125 Years Ago – 1892

Mr. Moores, phrenologist, has occupied the Town Hall in Guiseley this week, and has given lectures on the following subjects: - Tuesday, “Heads, faces and character”, Wednesday, “How to be healthy, and last night (Thursday), a special lecture for females only on “Girlhood and womanhood.” At the close of each lecture Mr. Moores publicly examined the heads of several persons.

A fox-terrier swimming match, which has excited much local interest, was brought off at Pool recently. The competing dogs were Charlie, belonging to J. Roberts, of Newcastle, and Castor., belonging to J. Garrick, of Leeds. The course was 800 yards, and the stake £40 a side. Castor won by 30 yards.

100 Years Ago – 1917

At St. Margaret’s Church, Ilkley, on Tuesday, Miss Kate Irene Sutcliffe, youngest daughter of Major and Mrs. Henry Sutcliffe, Westmoor, Ilkley, was married to Second-Lieutenant Arthur Pinder, R.F.A. son of Dr. and Mrs. Pinder, Lee House, Horsforth. The bridegroom has served in Egypt and at the Front for about 18 months, and was invalided home wounded.

The wounded soldiers at the three Ilkley Military Hospitals were provided with a very enjoyable concert in the Rest Room (King’s Hall Annexe) on Friday afternoon by a party of amateur entertainers from York, who out of their kindness of heart have visited various other military hospitals for a similar purpose, and given much pleasure to many of our fighting men whom either wounds or illness have rendered hors de combat.

75 Years Ago – 1942

Ilkley has easily passed its original objective in the Tanks for Attack week, raising more than £55,000. The amount raised means the town is entitled to name two Churchill tanks.

Girls of the Ben Rhydding Council School who have been knitting and sewing for the past three years to provide garments for the children of the fighting forces have been rewarded for their efforts. Two of the girls Patricia Rose and Anne Oliver received cheques to be spent on savings stamps for the high standard of their work which has been exhibited with work by 100,000 girls.

50 Years Ago – 1967

The Australian Rugby League party when they arrived in Ilkley this week for a stay until early December officially divorced themselves from critical views which had appeared in the Sydney Sun of Ilkley as a training centre. Team manager Jack Drewes said some of his players had complained of “sneers” and passing remarks as they had strolled through the town. They had been asked why they had come to Ilkley if they did not like the place. Mr Drewes said the Australian Rugby League, of which he was a member, did not agree with the article which described Ilkley as a “flat beer place” and included other criticisms of the place. He said: “Ilkley has been our second home for successive tours. It is a lovely place. We don’t have to come here but we like it and the people have always been friendly.”

“It is only a hobby,” is how Miss Minnie Simpson, of 86, Pleasant Row, Burley, describes an activity which takes up most of her time – weaving. Miss Simpson weaves everything, from her own clothes to the net curtains which hang at her windows, but, she says: “I only do it for a hobby. Where some people knit and some are musical – I weave.”

25 Years Ago – 1992

An Ilkley fashion designer is now supplying wedding dresses to world-famous department store Harrods. Jeni Calvert, 29, who is based in Church Street, has clinched a contract to provide exclusive couture bridal garments for the London giant. “We were approached by Harrods earlier this year and have been chosen as one of their exclusive designers,” said Jeni this week. “We have never sold to the trade before so our designs will only be on sale in Ilkley and Harrods.”

It’s all happening for 25-year-old Guiseley pop singer Tasmin Archer. She has made her debut on television’s Top of the Pops, her single Sleeping Satellite, is riding high at No 4 in the charts and she is said to be the first female singer to have the fastest climbing record two weeks in a row.