Across the Years
Reports of a shoemaker's death were premature
125 years ago
A report got afloat that John Waddington, shoemaker, of Ilkley - who was taken to Leeds Infirmary in consequence of an accident five weeks ago - had died at the institution after having his leg amputated. On inquiry the rumour turned out to be unfounded. It is intended however, to amputate his leg as soon as he is fit to bear the operation this being the only chance, it is said, to save his life.
An idle mason of Burley-in-Wharfedale, alias Tramp', was brought up in court accused of using violent threats towards a mill manager, of Burley, whereby he went in bodily fear. The mill manager was an overlooker and the defendant's daughter worked under him. After he had occasion to discharge her, the defendant came to his door and used violent language. He was later seen skulking about the mill. The bench bound him over to keep the peace.
Mr J J Martin presented a paper called The Common Bracken Fern to the Ilkley Scientific Club. In hilly districts it is collected and used for litter and one or two species are used in medicine. The bracken is very plentiful on Ilkley moors, where it is cut and used for bedding for horses and donkeys, for which Ilkley is famous.
100 years ago
In the annual report of Dr Augustus H Bampton, medical officer of health to the Ilkley District Council, attention is drawn to the decreased birth-rate which has now reached 13.3 per thousand, compared with 26.3 for England and Wales. The birth-rate is the lowest on record, and one of the lowest in the kingdom. Dr Bampton remarks that the decreased birth-rate is a serious matter for the nation, particularly as the birth-rate of the undesirable aliens is very high, and he adds, it seems a question of time only until the native races will be snowed under by force of numbers.
British Womens' Temperance Association - Mrs Crossfield addressed the meeting at Ilkley and instanced what was being done in America in the way of prohibition. She said it reflected anything but credit upon the people of England that more progress had not been made in the same direction.
A wind and rain storm swept over the whole country on Saturday, resulting in considerable loss of life and property. During the afternoon a wind swept down the Wharfe valley with terrific force, uprooting and felling trees in all parts of the district.
75 years ago
It is a remarkable tribute to the esteem and regard in which the Ilkley Coronation Cottage Hospital is held in the Ilkley district that, at a time when for several years charitable institutions of all kinds are passing through anxious times and even having to curtail their work because of the falling off in subscriptions, the Ilkley Hospital should still be able to complete the year 1932 with a balance on the right side and with over £200 in hand.
A week of keen frost was heralded last weekend with a blizzard of which Wharfedale had its fair share. On Saturday and Sunday sudden storms of snow, driven on cold northerly winds, swept the Ilkley district and though in the streets it lay only to a depth of one or two inches, there were three or four inches on the moor and in some places the hard-frozen snow had drifted to depths of several feet.
There was a dual interest in the remarkably entertaining programme presented in the King's Hall on Monday. It was the first of the preliminary rounds of the National Festival of the British Drama League and a crowded and fashionable audience saw the performance of three short plays of unusual merit. At the conclusion the adjudicator, Mr Watts, said he had been warned before he came that he would find Yorkshire people much better than the teams he had been adjudicating on in the London district.
50 years ago
A United States Air Force pilot, 33-year-old Major James W Braly, covered a total of 400 miles on Tuesday by road to make the presentation of an American battle helmet to Michael J Walker, of Wheatley Avenue, Ben Rhydding. In December, Michael, 16, wrote to President Eisenhower at the White House, Washington, asking for a helmet. The President passed his request to the 3rd American Air Force headquarters in London, who instructed a military installation in Scunthorpe to make the presentation.
Ilkley Nursery School on Castle Road is to be closed from July 31. This date was accepted by the Ilkley Education Committee on Tuesday when it was stated there was no possibility of the Nursery School being established elsewhere. The Castle Road buildings were erected in 1942. The nursery school was a wartime measure, it was said, which made some demand on the public purse and they now wanted to get rid of it.
By 33 votes to one, Ilkley Young Conservatives, at a recent debate expressed belief they are not better than their grandparents were. They said the advancement of science had led to an increase of nervous strain upon their nervous system and in many cases their health had suffered. Hazards of death, especially in travel, had increased.
25 years ago
Bradford Metropolitan Council has been asked to look into the possibility of taking action over the derelict former mill cottages at Low Mills, Addingham. Discussions with a developer are said to have reached a successful conclusion and they are expected to apply for renewal of planning permission for the building of new properties in the near future.
West Yorkshire County Council's proposals which could lead to the introduction of car parking pay cards in town centres received a hostile and stormy reception at Ilkley on Monday. Councillors described the new system as rubbish' and crazy' and they said if the county council decided to go ahead with the scheme it would be an unmitigated disaster' for Ilkley.
The West Yorkshire County Council is investigating an incident in which a newly resurfaced pavement of the Grove in Ilkley was damaged. It is understood a lorry drove on the pavement cracking nearly 20 of the new flagstones.
1:20pm Thursday 21st February 2008
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