.

North Yorkshire County Council apologised to Cowling residents after its workmen chopped down a line of ash, rowan and hawthorn trees in Shop Lane. A council spokesman said the trees should have been trimmed to take branches back from the road but confessed that the workmen had been "a bit heavy-handed" and chopped them down.

Threshfield Lifeboat Committee announced a successful bid for £3 million of lottery money to build a rescue station on the Wharfe. Ian Taylor and Dr Andrew Jackson said they were delighted as new lifeboat stations had been monopolised by coastal towns. This would be the first inland lifeboat station to rescue people who got into trouble on the Wharfe. Locals were invited to the Old Hall to see the plans for the three storey lifeboat centre. The date of the meeting? Why April 1 of course.