125 Years Ago - 1892

THE ordinary quietude of village life in Burley has been considerably disturbed this week by the mysterious disappearance of Alice Hindle, twenty years of age, eldest daughter of James Hindle, labourer, of No. 6 Booth Street, who has been missing since 9pm on Saturday last. The police have been communicated with, and every effort has been made to find the girl, but so far these have proved unavailing.

At the Old Folks’ treat in Guiseley, one of the speakers - one of the long-winded ones who could very well have been dispensed with - was Mr Brownson. One of his wise utterances was an entirely new rendering of “What is love?” The rendition was not remarkable for good taste, especially from the lips of a minister. He said “It is an itching at the bottom of the heart, which you cannot get at to scratch.” It is an eccentric definition which has neither good taste, aptness, nor suitability to recommend it.

100 Years Ago - 1917

Mr. F. S. Eckersley, barrister-at-law (clerk to the Ilkley district Council) has recently had the offer of a legal appointment in one of the Colonies. The post is worth £1000 a year, but Mr Eckersley has declined the offer, and intends to remain in his present position, at least so long as the war lasts. Since the outbreak of the war Mr Eckersley has been at everybody’s beck and call in respect to war work, and he has come to the conclusion that it would hardly be patriotic to “turn his back” upon this work, and particularly the country, at such a time.

The death occurred in a London Military Hospital on Sunday of Private Harold Crawley, only son of Mr E. W. Crawley, Acorn Villas, Ilkley. Private Crawley was for some years resident in South Africa before the war, and as a member of the Cape Mounted Police took part in the Somaliland Expedition. When war broke out he was engaged in the mining industry, and enlisted in the R.A.M.C. and was sent to the Gallipoli Peninsula. Nine months ago he was badly wounded by shell fire and the shock left him paralysed. He was 36 years of age and married.

75 Years Ago - 1942

The Aireborough Warship Week objective of £136,485 for a mine-sweeper, has been narrowed down to £100,000. The odd £36,485 had been promised by banks and building societies.

The Otley Troops Entertainment Committee presented a Grand Dance at the Burras Lane School. Admission was 9d and 6d for members of the H M Forces.

50 Years Ago - 1967

The renowned Danish traveller Mr Jorgen Andersen-Rosendal, of Copenhagen, gave a vivid description of Ethiopia under Haile Selassie to members of the Ilkley Conservative Association. Born in 1892, Haile Selassie, known from time to time as Ras Tafari, was described by Mr Andersen-Rosendal as small in stature but with a great influence over his people. The speaker went on to describe the involved history of that nation which the Ethiopians believed, erroneously, originally sprang from the first Emperor being the son of the Queen of Sheba.

There is some argument going on about the future of the statue of Mr. W. E. Forster, who gave his name to the square outside the Bradford station which is also so known and which now lies in the Corporation yard, after being removed during the developments of recent years. Mention was made here recently of the part Mr. Forster played in the establishment of the mills at Greenholme, Burley, but his national reputation was established as an educationalist. After a funeral service at Westminster Abbey in April 1986 he was buried in Burley-in-Wharfedale where he had lived for some years, and it is doubtful if Wharfedale has ever experienced a funeral like it. It was estimated that between 12,000 and 15,000 people attended.

25 Years Ago - 1992

GRUMBLEWEED star Maurice Lee has made a 30-year career out of making people smile. Yet only family and friends know that much of his spare time has been spent producing works of art. In a small studio at his Guiseley home lies a portrait of one of the 20th century’s most famous pop stars John Lennon.

Road safety police are being billed £40 - for teaching children how to cross the road safely. Officers from Horsforth had taken their road safety bus to All Saints Junior School in North Parade, Otley. However they were unable to park in the usual place, so they stationed the bus out of the way on the Licks car park. An Leeds City Council car park attendant told the police they would have to pay for parking.