100 years ago

A GARDEN party was held at Kildwick Hall with the object of raising funds for the British Society for the relief of wounded Belgian soldiers. Although the weather was somewhat unsettled, there was a large company who were favoured with almost ideal conditions.

The half-yearly hiring fair was held in Settle Market Place. At an early hour, masters put in an appearance, but no men were in attendance to be hired and the only hirings which took place were those of boys who had just left school. There were no girls and farmers commented frequently on the shortage of labour.

A meeting was held in the Mechanics Institute, Long Preston, in which it was said the soldiers needed some place to go apart from the military canteen. Nearly all the YMCA huts were run by ladies and were very successful.

50 years ago

CROSS Hills and District Youth Centre held its garden party and gala at South Craven School. A procession left Glusburn Bridge and proceeded via Colne Road and Main Street to the school.

One of the largest gatherings in the history of Horton in Craven Congregational Chapel ensured a bumper success for the annual tea party.

Ideal weather conditions favoured the annual May Day procession and field events organised by the Earby and District Social and Festival. It was the 20th May Day Festival organised by the committee.

25 years ago

A FAMILY enjoying a holiday on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal got a sinking feeling as they negotiated Eshton Road lock near Gargrave. The front of their barge caught on the lock gates and the back started to sink as the water level dropped. It finished up at a 45-degree angle and had to be lifted out of its watery grave by local firefighters. No-one was injured.

A cat that ran off when its owner's car crashed into a wall near the Bridge Inn, Ingleton, was safely back home. Dilly was spotted by a crowd of people outside the village's Working Men's Club and returned to owner Eileen Farr in Bramhope, Leeds. And Mrs Farr was so grateful to the community she gave a £100 donation to Ingleton Scout Group.

The Yorkshire Dales Falconry Centre opened at the northern end of Settle bypass. It had cost £500,000 to build and was the brainchild of Chris and Suzanne O'Donnell, who wanted to set new standards in the industry. The centre - which would provide 11 jobs - would house an array of birds, ranging from large vultures to small falcons and there would be free-flying demonstrations daily.

10 years ago

SKIPTON could still get a new hospital, expected to cost £20 million. Plans to bulldoze the current 75-year-old hospital on Keighley Road and build a new one in its place were still on track, despite the crisis in NHS finances and the demise of the organisation which came up with the strategy. The news was announced following a meeting of the Craven, Harrogate and Rural District Primary Care Trust, which was to be absorbed into a wider North Yorkshire-wide PCT.

A runaway lorry chased by its driver crashed into a caravan, ruining a retired couple's hopes of a dream holiday. The lorry hurtled down the road with the driver in hot pursuit, crashing into the caravan, five cars, three walls and a compressor, before demolishing a lamp post and ending up resting on a garden wall in Dradishaw Road, Silsden. The incident wrecked Colin and Enid Hyde's plans for a month-long caravan holiday in Cornwall.

It was a far cry from Wharfedale to the Cayman Islands, but for Chris Sharp an ankle injury while playing rugby union fostered the change of scenery. Chris, 43, from Malhamdale, had been in the Cayman Islands enjoying the sunshine and refereeing the renowned Deloitte Cayman Sevens competition. He first started as a West Yorkshire league referee in 1992 after an ankle injury stopped him playing for Wharfedale RUFC.