125 Years Ago - 1892

Yeadon cricketers and lovers of the game will learn with regret that news has come from Sydney, New South Wales, of the death of E. B. Rawlinson, a once well-known figure in the cricket field at Yeadon, and once one of the best known members of the Yorkshire County Cricket team, and of the All-England Eleven. A few months ago Rawlinson had a bad attack of jaundice and he died on the 17th of February. He leaves two daughters, both of whom are in this country. "E.B." as he was familiarly called, was without doubt one of the best, if not the best, cricketer Yeadon has produced.

Not for a great number of years has trade been in a more depressed condition than at the present time. The various industries of Horsforth seem all affected, and the workers in many cases have had to submit to a reduction of hours. It is stated that the silk mill at Woodside, belonging to Messrs. J. H.

Charnley & Co., Limited, is about changing hands.

100 Years Ago - 1917

The North Eastern Railway Company, in conjunction with the University of Leeds, and the Yorkshire Council for Agricultural Education, have arranged for a poultry demonstration train to visit various places which arrived at the Ilkley Passenger Station on Wednesday, and was open to inspection by the public. It consisted of four special vans, and in each some department of poultry keeping and egg production was demonstrated. There were appliances of all kinds, including incubators, foster mothers, chicken runs, egg boxes and models of houses.

A meeting of the Ilkley Military Service Tribunal was held on Monday. There were only six applications to be dealt with; three of which were made by the Military Representative for the withdrawal of the certificates of men who had been granted conditional exemption upon joining the local Volunteers and drilling regularly. The Tribunal reviewed the certificates of exemption granted to two men. One was a teacher in a private school, and the other a cow man and farm hand.

75 Years Ago - 1942

Cadet Ronald D Biss, elder son of Mr and Mrs E C Biss, of Fern Bank, Otley, has been granted a commission in the Royal Artillery. He began his Army career in July 1940 in the Durham Light Infantry and had reached the rank of sergeant when he was recommended for a commission. 2nd Lt Biss is a former member of the editorial staff of the Wharfedale and Airedale Observer and Ilkley Gazette.

There are signs that apathy is beginning to show itself in several of the Wharfedale Football League clubs, and unless an effort is made the arranged programme will be seriously upset, if not abandoned, before the end of the season. Otley Youth Council, for the second successive Saturday, were unable to raise a team, and Horsforth Youth Council experienced a similar difficulty.

50 Year Ago -1967

Three men and a boy fishing from the island in the centre of the River Wharfe above Addingham suspension bridge on Sunday afternoon were caught like so many before them by a sudden rise in the river level. They were rescued by Ilkley firemen. Two machines were sent from Ilkley Fire Station with 14 men under Sub Officer Tom Leighton.

Patrol leader, Warren Atkinson (13), of the Dark Blue Troop of the 1st Ben Rhydding Scout Group has, during a busy week, achieve for the group an all-time Bob-a-Job record. During the week he completed no less than 47 different jobs, gaining five guineas for scout funds.

25 Years Ago - 1992

Doomed signal boxes along the Wharfedale railway line should be preserved as historic landmarks, according to train buffs. British Rail is being urged to put the brakes on plans to axe the outdated signal-boxes at Ilkley and Guiseley. They are among 13 boxes which face demolition or removal in 1994 when the long-awaited electrification project finally becomes a reality.

Trendsetting airport chiefs, anxious to keep runways free of ice, have given the green light to an acclaimed, environmentally-friendly de-icing fluid. Leeds Bradford Airport has become the first in Britain to use award-winning Clearway One, developed by BP Chemicals.