100 years ago

THERE was a crowded audience in the Church School, Lothersdale to hear a lecture by the Rev JS Griffiths on the "failure of German strategy". The lecture was based on the brilliant articles of Hilaire Belloc in Land and Water.

Very little interest was manifested in the Silsden District Council Triennial election, when 14 nominees were contesting for ten seats in the inner ward. Voting was very slow until late in the afternoon.

Neither the Bradford Pals nor Cononley were represented by their strongest sides at Ings Lane, Skipton. Despite this and the wretched weather, there was an attractive game which ended in favour of the battalion by four goals to two.

50 years ago

ORPHANED children of seafarers, who were cared for in Hull by the Sailors' Children's Society, were to have a hiking holiday in Craven. They were to stay in youth hostels in Linton, Malham, Kettlewell and Stainforth.

Fresh water shrimps were found in the domestic water supply in the Park Road area of Barnoldswick. Once the shrimps got into the main, they could live there for a long time, and flushing was the only way to get them out. It was thought a possibility they were coming from a storage tank in Park Hill.

Dozens of complaints were made following the severe lopping of trees on land next to Fernlea Avenue, Barnoldswick. Birds had been in the process of making their nests when workmen arrived.

25 years ago

JENNY Hudson was honoured for giving 50 years of service to the Sunday school at Skipton Baptist Church. She was presented with a number of gifts by former pupil Ken Jackson, who said she had led by example. As well as working in the Sunday school, Jenny had also served as a deacon for 40 years.

Planners overwhelmingly rejected an application from West Yorkshire Co-op to expand its food fair in Cross Hills. The decision meant the store would be reviewed by its owners. Co-op chief executive George Money said he was extremely disappointed. "It is fair to say that we cannot offer the range of products our customers want. We cannot continue to trade in this way. We have to review the situation," he said.

Threshfield's Glen Harrison took part in the Under 21s Inter Counties Rugby Final at Twickenham. Glen, 20, was a member of the Yorkshire side which was beaten 28-12 by the Eastern Counties squad. "Despite playing very well, we could not really get it together," said Glen, who also played for Wharfedale.

10 years ago

PLANS for a new council office in Skipton's Coach Street car park were abandoned. Instead Craven District Council would look to replace its crumbling headquarters at Granville Street with a new building on the outskirts of Skipton. The council's town hall office would also be re-developed as a "one-stop" shop.

Traffic was brought to a standstill in West Craven after an electricity pylon caught fire. And more than 300 homes in Earby, Kelbrook and Barnoldswick were left in the dark after power supplies were cut. The pylon was located near the Old Stone Trough, Kelbrook, and police closed the road, diverting traffic along narrow country lanes. The cause of the fire was unknown.

Skipton Rotarians spent Easter in tsunami-hit Sri Lanka. Peter Warburton and Ian Walker were part of the five-strong team of Yorkshire Rotarians who flew out to see what help people needed. The country had lost 40,000 residents, with 6,300 still missing and 443,000 displaced. Mr Warburton said the people did not want charity, but were willing to accept help.