125 years ago - 1886

ACCIDENT TO A NAVVY: Early yesterday morning, a navvy, named Edward Collier, sustained severe injuries through a fall of earth while working in a cutting at Lumb Gill, on the Skipton and Ilkley Railway. While engaged in filling a tipping wagon, the side of the cutting fell in, between two and three tons of earth falling on the unfortunate man.

SUSPECTED INFANTICIDE: An inquest was held at the Red Lion Inn, Burley, on the body of a newly-born female child found in the river Wharfe near to Greenholme damstones. Dr Murray stated it as his opinion that the child had been born alive, as the lungs were healthy and full of air. The umbilical cord bore signs of having been torn, and not cut by a professional man or midwife. An open verdict of “found dead in the river Wharfe, with mark of compression on the neck” was returned.

100 years ago - 1911

FANCY DRESS BALL: The annual fancy dress ball promoted by Mr J Goodwin, of the Wharncliffe Dancing Academy, took place in Ilkley Town Hall on Wednesday evening, and in both respect to numbers and attractiveness, was a very successful event. For the general run of residents it is the principal ball of the year, and although by no means a fashionable gathering, there is no similar function that is locally more popular.

TRAM CRASH: For the third week in succession, we have to record the occurrence of an accident on the tram route in the Yeadon township. On Monday morning, the Guiseley Council’s steam road roller was being driven between Westfield and the parish church. The driver was crossing to the left side of the road, when the car from Guiseley came into contact with the front of the engine and smashed the fork which holds up the front roller.

50 years ago - 1961

SAVE THE TREES: Five old chestnut trees are in the centre of a controversy at Menston. They form the frontage between Kirklands and the Main Street, and, say residents, are a particularly fine picture in the spring and summer. The War Memorial Committee has put forward plans for felling the trees in order to construct a sunken garden and replace them with a flowering cherry, a proposal that has aroused a great deal of criticism in the village.

WORK STARTS ON SCHOOL: Ilkley Secondary School is the 181st new school, college or major extension to a school by the West Riding County Council since the war and represents the first substantial stage in secondary school development to be carried out in the Ilkley and Otley district. This was stated by the chairman of the West Riding Education Committee, County Councillor CT Broughton, at the formal opening of the first phase of the new Ilkley School on Saturday afternoon.

25 years ago - 1986 PLANS

EXHIBITION: Residents of Addingham, which has been waiting for a by-pass for about 50 years, will be able to examine the proposed route when a public exhibition goes on view in the village from February 27 to March 1. MP Gary Waller has had confirmation that the draft route will be published towards the end of this month, and that the exhibition will go on display at the Memorial Hall.

NEW SCHOOLS: Otley’s Ashfield First School may be turned over to nursery and community provision in Leeds City Council’s proposed tertiary education system, it was revealed at a meeting of Otley Town Council. Outlining some of the proposals, Coun Colin Campbell said Prince Henry’s Grammar School would be converted from its present role to a high school, taking 11-16 year-olds. Otley’s first and middle schools, Lisker Drive, Newall Westgate, Weston Lane, All Saints’ and The Whartons, were proposed to be primary schools for four to 11-year-olds.