1884

An accident occurred to a cyclist at Lob wood Scar by which he had a very narrow escape. He lost control of his machine on a sharp incline and was pitched with considerable force upon the ground, lighting upon his face. He was picked up and brought to Ilkley. Though severely stunned, he was not otherwise much worse for his accident.

  • The damage done by lightening in various portions of the Craven and Wharfedale villages during the late thunderstorm has been considerable and as many as 14 sheep, eight lambs, six cows, and one valuable mare has been killed.
  • An Addingham woman appeared at the Skipton Petty Sessions charged with assaulting a neighbour. Evidence was given that while the complainant was speaking to another neighbour, the defendant rushed at her struck her on each side of the face and breast with a butcher’'s knife. The bench considered that it was a most dastardly case of assault and inflicted a fine of £5
1909

An attendance of 700 men was present at the monthly men’s service at Ilkley Parish Church to hear the curate in charge of St John’s Church Ben Rhydding speak on the words ‘keep thyself pure’. He told the congregation that immortality was a cancer that was spreading throughout the land and it was a duty of all to resist temptation and to see that no-one was led astray through their actions.

  • The possibility of opening the Town Hall to give trippers a place to shelter on wet days was discussed at the Ilkley Urban District Council meeting. It was suggested that a small charge could be made. Mrs Jackson remarked that once a military band was formed there would be concerts in the hall and that would help solve the problem.
  • A large gathering attended a meeting of the National Union of Women’s Suffrage Societies at the top of Brook Street. The proceedings were orderly despite the efforts of local youths to introduce opposition.
1934

Apart from such topics as the Test Match and the crash in Austria this weekend, the outstanding subject of conversation is still the weather. The real trouble concerning the showers which have been experienced in Ilkley this week is that, whilst they have in no way affected the water supply, people imagine that once the roads have been thoroughly wetted they are quite at liberty to fill their buckets or turn on their hose pipes and proceed to water their gardens, swill their paths or do any of the score and one things which increase the consumption of water. “There is still need for economy in the use of water,” said Mr A Skinner, the Ilkley Council Surveyor. “The rainfall has not made the slightest difference to the water supply available.” So dry is the turf on the moors that even yesterday morning, after .15 of an inch of rain, it was quite possible to kick up dust whilst walking through the heather.

  • The site of Ilkley’s new bathing pool can well be seen looking from the Ilkley tennis courts towards Crum’s Wheel. The digging is being carried out very near the playing pitch of the former B team ground of the Ilkley Rugby Union football Club to the north of Denton Road.
  • The request by the Skipton Rural Council that Ilkley should deal with Addingham sewage and the fact that negotiations are still in progress was used as an instance of the need for wider powers by the West Riding Rivers Board at a meeting on Friday. Mr A Brederick said he felt the time had arrived when the board should ask the ministry of health for wider powers so they might more forcibly press certain local authorities to carry out sewage developments.
1959

During a severe thunderstorm in the early hours of Monday morning one of the goal posts on the main pitch of the Ilkley Rugby Club was split and splintered by lightning. Pieces of wood were scattered several yards. The storm brought a rainfall officially recorded as 1.14 inches, which was more than fell during the whole of the previous month and was the single heaviest days rainfall since 22nd June 1958.

  • On returning to his bicycle, which he had left near the stepping stone, Ben Rhydding, while he went for a walk on Monday afternoon, Mr J Kade, of Rockwood Crescent, Pudsey, discovered that a box of fishing tackle he had left with the cycle had been stolen. Mr Kade, who left his cycle for just over an hour, said the tackle was valued at £4.
  • Five youths were each fined 10s on Tuesday for lighting a fire without authority on Ilkley Moor. They were given a conditional discharge for camping on the moor without authority. In Otley Court, one of them said they saw other tents about and assumed they could camp.
1984

Ilkley has come top in the summer judging of the Britain in Bloom competition for small towns with a population of 10,000 to 25,000. The town made an all-out effort with displays in the public and private sectors after gaining most points in the Spring judging. Five local winners, including Ilkley, were nominated by the regional committee on Monday to go forward to the All England finals, the judging for which will take place between 1 and 14 August.

  • Airedale Health Authority Chairman John Bell has been slammed for his ‘fascist attitude’ in pressing for the fluoridation of Addingham’s water supply against the wishes of the village’s parish council.
  • New petrol facilities at Ross Bros at Ben Rhydding will be officially opened by one of the smallest horses in the world from the rare Falabella breed. Throughout the day children can have their photo taken with the miniature horse which, fully grown, is under 30 inches. There will be cheaper petrol 10p less than the new increased price of a gallon announced by Esso this week.