125 Years Ago - 1892

A melancholy incident occurred at Horsforth on Tuesday. It appears that Matthew Gordon Whitaker, aged 3 years, son of Mr. Thomas Whitaker, of Summerfield Villas, Outward Lane, had been out for a walk in charge of the nurse. At the bottom of Broadgate Lane some dogs began fighting on the footpath, and in getting out of the way of these the child was unfortunately knocked down by a cart which was laden with stone slabs. Drs. Nightingale and Pinder were both summoned, and it was found that the child had sustained serious injuries, there being a severe cut on the head, together with a bad gash in the leg. It was also feared there was a fracture of the skull.

A correspondent at Blackburn states that on Saturday a Leeds clerk named Thomas Middlebrook, who is in custody for an hotel robbery, made a confession that he had three wives living. He stated that he married the first at Grantham, the second at Otley, and the third at Blackburn.

100 Years Ago - 1917

Sir,- I cannot think that the Government ever intended flour to be "mixed" to such an extent as to cause hundreds of people to suffer from indigestion - which they are doing as a result of eating the bread with which we are now supplied. One does not wish to appear unpatriotic or to suggest anything that is likely to affect, even in the slightest degree, our determination to win the war, but surely it is not necessary, in order to effect our purpose, to turn us into a nation of dyspeptics. Isn't the mixing being overdone? If from a mistaken notion of excessive patriotism - or for some other reason - millers are adding a larger percentage of "mixings" it is not to be wondered at that so many people are suffering from indigestion.

Yours etc. Bismuth.

At a food economy meeting in Ilkley Cr. Prest pointed out the seriousness of the food shortage, and said the gravity of the situation was proved by the fact that the King had issued a proclamation urging upon his people to exercise the strictest economy in respect to the consumption of food. This, and the prevention of food wastage, would go a long way towards bringing the war to a successful conclusion so far as we were concerned. We had now reached the point that if the people did not ration voluntarily, a system of compulsory rationing would be introduced.

75 Years Ago - 1942

Ilkley First Aid Party secured a remarkable success in the Skyrack Civil Defence tests at Horsforth Hall Park when they obtained 150 points out of a possible 150. The team was as follows: - Capt. T.H. Smithson, Pte. C. Seaman, F. Mackenzie and E. S. Parker.

The 150,000th meal was served at the Ilkley Community Feeding Centre. Donald Price, of the C. of E. Boys' School, who bought the ticket, received a present and a free dinner.

50 Years Ago - 1967

In May of next year 10,000 spectators and 4,000 cars are expected at the Ben Rhydding Sports Club ground when the Great Britain and West Germany Olympic hockey teams will be in opposition.

One of 3,000 entries for the BBC competition "Songs of Grief and Glory" by 17-year-old Jane Laxton, of 36 Grove Road, Ilkley, has finally been placed in the top ten. Her song, "Folk Nativity" was broadcast on 14 May.

25 Years Ago - 1992

The River Wharfe has been put on the National Rivers Authority's critical list of drought affected rivers. But Mr Ian Barker, head of water management and licensing at NRA, said that the situation was one that could easily be remedied by a review of extraction licences for the two large paper mills which use the river as a source of water.

Fans of Major, the bald parrot, will be happy to hear he is making a comeback. Regular customers at Petwise pet shop in Boroughgate, Otley, feared the worst when the chirpy character suddenly disappeared from his perch. But the 40-year-old cockatoo had only travelled as far as shop owner Brian Parry's Birkenshaw home while the business was moved into new premises.