100 years ago

A PORK butcher, who claimed absolute exemption at the Military Tribunals, stated that he considered he came under the list of certified occupations and that serious financial hardship would result if he was called upon to serve. He was the only pork butcher in Silsden and had been in business for 18 years. Exemption was granted conditionally on him remaining in his occupation.

A clog iron heel manufacturer appealed successfully for the conditional exemption of three men - a thick clog iron heel maker; the foreman of the works and an clog iron maker. Exemption was granted until November on condition that the men putting in two hours drill per week.

A meeting was held in Embsay National School with a view to the formation of a volunteer corps in the village. There were about 20 people present. It was suggested that uniforms be procured as soon as possible.

50 years ago

CHIP-eating pigeons, nesting and breeding in the centre of Barnoldswick, were defacing buildings and becoming a health nuisance. A pet shop owner, while of the opinion the birds should be moved, was feeding them because he did not want them to starve.

A mock rescue callout, staged by the Cave Rescue Organisation at Clapham for the benefit of the BBC, was ltransformed into the real thing when a man fell 30 feet down Bar Pot, Ingleborough.

Suggestions for improving the appearance of Skipton High Street were put forward at the annual meeting of the High Street Frontagers Association. It included the replacement of the setts between Otley Street and Newmarket Street with a garden area with seats.

25 years ago

IT was a stroke of luck when mother of four Julie Stapleton entered a charity golf competition - for, she won a dream day out at Wentworth with Sandy Lyle and a host of other celebrities. Playing off a 27-handicap, she was one of thousands of golfers to respond to Sandy's Stableford appeal, taking part in a sponsored round of golf at Skipton. But her name was picked at random to play in a pro-celebrity event at Wentworth. Others taking part included Eric Sykes, Max Bygraves, Terry Wogan and Kevin Keegan.

Cross Hills' new health centre held an open day to show off its new facilities. It replaced an old wooden hut on the same site. "It was about the size of the new waiting room," said Dr Adrian Dunbar. The new centre would accommodate four doctors and a trainee as well as three practice nurses, a chiropodist and health visitors. It had taken a year to build.

A new sixth form centre at Giggleswick School was opened by Mr LP Dutton - after whom it was named. Many former pupils attended the ceremony to pay homage to the 83-year-old, who was a member of the school staff for 43 years. Among them was financial advisor Roger Moss, who made a special trip from Hong Kong. The Dutton Centre was considered to the vanguard of the school's sixth form provision

10 years ago

A PERMANENT memorial to the Duke of Wellington's Regiment was unveiled in Skipton. The local Duke of Wellington Association had spearheaded a campaign to mount a cap badge on the cenotaph at the top of the High Street. And their efforts paid off when the new plaque, costing more than £1,000, was unveiled by Colonel Rodney Harms. The ceremony coincided with the 191st anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo.

Retired Settle doctor Pam Douglas, who had dedicated much of the latter part of her working life, as well as virtually all her retirement, to helping less fortunate people in the Third World, was awarded an OBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours' List. Dr Douglas, 79, got her first taste of Third World medicine while in Hong Kong with her engineer husband, John Douglas, and later got involved with the charity Christian Outreach. She also worked with

Health Aid and the Settle-based charity, Moyo, which helped women in Malawi.

The future of Netherside Hall School at Threshfield was threatened by plans to change how children with special needs were educated. North Yorkshire County Council was looking at new ways of educating children with special educational needs and those with behavioural, emotional and social difficulties in mainstream schools instead of specialist centres. This, said the Herald, could lead to a major shake-up at Netherside Hall, which had 28 full and part-time staff, looking after 17 pupils with behavioural, emotional and social difficulties, including autism.