25 years ago – 1987

TV Stars – Blue Peter presenter Mark Curry and actor Fred Pyne (Emmerdale Farm’s Matt Skilbeck) paid a surprise visit to a bring-and-buy sale and coffee morning held at St Peter’s Church, Tranmere Park, Guiseley. The sale raised £161 in aid of the Blue Peter Sight Savers Appeal.

Australian Viewpoint – Lively impressions on England in general and Yorkshire in particular were given to members of Otley Rotary Club at last week’s luncheon meeting by Angela Ward, a 21-year-old student from Brisbane, Australia. Miss Ward holds a Rotary Foundation Award which gives her a year at Leeds University to further her law studies.

50 years ago – 1962

Tree Reprieve – The pride of Grange Park at Burley, the 60ft high quercifolia tree which the Moors and Parks Committee of Ilkley Council recommended should be felled, has had a last-minute reprieve. At a meeting of the Council on Wednesday it was decided that the recommendation to fell the tree should be referred back to the committee for further consideration. The tree is believed to be the only one of its type in the country apart from a specimen in Kew Gardens, and is highly thought of by local residents.

Kentucky Colonel – An impressive scroll that arrived at Creskeld Hall recently informed Sir Malcolm Stoddart-Scott that he has been commissioned a Kentucky Colonel. Sir Malcolm said this week that he is not as yet very clear what the honour involves, or the responsibilities it carries.

75 years ago – 1937

Girls’ Club – A project is in hand to form a girls’ club at Otley for girls working in and near the town, and with this object in view a meeting has been called for next Monday evening for people interested. The object of the club is chiefly to benefit girls from the depressed areas now working in the district. The Otley area includes Burley and Menston, and it is estimated that there are upwards of 100 of these girls working in the area, some in domestic service and others in the mills and factories.

PURE WATER – It was decided that an application be made to the Ministry of Health for sanction for a loan for the sum of £5,000 for the installation of a Bell’s Filtration Plant at March Ghyll Reservoir and for the cost of the buildings required for the plant and the other incidental works, in accordance with the Waterworks Engineer’s estimate.

100 years ago – 1912

Boiler Drama – A remarkable boiler explosion, probably due to the thaw following the keen frost of last week, occurred on Tuesday in the kitchen of the house attached to the Caxton Works, Leeds Road, the property of Messrs Payne and Sons Ltd. A few men were at work in the premises and had lit the kitchen grate. The exact cause of what followed is not exactly clear, but the rumbling roar of an explosion was heard. The front of the fireplace was torn out. Bricks were hurled across the room in all directions.

Mission to the Jews – A meeting in connection with the British Society for the Propagation of the Gospel among the Jews was held on Monday in Ilkley. The Chairman, in the course of his opening remarks, expressed his sympathy with the objects of that meeting, remarking that his own name was Hebrew. Mr Isaac Laft was the speaker in the evening. The cause of the Jews, he said, had been sadly neglected by the Church of Christ.

125 years ago – 1887

Penny Savings – The weekly meeting of the Ilkley Branch of the Yorkshire Penny Savings Bank was held on Monday last, the number of depositors being 26; amount deposited £12 17s 6d; repayments ten, totalling £18 1s 11d. Total amount standing to the credit of depositors £1557 1s 10d.

Charity Cheque – Mr Brodie, Heath Road, desires us to acknowledge the receipt by him of a cheque for £2 from C. S. Wilson esq on behalf of the Ilkley Orphanage. This sum has been duly paid over to the treasurer and other similar donations will be most acceptable.