125 years ago

Performances of the temperance drama entitled ‘Ten nights in a bar room’ were given in the Temperance Hall, Otley. This is the first performance of its kind which has taken place and was concluded with a very laughable farce of ‘What’s to be done?’ There was a large and appreciative audience and the performers were several times loudly applauded for the capital manner in which they executed their parts.

To celebrate the opening of a new organ which has been constructed in the Church Sunday Schools, a concert of sacred music was given in the large schoolroom in Otley. The organist of the parish church presided at the new instrument and displayed its capabilities to advantage.

In the West Riding Police Court a tramp who said he came from Canada in America was brought up for begging in Otley Road at Rawdon. The chairman warned him as to his future conduct and ordered him to gaol for three months hard labour.

100 years ago

At the Guiseley Police Station on Monday Mr Edgar Wood, coroner of the district, held an inquiry in to the death of a 15-year-old mechanic's apprentice employed at Clabour's engine works, Oxford Road, Guiseley, who was killed on Friday last whilst attending to a planing machine, his head being caught between the 'tool rest' and the 'hood'. A verdict of 'Accidentally Killed' was returned.

Guiseley District Council were asked by Ripon City Council to pass a resolution that they "considered it necessary the public should have full protection in the Motor Car Act beyond that provided in the first clause of the Act of 1903…and that there be a restriction of speed to ten miles per hour within the city". The Chairman said he thought they ought to support a ten mile limit on the main roads at Guiseley. It was decided to accede to the Ripon City Council's request.

Apathy about tomorrow's election in Yeadon obtains to an unusual degree. So little interest is, indeed being manifested in it by the population as a whole that the customary ratepayers' meeting a recognised feature of the annual elections for nearly a score years is not to be held, and when this happens one is tempted to ask 'what's up at Yeadon?' for the bulk of the people dearly love a town meeting.

75 years ago

An attempt to stop Sunday boating on the River Wharfe at Otley which began only a fortnight ago was made at a meeting of Otley Urban Council on Monday Evening. It was defeated.

Sunday boating, which has been a controversial subject for some years, was approved by a majority vote at the January meeting, subject to terms with the riparian owners. All these have not yet given their consent but the council voted to allow it.

Strong comments on the alleged bad condition of Pool refuse tip were made at a meeting of Pool Parish Council on Monday evening. The matter was raised by Mr B Hartley who said that Mill Lane, which leads to the tip, was becoming the most untidy lane in the neighbourhood. This was largely due to the fact that the refuse cart was not properly covered and spilt a quantity of papers, broken glass and other refuse.

A substantial improvement in the printing engineering industry at Otley is revealed this week and there is a general indication of the improvement being sustained. “There is a general improvement all round,” said Mr A Sully, manager of the Otley Employment Exchange, “"particularly in the engineering and building trades.”

50 years ago

The proposed new reservoir at Thruscross, in the Washburn Valley, which will submerge the ‘deserted village’ of West End and will involve the removal and rebuilding of the little village church there, is estimated to cost over £1½ million. The new reservoir will be the biggest in the Leeds Water undertaking, with a capacity of 1,727 million gallons. It will involve the construction of a 123 feet high dam, 200 yards long, of masonry-faced concrete.

A tiny field mouse escaped being burnt alive only to be killed underfoot when it jumped out of a fire on to the hearth at a Guiseley home this week. It all happened at a house in Netherfield Road. The householder was reading a newspaper when he suddenly noticed the coal begin to move and out wriggled a grimy mouse, which pushed its way through the grate on to the hearth only to meet its end under a firm foot.

There was a sad blow for holiday anglers, planning a few hours on the river bank as part of their Easter break, when on the eve of the holiday, the presence of hundreds of dead trout in the river gave rise to a warning of suspected pollution. On the advice of the Rivers Board, the Otley Angling Club on Thursday closed the Wharfe for all angling downstream from the weir of Wharfemeadows Park as far as Caley Lodge. Investigations into the suspected pollution are continuing.

25 years ago

An Otley motor mechanic has been presented with £100 by Yorkshire Television in recognition of his exceptional achievement in a first year Open University foundation course on technology.

Dennis Oliver, 33, of Hamilton Terrace Otley, has been a motor mechanic since he left school. He found the OU technology course more interesting than expected and has since been encouraging colleagues at his garage to take up studying.

The Otley Carnival will be able to go ahead as planned on June 16 but with a change of venue for Gala Field. Following the news that because of re-seeding, the Wharfeside football field would not be available for the carnival this year, the owners of Otley Cattle Market Auction Ltd. have come to the rescue.

Eleven-year-old Penelope Young, daughter of Mr and Mrs Young of Station Hotel, Guiseley, has been chosen May Queen of St Oswald’s CE junior school, Guiseley. Penelope will be crowned queen by Mrs Margaret Hurford, former deputy head at the school, at the festival on May 12.