A Craven diary: Spooky goings on at Thornton Hall Park for half term holidays

THE Craven Herald of October, 1918, just a month before the end of fighting in the First World War, carried a series of adverts (pictured) urging its readers to buy National War Bonds. To encourage them to part with the not inconsiderable amount of £5 per bond, the ‘gun’ visited Barnoldswick, where it stayed for a whole week. The Herald reported that the committee organising ‘Gun Week’ in Barnoldswick had set a target of raising £60,000 for the war effort, roughly about £5 per head of the town’s population. But, reported the paper, that turned out to be far too modest, as the sum was exceeded on the opening day by £8,000. In terms of the war, reported the Herald, Barnoldswick had built up a record of which its people could be proud. Few towns of its size had sent more men into the Forces, many honours and distinctions had been won and the town had contributed its full share towards financing the country and its allies. In a word, reported the Herald, ‘Barnoldswick has lived up to its highest traditions’.

THE Bishop of Ripon, Dr Helen-Ann Hartley, is a fan of Doctor Who it seems/. Following the debut of Jodie Whittaker, as the new Doctor, Dr Helen-Ann tweeted “Watched #DrWho last night, excellent. Thought @whittakersjodie was brilliant! Intrigued by the Dr’s comment about clothing, implying perhaps there had perhaps been a previous female doctor?”

THE comedian Roy Hudd (pictured) was in Cross Hills 50 years ago, in October, 1968, when he opened an autumn fayre held at St Andrew’s Church and organised by the 1st Kildwick and Farnhill Scout group. The Herald reported the comedian was welcomed by a large crowd of fans, who packed into the hall. Roy was accompanied by his wife, and small son, Max. He was at the time recording at Yorkshire Television’s studios in Leeds and was about to start introducing Family Choice on the radio. Several cubs waited in the church hall entrance for his arrival in a grey and white Cambridge estate car - which bore the personal number plate HUD 1. Roy told his waiting fans of his connection with Craven. In the days before he hit the ‘big time’, he had appeared in a summer show in Babbacombe with Tom Howard, formerly Tom Boddy, whose mother lived at the time in Barnoldswick. Roy told the audience in Cross Hills that he frequently came to ‘Barlick’ with Tom and enjoyed his favourite meal at Tom’s home - beans on toast. Tom, who was chairman of proceedings at the fayre, had just returned from South Africa and was to play the dame in Mother Goose at Scunthorpe.

IF there is one thing I hate, its leaving for work in the morning when its dark, and returning in the evening, again in the dark. With the turning back of the clocks on Sunday, October 28, the evenings are going to be a lot darker from now on, although the mornings are a little lighter for a bit. To help me, and others experiencing seasonal affective disorder (SAD), the online bed and sleep specialist, Time 4 Sleep, has put together some top tips to get through the autumn and winter months. They include making a ‘to do’ list to increase motivation, to take an early morning walk, and to allow a little more time in the evening to relax. Regular exercise and a diet with serotonin- boosting nutrients, such as dark chocolate, salmon and mushrooms, will all help. Best of all is ensuring a good night’s sleep, of about eight hours, which Time 4 Sleep says will leave you ‘refreshed and productive’ for the next day.

THE very much long awaited Craven Local Plan is currently undergoing its ‘examination in public’ stage by a government appointed planning inspector. Hearings are taking place at the council offices in Belle Vue Square, Skipton, and are expected to last until the end of next week. Despite being of limited interest to most people, the plan, once it is finished, is an extremely important document which lays out the aspirations of Craven District Council for the next 18 years. At last week’s full council meeting, the leader, Councillor Richard Foster, urged his fellow councillors to drop in on at least one of the sessions, adding he believed it would look good if there was a good showing of councillors. Bearing in mind the plan has been under discussion by councillors and officers for eight long years, there will be a collective sigh of relief once the plan is approved at long last.

ANYONE wanting to help support those affected by Indonesia’s devastating earthquake can donate money at branches of Skipton Building Society.

June’s 7.5 magnitude earthquake triggered a 20ft high tsunami and has so far killed more than 1,500 people, with some remote areas yet to be contacted and fears that the toll could continue to rise. Thousands of homes have been destroyed along with hotels, a shopping centre and hospitals, with many of those injured being treated in make-shift medical tents.

Claire Burke, corporate social responsibility manager at the building society, said: “We think it’s important to support people affected by the Tsunami by providing a place where anyone wishing to make a donation can do so. We have 88 branches across the UK where people can make their donation over the counter. Alternatively, call our Skipton Direct team on 0345 850 1722 and donate over the phone. Every pound will count when helping to rebuild the lives of those devastated by the disaster.”

WELL worth a trip into Leeds is the Royal Armouries Museum, and from now until the end of the year, it is running special afternoon lectures based on its world-famous collection of arms and armour. The fortnightly lectures are free to attend and cover topics including the mysterious Horned Helmet of Henry VIII - which has already taken place - Franz Ferdinand and the era of assassination, the Iraqi supergun project, and the death of Richard III. Commenting on the lecture series, Laura Bell, director of collections, said: “We are delighted to launch this special series of lectures. Our curators and conservators are some of the leading authorities in their fields and our collections include some of the most extraordinary pieces of arms and armour in the world. The lectures will give attendees an opportunity to explore the treasures of our collections, as well as question our experts and learn about the important work that goes on behind-the-scenes at our sites.”

Upcoming lectures include: Franz Ferdinand and the era of assassination with Lisa Traynor, Curator of Firearms, on November 1; Early machine guns with Peter Smithurst, Curator Emeritus, on November 15;

The truth behind the Iraqi supergun project with Mark Murray-Flutter, Senior Curator and Analyst, on Deecember 6; and Musket or mistress? The real meaning of ‘Brown Bess’ with Jonathan Ferguson, Keeper of Firearms & Artillery on January 10. Further details about the upcoming lectures can be found on the Royal Armouries website:/royalarmouries.org