100 years ago

Gargrave was looking to install electric light. It was proposed that the supply station would be sited at High Mill.

An inquiry was to be held by the Light Railway Commissioners in Barnoldswick into proposals for a railway line from Barnoldswick to Gisburn.

It was decided to start the building of the new Sunday School in Hellifield. The foundation stone was to be laid on May 14.

50 years ago

The Royal College of Surgeons honoured Jessie Coulthurst, of Gargrave House, by electing her as a member of its Court of Patrons. The court only had 12 members, all of whom had been honoured for their great help to the college. Mrs Coulthurst was recognised for her benefactions to the college and her continued interest in its library. She had provided a new reading room some years ago and gave 100 guineas a year towards its maintenance.

Skipton’s Aireville School was filled to capacity when the three school choirs, the school’s brass band and Skipton Prize Band shared a stimulating programme, Sounding Brass and Voice Barnoldswick council was aiming to bring in regulations to help the flow of traffic in the main streets. They included unilateral parking, with parking limited to 20 minutes in a two-hour period.

25 years ago

Craven Court – Skipton’s new £4 million shopping complex – appointed its first manager. The new postholder was Skipton woman Judith Addyman, who had managed her family’s corn and seed business, George Leatt and Co, and had been involved in the redevelopment of High Corn Mill. The shopping complex was to open in the summer.

Three Ermysted’s Grammar School pupils took a break from their A-level studies and played a 24-hour snooker marathon to raise money for Great Ormond Street Hospital. Andrew Frankland, Chris Brookes and Stuart Phillips, who all worked part-time at Tesco, were trying to help the supermarket raise £1 million for the children’s hospital.

Proposals for a new community charge came under fire. Coun Margaret Billing said it was feared in the same way that the Black Death was feared and would strike at everyone, no matter what their ability to pay. She was speaking at a meeting of Craven District Council’s policy and finance committee, which was called to discuss the new poll tax. Members agreed a motion, saying: “This council urges Her Majesty’s Government to delay introducing the community charge until the effects of the charge in Scotland can be assessed.”

10 years ago

A picture of naked Paratroopers in Iraq brought a smile to the face of Grassington mum Marilyn Brown. Among those pictured was her 21-year-old son Jonathan, who was in the Parachute Regiment and had been sent out to the Gulf in February. The picture appeared in The Sun newspaper and showed the lads under an improvised shower in Basra. “It was a bit of a shock, but at least I know he is OK,” said Mrs Brown.

Station Road, Cross Hills, was listed in a league table of the 12 noisiest roads in the country. UK Noise Association, which compiled the list, put the road at number eight. A spokesman for the group said the highlighted roads were not necessarily the noisiest, but where the noise created most annoyance. It claimed Station Road was used by more than 12,000 vehicles a day, which had to negotiate a series of speed humps.

A new initiative was launched in Skipton to stamp out violence in town centre pubs. STAND – Skipton Town Against Night-time Disorder – was a joint initiative between the police and licensees.