A WHARFEDALE historian has been casting her eye back on how local residents travelled - and amused themselves - 100 years ago.

Historian and Honorary Citizen of Pool-in-Wharfedale Pat Lazenby enjoys seeing how current events and trends compare to those of the past.

During the COVID-19 lockdown many of us have been relying on technology, including video games, cable TV and the Internet, to keep amused.

In the 1920s villagers in Pool enjoyed simpler distractions as one of the articles on the Pool Archives website, at www.poolinwharfedalehistory.co.uk, explains.

Entitled Childhood Memories, the article features recollections from residents - that were shared several decades ago - about life back then.

One contributor said: “The main toys I remember as a child were my Hornby clockwork trains, Meccano and a much-cherished Teddy bear which would doubtless today be worth an appreciable sum, had it been retained.

“On one occasion my father made me a model waterwheel with the Meccano. It worked very well under the kitchen tap, the only trouble was that afterwards the parts started to go rusty.

“In the evenings Mother used to play a card game with us called History of England which, as well as providing much entertainment, taught us a lot about the key dates in our history.

“We also spent lots of time with jigsaw puzzles, also helping Mother when she was making rugs with clippings, mainly recovered from a mill rag house. We also had a tricycle on which we used to ride around the front garden.

“This made for much squabbling as to whose turn it was next.”