100 years ago

The annual Bolton by Bowland festival was held, but wet weather prevented the usual number attending. Schoolchildren and teachers left the school and, headed by the Clitheroe Band, marched to the rectory and then to the church.

The Arncliffe Church Choir enjoyed their annual outing to Morecambe. Arriving in Morecambe at 10am, breakfast was served at the Crown Hotel, and the party amused themselves until 2pm when they assembled at the Winter Gardens. Tea was served at 5pm, and the group enjoyed some shopping, before returning home at 6.30pm.

A letter called for improvements to the footpath on Broughton Road, Skipton. It read: “Sir, I see that the English Sewing Cotton Co are building right up to the footpath in Broughton Road, Skipton. I would have thought that our council would have arranged for the company to keep the building back a yard or so, because the next improvement should be the widening of this footpath, which is one of the busiest in the town, as travellers to and from the railway station can testify.”

50 years ago

Among the new West Riding magistrates was Robert Leakey, of Giggleswick, who was one of the best-known potholers and cave diving enthusiasts in the country. He was to sit on the Settle bench. Born in Kenya, he was an engineer by profession and had had close links with Craven since 1937.

Sir Martin Wilson, Bart, cancelled the sale of his Eshton estate near Gargrave, which was to have taken place at the Black Horse Hotel, Skipton. The estate included Eshton House, two adjoining farms (let) and valuable trout fishing and grouse shooting rights. Sir Martin spent most of his time at his London house. The Eshton estate yielded £5,308 per annum.

Sunny weather made Whitsuntide an enjoyable holiday in Craven. Traffic through Skipton and over the Dales was heavy and the inevitable hold-ups at peak times occurred in Skipton. Offices, factories and workshops were closed on Bank Holiday Monday, as were nearly all the retail shops.

25 years ago

Skyrunner Anneka Rice was in Skipton filming for the popular Channel 4 action quiz Treasure Hunt. The Herald remained tight-lipped on whether Anneka found the “treasure”, saying readers would have to watch the show to find out. It transpired that the programme’s creative assistant, Anne Evans (formerly Weeks), was a boarder at Skipton Girls’ High School in the mid-1940s.

With still no sign of a breakthrough at Silentnight Ltd, the strike over pay by bedding workers at Moss Shed, Barnoldswick, entered its third week. Managing director Arthur Beattie rejected any move to negotiate through the arbitration service ACAS.

Plans to build a major DIY store and garden centre on Broughton Road, Skipton, moved a step forward. Craven District Council’s planning committee said the scheme - which would create 70 jobs - should be approved if no adverse comments were received. A previous application was turned down because members felt the proposed building resembled an aircraft hangar.

10 years ago

A human chain was formed in Ingleton, with 2,000 people linking up for charity from the end of the Waterfalls Walk car park, over two bridges, up the Main Street, onto Thacking Lane and up to Storrs Quarry. All the proceeds were to be donated to the BBC’s Children in Need Appeal.

A 50-year-old children’s home, which had provided refuge for 1,000 vulnerable youngsters, was to be sold. The money made from the sale of Burnside House on Carleton Road, Skipton, would be put towards a new children’s centre in Harrogate, said North Yorkshire County Council.

Young thespian Robbie Swale beat off competition to win a place at the prestigious National Youth Theatre Summer School. Robbie, 15, from High Bentham would work with professional actors and his studies could lead to an appearance in the West End, where the National Youth Theatre staged performances. Robbie had already taken part in a number of Settle High School plays.