100 years ago

AT most schools in Craven, the festival of Empire Day was observed in one form or another with decorations, patriotic songs and addresses by the head teachers.

At a meeting of Skipton Rifle Club, it was decided to keep the club running despite the fact that many of its members had joined the forces and others had joined the volunteer corps.

A very largely attended open air meeting called in Gargrave with the object of forming a volunteer company was held in the Coronation Square. It was attended by Skipton Volunteers and the band of the 21st West Yorks.

50 years ago

ONE of the first 14 Churchill Memorial Scholarship winners was Malcolm Stansfield from Barnoldswick. He was selected out of all farm managers in the country and was a former pupil of Ermysted's Grammar School and Leeds University.

A public meeting in Settle was unanimous in the need for a swimming pool. It was decided if a pool was to be provided, it must be covered, and it was useless to proceed without the financial backing of the county council.

The X-rated The Secret of Blood Island was being shown at The Cross Hills Picture House. The film told of the tortures endured by prisoners in Japanese prisoner of war camps.

25 years ago

HIPPIES were still causing problems in the Clapham and Newby area, the annual parish assembly was told. A resident complained that people felt threatened and there was an appalling sanitation problem. The meeting agreed to write to MP David Curry and to chase up a letter sent to Craven District Council's environmental health department.

A 14-year-old Giggleswick School pupil won a place at the National Youth Theatre. Jonathan Broadbent had already played lead parts in school productions, including a very moving performance as Wolf Boy - a child who is captured from the forest and reared by the wolves. The play was shortlisted for an award in the Lloyds Bank Theatre Challenge.

A Silsden canoeist was selected to represent Great Britain. Simon Orange, 17, a sixth former at South Craven School, Cross Hills, would compete with the Junior 17 slalom team in Czechoslovakia. He was ranked fifth in Britain's division one and hoped to move into the premier division next season. "I have won quite a few team events and a lot of junior races," he said.

10 years ago

AN Otterburn family joined more than 200 Palestinian and Israeli demonstrators to protest against an illegal separation wall. Naomi Wallace, husband Bruce McLeod and their three daughters Nadira, 18, Caitlin, 17, and 15-year old Tegan braved the threat of the Israeli Army's shock grenades, tear gas and rubber bullets to take part in the march in the West Bank village of Bilin. Mrs Wallace said she knew it was a dangerous place to take her children, but she wanted them to be aware of what was happening.

Despite injuring her neck while trampolining, a Silsden schoolgirl was preparing to hold a fundraising event in aid of children worse off than herself. Big-hearted Charlotte Forshaw, 14, was determined to pull off her fundraising day in aid of the NSPCC even though she was still wearing a neck brace and had to undergo six weeks of physiotherapy. She was inspired after watching adverts for the NSPCC.

A parking enforcement company apologised to a disabled Sutton pensioner after he was issued a bogus fine. David Evans, 65, who suffered from a serious heart condition and required round-the-clock care in sheltered accommodation, picked up a £60 parking fine when he went to collect his medication in Cross Hills. But it transpired that the ticket had been not issued officially and may have been put on his car as a malicious joke.