125 Years Ago - 1893

The death of Mrs Ellen Smith, who was in her 88th year, occurred on Saturday last. The deceased, in early life, married John Smith, a Waterloo veteran, by whom she had nine sons and daughters, all remarkable for their fine physique. One of her sons is the well-known cricketer John Smith, who was the first of the long line of persons who have made Yeadon famous for its professional cricketers.

On Tuesday evening the infant daughter of Mr Herbert Slater, of Carlton, book-keeper for Mr Wm. Murgatroyd, died suddenly from convulsions. As the child had not been medically attended for some months, the circumstances of the case were reported to the coroner , but he did not think an inquest necessary.

100 Years Ago - 1918

Captain Philip Thompson, Royal Air Force, only son of Mr Whitaker Thompson, who was reported “missing in France”, is now believed to have been killed while fighting his machine. Captain Thompson joined the Royal Flying Corps in April, 1916. After some months in France he was chosen for defensive night flying in England. On promotion to captain, he was detailed for service with a squadron in France, arriving just in time to take part in the recent battles on the Western Front. He is said to have met his death while flying at an altitude of 12,000 feet.

The Ilkley Food Control Committee suggest that persons employing charwomen or day-girls should pay them in addition to the normal rate of pay a sum sufficient to cover the cost of their food , and that the women and girls should provide their own food. In this way households will not have to provide charwomen with meat etc., out of their own weekly supplies.

75 Years Ago - 1943

“Wanted immediately, pianos, any make, good prices for cash, state make, design and price, any distance.” The above advertisement in a recent issue of the “Wharfedale” has brought an airgraph from a local battery in North Africa, which indicates the light-hearted spirit of our troops out there. It is signed by “A few of the Local Lads,” whose sense of humour has been ticked by the reference to “any distance.” The airgraph states: “We would like to inform you that we have a piano here. The only thing in regard to same we can tell you is that it was made in Tunis.” The writers add: “The most pleasing point to you (the Editor) will be to see how much copies of your paper are appreciated and thoroughly read out here.”

At yesterday’s Rotary Club lunch held at the Royal White Horse Hotel, the speaker was the Rev. I. Landau, a native of Czechoslovakia, who attended under the auspices of the Ministry of Information , and spoke on “What are we fighting for, and how shall we prepare for the new peace?”

50 Years Ago - 1968

People who tear telephone directories in two as a party trick need no longer feel guilty - provided that the directories are out of date. With collection costs greater than the price the Post Office can get for the waste paper, when they deliver new directories they will no longer collect the old ones where this has been the practice.

A boulder bearing the words “No Entry”was found on Saturday morning cemented to the short through road connecting Trafalgar Road with Railway Road. It was removed by the police later in the day, and enquiries have been made this week to discover who was responsible. The previous week residents of Trafalgar Road had petitioned the Council emphasising the danger to children by the increased use of this back road by motorists.

25 Years Ago - 1993

Teacher John Cummings began clearing out the rubble from a derelict cottage - and stumbled across a live hand grenade. Army bomb disposal experts were called out to the disused building in Addingham after the World War Two explosive was found poking out of an old fireplace with its pin and lever still in place. Mr Cummings discovered it in the rubble of a dilapidated building which is being converted into his new home behind Main Street, near the doctor’s surgery.