SKIPTON’S ‘Mr Sport’ Roger Ingham, hot on the heels of his ‘Roller’ memories of last week, has once again come up trumps with some more, sparked off by one of our ‘then and now’ nostalgia photos taken from the wonderful Rowley-Ellwood online collection.

Referring to the pictures of Mill Bridge, Skipton, below, Roger tells us that the very small shop in the picture, sticking out over the canal, was when he knew it in the late 1950s and 60s, a fish and chip shop. “It was particularly popular with weekend, late night revellers in need of some ‘carbo-solid’ to cement down some hefty consumption of alcohol,” he says.

Roger, and his fellow teenage pals, frequented the next door ‘Coffee Pot’ which had a juke box, he says. And, although he never patronised the fish and chip shop, he had noticed it was only big enough to house four or five customers maximum at any one time.

However, he does recall a brawl which happened once inside the shop. “With more and more from outside piling in, the whole episode resembled one almighty scrum-down. It was difficult to decide as to who was supposed to be fighting who, says Roger. “I don’t think some of the scrummagers knew either. Nobody seemed to get too battered though.” He believes a severe frost in the winter of 1962-63 was probably the reason for almost the entirety of the outside platform eventually collapsing into the canal, and following restoration, the premises took on different uses.

FROM my ‘home office’ next to the A59, I always know when the police safety camera van rocks up - the traffic noise changes.

With the camera van in place, everything goes quiet, as the cars, lorries and motorbikes spot it and slow down.

As soon as it leaves, of course, everything returns to normal and the noise levels rise again. Such a shame it can’t stay put permanently.

A RARE Korean ‘war helmet’ believed to have been made in the 1600s, was sold by Leyburn auctioneers, Tennant’s for £4,800.

The ‘slightly misshapen’ helmet made of lacquered leather and steel, was sold to a South Korean buyer.

From the same collection, an unusually long, late 18th century iron wood ‘Aku-Tau’ war club originally from Tonga, sold for £9,500 - way over the £2,000 to £3,000 estimate.

The four foot long club was finely carved with geometric shapes and stylised human figures, known as ‘glyphs’.

ON the subject of auctions, upcycled items made by creative families during the coronavirus lockdown went under the hammer last weekend.

Recycling company, Yorwaste, which operates across North Yorkshire, including Skipton, came up with its ‘BIG Upcycle’ following the temporary closure of household recycling centres, and it teamed up with Ryedale Auction House to auction the best creations to raise funds for the York NHS trust

In order to help cope with the significant increase in unwanted, household items, that were often clean and reusable, Yorwaste challenged people to be creative and use their rubbish to make things.

The initiative attracted hundreds of entries from across the country, and included planters made out of chests of drawers and a ride on car made from an old sewing machine, to a bench made out of old pallets.

Yorwaste’s principal sales manager, Matthew Wilkinson, said: “The lockdown prompted two significant changes in our world. It saw the temporary closure of household recycling centres, and, at the same time, a significant increase in unwanted, household items - which were often clean and reusable. So the perfect solution was to incentivise the public to make good use of their waste.

THE government owned company responsible for A roads and motorways is calling on drivers to join it in doing their bit to reduce litter levels as part of the Great British September Clean, which runs until September 27.

Highways England says litter presents a serious safety risk and besides it being unsightly, it’s also a risk to wildlife and the environment.

Around 200,000 bags of litter are collected from the motorway network every year, with 20,000 bags collected from the roads network during last year’s Great British spring clean.

Freda Rashdi, from Highways England, said: “The simple fact is that if litter wasn’t dropped in the first place it wouldn’t need to be picked up. Litter is not only unsightly and a risk to wildlife and the environment, but it also puts our workers at risk collecting it and it diverts time and money that could be better spent on improving the network.

“Litter is an important national issue and we’re pleased to be able to support the Great British September Clean arranging extra litter picks to coincide with the campaign and by urging people to take their litter home.”

Richard McIlwain, from Keep Britain Tidy, added: “Rubbish, dangerously thrown from vehicles and left to rot on our roads, is a national disgrace. This degrading litter isn’t just unsightly it damages wildlife which has taken refuge along these valuable wildlife corridors that are currently punctuated by chucked food and drink packaging and millions of flicked cigarette butts. That’s why we welcome Highways England getting involved in this year’s Great British September Clean and see this as an important step in tackling arguably one of Britain’s worst forms of littering.

“Their work clearing up the mess left by mindless road-users is costly, puts workers lives at risk and remains a never-ending task. That’s why we want to use this campaign as a springboard to a longer-term partnership that will increase campaigning to raise awareness that stops people tossing litter from vehicles once and for all.”

For more information on the Great British September Clean visit: https://www.keepbritaintidy.org/get-involved/support-our-campaigns/great-british-spring-clean

50 YEARS ago, on September 25 , 1970, the Craven Herald reported on a meeting of the Skipton Chamber of Trade as it considered development in the central area of the town. Vacant shops indicated there was an apparent lack of demand for more property, concluded chamber members. It had been said that a large supermarket was to be built, but traders were of the opinion that here was already enough provision in the town.

IN the same week, enthusiasm combined with hope was said to be the ultimate success of the Craven District Memorial Fund set up for Iain Macleod, the Skipton born Chancellor of the Exchequer who had died unexpectedly.

The fund had been opened by the chairman of the Skipton Urban District Council and the chairman of Skipton Rural District Council. It was agreed to send out letters to individuals, businesses, firms and various organisations and to enlist the help of Skipton MP Burnaby Drayson in bringing the appeal to the notice of the House of Commons and the House of Lords. Approaches to Mr Macleod’s old schools in Skipton and Edinburgh and his old college in Cambridge were also suggested,

The secretary was instructed to make it clear that a fund would bot be used to erect a statue or anything of the kind and that Mrs Macleod and her family would be consulted. A plaque at Clifford House, where Mr Macleod was born , was mentioned and other possibilities were memorial prizes at the three local grammar and secondary schools. It was agreed that statues were out of date.