125 Years Ago - 1892

For being drunk and refusing to quit the Red Lion Hotel, Burley, on the 12th inst.,George Bruce, labourer, of Burley, was fined 7s 6d and costs.

A lecture entitled "My journey to Russia and what I saw there" was given in the Board School, Fewston, by Mr. W. H. Mitchell, of Burley. Mr Mitchell, after a few preliminary remarks, boarded a Wilson liner at Hull, and after interesting notes by the way, in due course arrived at the land of the Czars, of which he gave a graphic and interesting account; finally arriving back again to "beautiful Wharfedale," feeling prouder than ever that he was an Englishman.

100 Years Ago - 1917

Major Vivian Novell Kidd, news of whose death in action has been received by his wife in Leeds, was well known in football circles at Headingley and Otley. He was the son of Mrs. Shettle, wife of the vicar of Otley, and joined the army from Sandhurst about 11 years ago. When killed he was second in command of of a service battalion of that regiment. He was with the battalion at the landing at Sulva Bay as captain and adjutant, and when his superior officers became casualties he took command.

The pictures at the King's Hall this week included "The Battle of the Ancre and Advance of the Tanks." The five reels were wonderfully interesting. Troops were seen moving forward to take up their battle positions, batteries of guns thundering away to prepare the advance. There was mud and slush everywhere, into which some of the men occasionally dropped knee deep. At the word of command the men in the trenches were seen to leap over the parapets and rush across "No man's land" with fixed bayonets.

75 Years Ago -1942

Addingham Education Committee has agreed to approve suggested arrangements for meals to be provided at school by means of a W.V.S. mobile canteen. The W.V.S. has already agreed to provide meals from a central canteen and deliver them by mobile canteen at various schools in the Otley area.

Mrs Nellie Darlington, of Ilkley, employed by Ilkley Parish Council in sorting salvaged paper found a £10 note. She handed it over to Mr J. Slater, the Chief Sanitary Officer. The note was taken to the police who instituted inquiries which led to the progress of the note being traced all the way from the time of its issue, passing through a series of hands, until it reached an Ilkley hotel where its owner had accidentally included it amongst some wastepaper. The note was returned to the owner, and Mrs. Darlington received a 30s reward.

50 Years Ago - 1967

At Easter in 1902 there had been concern about the number of people crossing the moor who might stray from the public footpaths to and from Dick Hudson's and to and from Keighley. The Moor Ranger organised a count from 6.30am. It was estimated that during the Easter Monday some 15,000 people crossed the moor.

Sir.- Regarding the recent proposal to install a computer at Ilkley at the cost of £17,325 plus £9 per day running cost, I should like to know why such a step is considered necessary in a town the size of Ilkley. It does not appear that sufficient thought has been given to an action involving such a high degree of expenditure, and I feel that it would be interesting to many Ilkley people to know exactly what tasks the computer will perform.

25 Years Ago - 1992

Pool-in-Wharfedale butcher William Jepson has two jobs. When he's not serving customers in his Main Street shop, he is moonlighting - as a lollipop man. Mr Jepson, who has been at the shop for more than 20 years, said non-stop thundering traffic meant he often had to guide frightened pedestrians across the road, which has been labelled a death trap by villagers.

Westgate Infants School, Otley, is to be given a wasps' nest which was found during extensive alterations to the function room at Grove Hill Club, Otley. The wasps' nest, which is 31 inches long and has a diameter of 17 inches, has been attracting attention since its discovery last week.