125 Years Ago -1892

Once more as the season of "Peace on earth, good will towards men" approaches I want to name the "Otley Ladies' Sick Visiting Society" a combination of lady workers in Otley worthy of generous support.

Nervous plants - There are many phenomena of Nature which are as inexplicable today as they were a thousand years ago. One of those un-probed mysteries is the apparent irritability of certain plants. Electricity was supposed to be the cause of this sensitiveness, but it is now admitted by electricians that the thing is not borne out by the results of their experiments. Touch a leaf of the Sensitive Plant and it instantly shrinks from the contact, and shuts up like a miniature fan.

100 Years Ago - 1917

A meeting of the members of the Ilkley Women's Liberal Association was held. Miss Florence Morton remarked that as women were going to have the vote they ought to take more interest in National Finance. The national income should be distributed for the benefit of all, and one thing that greatly influenced the distribution of wealth was the method of taxation adopted. Taxation of commodities was bad, because this pressed unduly upon people with small incomes. We ought to have rather a reduction or the abolition of indirect taxation, and an increase of direct taxation.

Emma Bell, a domestic servant employed by Mrs. Gray, shopkeeper, Bondgate, Otley, was summoned at the local police court on Friday for wasting bread on November 23. Evidence was given by the food inspector to the effect that that he found two teacakes in a swill-tub belonging to Mrs. Gray.

75 Years Ago – 1942

A teenage private from Menston has been injured during fighting in North Africa. Frederick John North, 17, of Stocks Hill Estate, was wounded while serving with the Northamptonshire Fusiliers. Pte North is probably the youngest lad from Menston to join up. He had first tried to join the forces before he was 16 – but was refused because he was then underage.

The country’s fourth Christmas at war will again be a subdued occasion. Even Christmas puddings and mince pies and the other traditional dietary attractions of the day will be largely of the ‘ersatz’ variety – and the problems of coupons and points will add to the difficulties of all housewives and other Christmas shoppers.

50 Years Ago – 1967

The Australian Rugby League Tourists left Ilkley on Saturday and have written to the Ilkley Urban Council placing "on record our appreciation of the action of the Council in making training facilities available for us during our stay in Ilkley." They conclude: "Allow us to reiterate that any adverse criticism by newspapers regarding Ilkley did not come from, nor was done with the approval of the Australian Rugby Football League Touring Team."

When buying a new home the utmost attention to the question of whether or not the kitchen arrangements are sanitary and up-to-date has to be paid. Larders should be roomy, preferably facing north. There should be a large window to admit both light and air, and this should be covered with wire mesh to exclude flies.

25 Years Ago – 1992

Ilkley’s long held wish for a fountain was finally granted this week when -albeit for only a matter of minutes - shoppers outside Woolworths in Brook Street had to run for cover and open umbrellas when two water mains exploded and sent a jet more than 30 feet into the air. Customers inside the store were trapped until Yorkshire Water workmen blocked the deluge. The giant spurt took place just yards from the town’s newly-restored dry fountain at Mill Ghyll, which Bradford Council insisted would be too costly to maintain if it had water.

A visit to Bolton Abbey and a conversation with a guide has led to a plea for help from a German who was a prisoner-of-war in Otley. The Rector at Bolton Abbey priory has received a letter from Mr Werner Kimpel, asking him for help in locating an altar which was made by the German POWs out of empty marmalade tins, and which was used for worship at the Otley POW Camp during 1945.