125 Years Ago - 1894

An accident befell Jasper Barnes, of No, 6, Clifton Terrace, Ilkley, on Friday afternoon last at the Wells House Hydropathic Establishment. He was engaged by Messrs. Dean Bros. in the work of excavation, necessitated by extension of the hydro, at a depth of fifteen feet. Barnes was filling his barrow when a considerable amount of earth fell upon him, nearly burying him. Several of his fellow workmen extricated him, and Dr. Bampton was immediately sent for. Fortunately no limbs were broken.

We are pleased to learn that Miss Rosalind Margerison, of York, (daughter of the later Mr. William Margerison) and late of Ilkley, has passed with honours the examination in pianoforte-playing, Trinity College, London.

100 Years Ago - 1919

The preliminary excavations undertaken on the site of the Ilkley Roman Fort proved of such value, that the Roman Antiquities Committee of the Yorkshire Archaeological Society are now engaged upon a thorough examination of the remains. The work is estimated to cost about £600, and to cover a period of three summers.

The Ilkley District Council are seeking the co-operation of the West Riding County Council and the Wharfedale Rural District Council with a view to purchasing the Ben Rhydding Bridge and freeing the bridge from toll. Some of us are old enough to have been resident in the district long enough to remember the bridge being erected by Mr. Wyvill, and also the ferry boat in existence before it.

75 Years Ago - 1944

“The general standard of the children is extremely high,” said Dr. N. Rhodes, of Otley, judging a War Babies Competition, held in connection with “Salute” week in the New Cinema on Monday afternoon. It was an excellent show, said the Doctor, with a remarkably good turn-up, only two people not attending out of the 115 who entered their children.

Women and Home - After nearly five years of war we are all feeling rather tired. A slackening on our part now, however, might well have disastrous results because the mere ending of hostilities is is by no means the ending of our responsibilities. Whatever may happen in the military sense there can be no quick return to normality, and it may well be that for some time to come we shall have to put up with many of our present restrictions, food and clothes rationing will continue and large numbers of families will have to continue to live under far from satisfactory home conditions. But these are the problems we must prepare ourselves to deal with.

50 Years Ago - 1969

By a Family Doctor: Do not allow “the blues”, as they are called, to get the better of you! This warning is timely, for depression is more common today than ever before. Experience also shows that it is not the most economically depressed classes who suffer most, but those whose means, though perhaps not great, are quite sufficient to provide the needs of life. Furthermore, true pathological depression occurs very commonly among those for whom the struggle for existence presents little or no problem at all.

Sir, Having devoted much time in the West of England, I note most of their visitors to this district refer to Ilkley as that place with a “White House” on the hill. As a matter of fact one very prominent resident living in the “Cheddar Gorge” area was responsible for the “White House being painted blue during the first World War (approx 1915). “One Who Knows”

25 Years Ago - 1994

Ben Rhydding motorists who were woken by their car alarms in the early hours of Tuesday morning were pleased to learn that the disturbances were caused by lightning.

An old field map and mill have provided Addingham parish councillors with inspiration for new street names. These have been submitted to Bradford Council planners who will choose which of the five are most suitable for the three new streets in the Wimpey Homes development on the former Fordham’s factory site in Southfield Lane. They are: Oxencroft, Westcroft,Highcroft, Newlands, and Barcroft, the name of the mill which predated the factory.