A sad end to a local landmark was seen when the Royal Hotel, Ilkley, was prepared for demolition in 1961.

125 years ago

At a meeting of the Ilkley Local Board a letter from Mr T Grunwell was read out stating that he had been overcharged by the 'pinder' for the impounding of some of his cattle and demanding the repayment of the overcharge. After a little discussion is was agreed to refund the amount.

A report from the medical officer of health for Ilkley said that the birth rate of the town in the month of November had been above average whilst the death rate remained below average. One death of an infant was due to whooping cough complicated with bronchitis, while the remaining death was of a male, 42, due to softening of the brain.

The members of the newly organised Ilkley Fire Brigade turned out for practice and for the purpose of testing their hose. During the week the whole of the apparatus has undergone a thorough overhauling and the station premises have been made suitable to their requirements, so that now everything is in perfect readiness in the event of an alarm for the brigade being on the spot quickly.

100 years ago

The idea of opening temperance club rooms in Ilkley has for the present been abandoned. A number of influential teetotallers among us gave the proposals serious consideration, but the propsects of any successes likely to justify the expenditure did not seem to be possible.

The erection of a cottage hospital at Ilkley has proved an institution of the greatest pleasing to the town and neighbourhood, but it's maintenance, like all other institutions depends upon voluntary efforts. The hospital's erection was the outcome of desire on the part of the people of Ilkley to commemorate the King's Coronation in a pertinent and useful form.

A special meeting of the council was held on Wednesday to consider the provision of the Public Health Act, which came into operation on the first of the present month. The power of the new Act and the various subjects touched upon are very extensive - including streets and buildings; sanitary provision; infectious diseases, and recreation grounds.

75 years ago

The body of an unknown man about 50 years of age was recovered from the River Wharfe, near Low Mills dam at Addingham, on Friday. He is still unidentified. At the inquest conducted at Addingham on Saturday PC J W Smith said that when he recovered the body from about eight or ten feet of water it proved to be that of a man fully dressed. His cap was in his jacket pocket and to all appearances the body had been in the water about seven or eight days.

A £6,000 scheme for dealing with sewage from the Parish of Middleton formed the subject of an inquiry by Mr H W Coales on behalf of the Ministry of Health in the Council Chamber of the Ilkley Town Hall, in response to the Ilkley Urban District Council's application to borrow the money. The scheme includes the increasing of the pumping plant in the building near Crum Wheel and the enlargement of the building there, the collection of all the Middleton sewage into the existing pumping well and the pumping of the sewage across the river to be dealt with in the council's principal sewage works.

Wanted - a donkey. Not just an ordinary ass but a very special donkey, one which behaves itself under all circumstances. It must not run away when confronted by about 20 lights, like motor car headlamps coming towards it. The Ilkley Amateur Operatic Society require the donkey for their production of the Desert Song in three weeks time. They have been offered the loan of one donkey but in case this one does not know its lines at the rehearsals they wish to know of any others to act as understudies.

50 years ago

It will be at least another week before all telephone communications are restored in the Ilkley area, an official of the telephone manager's office at Bradford told the Ilkley Gazette. Ilkley and district has been one of the worst affected parts in the whole of the Bradford area, which is believed to be one of the worst in the whole country. Teams have been called in from Sheffield to help with the disconnections. Further difficulties were experienced on Tuesday when all subscribers in the Ben Rhydding Drive area were cut off after water from the melting snow entered an underground cable in Bolling Road.

Mr Walter Ammott, of Ash Grove, Ilkley, made another animal rescue when he retrieved a tortoise coloured cat which had climbed a 25 foot ladder on to the roof of a house. Presumably it had climbed a ladder which was used by workmen repairing the guttering. He climbed the ladder and the cat came to him in a frightened state. Mr Emmott first rescued a cat in 1934 after it had climbed to the top of a tree in Mill Ghyll, Ilkley.

Whilst connecting a broken wire to a telegraph pole on Saturday, a 33-year-old man was injured when he fell from his ladder. He has been employed by the Post Office for about 30 years and this was his first fall. He was restoring broken lines in Middleton Road, Ilkley, and had almost reached the top of his ladder when he fell. He was admitted to Otley General Hospital where he was detained.

25 years ago

The Department of Transport announced this week that the public will shortly be consulted on possible routes for the A65 Burley-in-Wharfedale by-pass. Details of the road will be given in an explanatory document which will be available in the Burley area.

Ilkley Computer Club, one of the town's newest clubs, now has more than 40 members. At their fourth informal meeting last Friday, several new members enrolled. Machines reunited at the January meeting were VIC 20, ZX81, BBC and Acorn Atom.

A survey of our birth columns shows that James retains its popularity as a first name for boys, while Louise easily tops the list for girls names. The majority of local parents give their children two first names and when these names are taken into consideration James tops the boys list by two over Christopher. Louise was by far and away the most popular choice for girls.

9:44am Thursday 10th January 2008

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