125 Years Ago - 1891

On Monday evening, at about half past eight o'clock, a little girl of about four and a half years of age, named Laura Annie Myers, daughter of Albert Myers, butcher, Chapel Lane, Yeadon, was crossing the road in Westgate when she was knocked down and run over by a passing cyclist, who was riding at a very rapid speed. The cyclist picked up the little girl from under his machine and and after hurriedly saying that he could not help the occurrence, and that he thought the child was not much worse, he re-mounted his machine and rode off before the parents of the girl arrived.

Sunday Gambling - Four young men, respectively James Watson, John Longfellow, Robt. Remmington and Thomas Cooper, were charged before the West Riding magistrates with having been found gambling in West End Lane, Horsforth, on Sunday the 7th inst. They were found guilty and each fine 10s and 7s costs.

100 Years Ago - 1916

Intimation has been received that Sergt. J. W. Rawnsley, of the Durham Light Infantry, has been killed in action. Sergt. Rawnsley was an Otley man, the son of Mr and Mrs Sam Rawnsley, of 17, South Parade, and has resided in Durham for some time. Sergt. Rawnsley's widow received a letter from his Captain, who says: "I very much regret to inform you that your husband was killed last Tuesday night. It may be of some comfort to you in your great grief to know that he was shot in the head and died instantaneously. He is buried in a little cemetery behind the lines.

Signaller Harold Hillbeck - who was in Admiral Beatty's squadron in the recent great naval battle, in a letter to a friend at Addingham, says: - "Glad to say I am safe and sound, having lost nothing in recent action. No doubt you will find the newspaper reports rather perplexing but, believe me, we scored a splendid victory, and though sad to say, our losses were great, we can obtain the greatest satisfaction from the fact that the Germans were decidedly greater. You ought to be proud of the Navy."

75 Years Ago - 1941

Summer is here and many people have been saying to themselves: -"This is the time for a holiday - but ought I to take one? We are fighting for our lives - am I justified in leaving my job for a brief rest?" There is a natural disinclination on the part of all right-minded people to rest during the war. They think of the Navy on watch night and day, of anti-aircraft guns that must be manned seven days and nights in the week, of the non-stop stream of merchant ships sailing perilous seas with supplies, of soldiers and and airmen who do not fight at set hours and break off when it suits them.It is natural to think like that but it must be remembered that the fighting forces are granted leave whenever it is possible for them to be spared.

Women born in 1918 registered at local employment exchanges on Saturday. This was the third registration of women. Very few women were totally unemployed. At Otley, for instance, there was only one, and she had ceased work only a few hours before registering. There were 101 registrations at Otley, 44 of whom were married.

50 Years Ago - 1966

Miss Elsie Fletcher, honorary curator of the Ilkley Manor House Museum, is sailing to Gothenburg in Sweden later this year. She hopes her trip may yield the vital clue to a historical puzzle by finding the true meaning and origin of the Ilkley Swastika on Woodhouse Crag. Miss Fletcher has already visited the Greek Swastika stone at Mycenae, mentioned on the tablet near the Ilkley stone, but finds that it is not directly similar.

Mr John Southgate, Executive Director of the Commonwealth Sugar Exporters London Office has been awarded the C.B.E. in the Queen's Birthday Honours for services to the Commonwealth. Mr Southgate is the son-in-law of Mrs Frank B. Lund, of Ilkley.

25 Years Ago - 1991

Ilkley's bid for tourist status has received the important backing of the public. Councillors will tonight discuss the results of a recent street survey in which nearly two thirds of residents and shopkeepers questioned said the town was a holiday resort and should be allowed to open its shops on a Sunday.

Ilkley's famous pink blossoms have been saved. Bradford council have made a U-turn on their decision to axe the cherry-flowering blossom trees which have lined the the Grove for nearly 40 years. Parish councillors were outraged when Bradford announced their plans to replace about 30 trees with longer-lasting white pear blossoms.