Horsforth Bachelor Lane Church put on a Missionary Play, 'The Lady with the Lamp' in 1936, and the cast dressed up in costume to pose for a picture

125 years ago

The shop of Mr A Rawnsley, tailor, outfitter and grocer, High Street, Yeadon, was broken into and money and cloth, to the value of nearly £200, stolen. It is thought that the thieves entered by the cellar window which was found open. The police have been informed of the matter but no clue has yet been discovered to the perpetrators of the burglary.

It is with deep feelings of regret that we announce the death of Doctor Allen. His mortal remains were interred at Dawlish, Devonshire. Dr Allen practised in Guiseley for over 20 years, but on account of failing health he had to give up his practice two years ago. His fees were always moderate and in many cases, when his patients were poor, he made them a present of his services and medicine.

Mr Smart, the eminent writing master, holds his academy in the Otley Mechanics' Institution. Ladies and gentlemen are taught to write by Mr Smart, a very beautiful, rapid, finished handwriting, upon his system in one course of lessons.

100 years ago

There is an interesting experiment being tried at Guiseley on land belonging to the Bradford Corporation. For some 12 months what is termed a land settlement' scheme has been in operation with the object of demonstrating the practicability of getting a percentage of the floating population of towns back to the land. In connection with the scheme last Saturday witnessed the formal opening of two cottages which have been erected for the accommo-dation of the settlers'.

The Rawdon elections furnished perhaps the biggest surprise of the day's contests. This was the defeat of Mr Hadrian Evans, one of the retiring mem-bers. What led to this very regrettable incident no-one seems exactly to know. Apathy on the part of his supporters, perhaps, would be the better term - is probably the only reason which can be given for the unexpected occurrence.

The St Alban's Council wrote to Yeadon District Council asking it to pass a resolution expressing the opinion that the unemployed problem was a national concern and could only be satisfactorily dealt with on a national basis, and therefore called upon the Imperial Government to take the necessary steps to deal with it in a national and systematic manner by so altering our present fiscal system as to forbid the impor-tations of manufactured articles from foreign countries which could be made by British workmen. Coun Preston: "Do they show how much we dump down in America and Germany and cause unemployment there?" Coun Howard: "It is full of politics."

75 years ago

Otley Urban Council approved a scheme for the erection of 24 houses at Whitley Croft Estate for aged persons, at an estimated cost of £5,136, with the additional cost of purchasing land. The council decided some months ago that there was a necessity for these houses.

A six-ton lorry overturned in a midnight crash on Pool Bank and the driver and his mate had remarkable escapes from serious injury. The lorry, belonging to the ex-Army Transport Company, of Salford, was laden with five tons of textile machinery and was drawing an empty trailer. It appeared to have got out of control on the steep gradient and the driver was unable to negotiate the sharp bend on Furze Hill.

It was determined by Otley Urban Council that in order to preserve the March Ghyll water supply from invasion by frogs, the clear water basin at March Ghyll would be covered in by concrete and provided with a steel covered manhole.

50 years ago

One of the most spectacular of Harrogate's Easter attractions was a successful attempt by Mr Headley Fawcett, of Bradford Road, Otley, amateur magician and escapologist, to free himself from a straitjacket while hanging upside down from a crane jib, 20 feet above ground. It was part of the programme of the Northern Magic Circle's Easter convention. Hedley did the feat in something under four minutes. It has been done many times before by escapologist Houdini, but what Houdini never attempted, says Hedley, was to get down from the hook after he had got out of the strait-jacket.

A catapult, too well aimed, is believed to have been responsible for the death of one of the much-diminished Otley colony of swans. Mr T Hopkins, Park Ranger, says that on Easter Monday he saw one of the swans behaving in a peculiar manner. Efforts were made to get it to the bank to see what was the matter, but the swan, now lying inertly on its back, was swept by the current over the weir and down river.

The manager of Otley Beech Hill Cinema, Mr FC Watson, has been informed that he is the winner of no fewer than five awards offered by the Star Cinema management for competi-tions in connection with cleanliness and publicity. Perhaps the most important is the H J Crown Cup and replica for cleanliness for efficiency and cleanliness, which he receives together with a cheque. He also receives a portable radio for the best public relations cam-paign, which he ran in conjunction with the film No Time For Tears.

25 years ago

Victorian and antique urns worth thousands of pounds have been stolen from the doorsteps of houses throughout the district. Two cast iron Greek urns worth £350 disappeared from the front doorstep of a house in Hillway, Tranmere Park Guiseley. A judge, who lives in the Horsforth area, also discovered a statue of a boy had gone missing from outside his door. It is valued at around £100.

There have been further drops in the number of unemployed people claiming benefit in the Aireborough, Otley and Horsforth districts. Figures issued by the Yeadon Job Centre show that in Aireborough there were 869 people claiming benefit as against 897 people in February. At Horsforth there were 1,830 as opposed to 1,838 and in Otley there were 1,169 people claiming as opposed to 1,205.

Considerable damage has been caused by vandals to the recently restored and redecorated Salem United Reformed Church at Burley-in-Wharfedale. Windows have been broken, slates torn from the roof, ink sprayed on the inside of walls and furniture and fittings bro-ken.

8:00am Thursday 10th April 2008

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