100 years ago

The chairman of Skipton Urban District Council was trying to arrange for a practical demonstration of the efficiency of the humane killer. The Herald said local butchers were inclined to pooh-pooh the latest means of cattle slaughter and were difficult to convince that any other method but the old one was the best.

The county council schools inspector visited Cononley School and reported that the children were "under good discipline but, under the present staffing conditions, reorganisation will be effected for the coming school year." The school attendance officer reported that 62 children were absent in one week - half through sickness - and the school was in an unsanitary condition.

An order to clear Skipton Magistrates' Court of onlookers was made. "Spicy" cases, as they were popularly known, had often attracted young lads and lasses to the court, their ears greedily absorbing details which they were much better left in ignorance of, it was said. It was hoped the call to clear the court of all except those with a legitimate claim to be present would form a useful precedent when cases unfit for public recital were heard.

50 years ago

"That cup of tea will cost 20 shillings," remarked the presiding magistrate when a fine of 20 shillings was imposed on a farm hand from Bradley for leaving a motor tractor and trailer without stopping the engine. The defendant wrote to the court that he had been delivering milk when a relative called him in for a cup of tea and he inadvertently failed to switch off the engine.

Lashed by a bitter blizzard and continuing snow, Craven spent the week recovering from what was acknowledged as the worst storm since 1947. One by one blocked roads were freed and marooned villages reached.

25 years ago

Cowling solicitor David Pedley presented a novel scheme to form a new county of Craven within North Yorkshire. Mr Pedley said: "This is not as outrageous as it first may seem. North Yorkshire is clearly too large, having an area of two million acres, which is five times the area of South Yorkshire. There is no connection between the area I live in and the county town of Northallerton." He explained that Craven was an historical entity, once ruled virtually as an independent county by the Clifford family of Skipton Castle.

Lynda Chalker, junior transport minister, braved the narrow pavements of Addingham to see for herself the need for a bypass. After walking the length of the village, only inches away from hurtling juggernauts, she said she was convinced of the village's need for a bypass.

James Bond's flying "double" swooped down to Aireville School, Skipton, to help boost the school's spring fair. Giving a dazzling display of aeronautics in his autogyro aircraft was Wing Commander Ken Wallis, who doubled for Sean Connery in You Only Live Twice.

10 years ago

Long-serving parish councillor Edgar Darwin laid the foundation stone for the Grassington millennium project. Mr Darwin, who had been a member of the parish council for 40 years and chairman for 15, laid the stone to mark part of a major scheme to upgrade the Devonshire Institute - the village's project for the millennium.

The long wait for a wheelpark was almost over for Skipton's skating youngsters. Joyous members of the Wheelpark Project applauded at a meeting of Craven District Council when members agreed to let the youngsters put their facility in Aireville Park.

Addingham villagers could proudly display the name of their home on their chest thanks to designers Peter and Elizabeth Hadfield. The couple came up with a T-shirt design for the village emblazoned with its trademark ducks. The slogan on the T-shirts read "I'm just quackers about Addingham."

9:53am Friday 29th February 2008

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