125 Years Ago - 1892

Town sub-offices have been opened at Cragg Hill and Woodside, in the Horsforth District, for the for the sale of postage stamps, registration of letters, and receipt of parcels, etc. This will be a great convenience to the inhabitants of Woodside and Cragg Hill who have been greatly in need of some arrangements of this kind.

We regret to have to announce the death of Mr. Moses Brogden, one of the oldest inhabitants of Woodside, which occurred early on Saturday morning last, the deceased being in his 81st year. The old gentleman was well known.

100 Years Ago - 1917

Private Willie Horsman, only son of Mr and Mrs A. Horsman, Southfield Terrace, Addingham, was killed in action on September 28th.

Corporal James Hilbeck (Royal Engineers) of Bolton Road, Addingham, has been awarded the Military Medal for his gallantry whilst working with an advance party. He was formerly employed at Messrs. William Brear and Sons Sawmills, Addingham.

75 Years Ago - 1942

Otley man, flight engineer Norman Hammond, 55, of North Street, took part in the RAF raid on Genoa, the Italian naval base. It was only by chance that he was detailed for the 1,500 mile trip. One of the men had fallen ill so Hammond took his place. They went in and Hammond said they were over the city for 20 minutes and by the time they left, it was a mass of flames.

A 45-year-old labourer of Union Street, Guiseley, was summoned for using obscene language in the street. PC Bull said he was in Town Gate and could hear the defendant’s language 20 yards away. He alleged that when he told the man he would be reported he received the reply “you are a new .... here. I shall remember you, you ferret-faced....” A fine of 40s was imposed.

50 Years Ago - 1967

Modern research has brought to light new and startling facts on the subject of life and death. At what point can one say that an individual has ceased to live? Until recently respiration and the heart-beat were held to be the criterion of living existence, but since the discovery of the wonderful stimulant adrenalin, many people have been brought back to life several minutes after the heart had ceased to beat and the lungs had ceased to perform the act of respiration. In future times, it is likely that the state of the brain will be of increasing importance in deciding this difficult point. New and delicate tests will be devised to show the point at which the brain ceases to be alive.

For the second time the United States Authorities are to decorate U.S. Marine Sergeant Alastair Livingston (24), whose parents Mr an d Mrs James Livingston live in Ilkley. Already the holder of the third highest American award, the Silver Star, he is shortly to be awarded the Navy Commendation Medal. He left Ilkley Grammar School in 1961 and went to Vietnam in 1965. It was last year that he won the Silver Star after his patrol was caught in a Vietcong ambush.

25 Years Ago - 1992

Whatever the politicians might think, it is the miners rather than Maastricht that is occupying the minds of the British public as the catalogue of company closures and redundancies continues. Firms struggling to keep their heads above water have been cutting costs and making savings for some time, but as the recession drags on they are finding that even this is not enough. The last resort of pay freezes, shorter working weeks and redundancies is now being reached by an ever-increasing number of companies, not to mention those smaller, businesses where bankruptcy is becoming commonplace. The Government proposal to close 31 pits has been condemned as “brutal.”

An interesting question often asked with regard to the Fawkes family is the local connection with Guy Fawkes and the Gunpowder Plot. Guy was the son of Edward Fawkes a notary and advocate of York. His great-great grandfather was Henry Fawkes, a merchant and Freeman of York, who had been born at Farnley, the third son of John Fawkes, of Farnley, Steward of the forest of Knaresborough.