100 years ago

The opening ceremony of the new Settle Girls’ High School took place and was performed by county councillor Edwin Talbot JP.

The show of the Craven Agricultural Society and Farmers Club promised to be a financial success.

Around 300 ladies and gentlemen of the Skipton Brotherhood and Sisterhood enjoyed a social evening in the Gargrave Road Primitive Methodist schoolroom.

50 years ago

Silsden Council was severely criticised for flooding which occurred in parts of the town in July. There were proposals to level the sill at the St John Street side of the Stakes Beck ford.

A Hungarian man who said he kept an automatic pistol at home for protection against the communists was fined £2 by Skipton magistrates.

Police attended a cricket match at Victory Park, Barnoldswick after receiving a complaint that the match contravened the Sunday Observance Act of 1625.

25 years ago

Skipton firm Plastic Spools celebrated its 21st birthday in style – by clinching a £250,000 order from Sweden. Managing director Tony Capewell said the company would be investing £500,000 to help produce 13 million spools for the textile firm in Molnlyck. The company, which employed 30 people, already exported to Africa and Australia.

An appeal was launched in Gargrave to pay for repairs to the Summer Seat, which was erected in 1930 at a cost of £117. The repair bill, however, was estimated at £4,886. Craven District Council’s estate and leisure services had turned down a grant request, saying it was not a “cultural amenity”.

Barnoldswick won its battle over the civic regalia of the old urban district council. Pendle Borough Council agreed the regalia could be returned to the town council for use at public events and meetings on condition it was properly insured. The chains of office had been kept by Pendle since 1974 when the urban district council ceased to exist.

10 years ago

Work began on an £800,000 development to create an all-weather football pitch in Skipton. Contractors ERDC moved onto the site at the Coulthurst Craven Sports Centre to put up safety fencing and remove the top layer of turf. It was hoped the new pitch would be ready in the new year. Coun Carl Lis, leader of Craven District Council, said: “It is a great boost for football in Craven and for the future of football development.”

Grassington peace worker Jenny Galawyn was hit by shrapnel while helping teenagers in trouble-torn Palestine – but the 24-year-old vowed she would not stop her humanitarian work. “Someone has got to do it,” she said. “We want to provide a bit of hope to the children and stop the cycle of anger and despair.”

A project to bring cinema into North Craven was expanding rapidly. As many as 20 films were to be shown at venues across North Craven over the next six months thanks to a £7,500 grant secured by TRAMPS (The Ribblesdale Area Moving Picture Show) from the Scarman Trust Millennium Awards Scheme. Twenty volunteers would be trained to use the high-tec projection equipment. “We are delighted to receive this award, which recognises all the hard work put in by the volunteers,” said TRAMPS chairman Ann Ambrose.