125 Years Ago - 1892

Last Tuesday at the West Riding Police Court held at the Town Hall, Leeds, two youths, both mill hands, were brought up in custody charged with having committed an unnatural offence, at Rawdon, on the previous evening. Inspector Tidswell said Dr. Wright, the Divisional police surgeon was not at home and had had no opportunity of examining the youths. He therefore asked for them to be remanded for a week.

On Saturday last a child of Rawnsley Marshall, North Terrace, Yeadon, fell off a sofa and broke one of its collar bones. Dr. Russell McLean attended and set the bone; the patient is now doing very well.

100 Years Ago - 1917

Second-Lieutenant Edwin Rhodes Bottomley R.F.A., R.F.C., who was killed in action on June 2, was the second son of the late Mr. Benjamin Bottomley, solicitor of Bradford and of Fieldhurst , Ben Rhydding, and was 22 years of age. He was educated at Shrewsbury School, and on leaving entered the firm of Lucien Marcan's Successors, Bradford, in Jan. 1914. His business career, however, was a very brief one, for on the day following the announcement that war was declared, he enlisted in the 4th West Riding (Howitzer) Brigade. In 1916 he transferred to the Royal Flying Corps. He was sent to the front in March 1917 and met his death returning over the German lines.

During Saturday night the whole of the companies forming the 20th (Wharfedale) Battalion, West Riding Volunteers, were engaged in operations on Burley Moor. The general idea was: - "An enemy force (red) having effected a landing on the N.E. Cost, with Infantry and Light Artillery, has pushed forward a division as far as Ripon.The General Commanding at Ripon has established an outpost on the line - Fewston, Otley, Carlton, with headquarters at Otley, on the day of June 9th, 1917.

75 Years Ago - 1942

The MBE has been awarded to Captain Harry Jowett, of Ghyllroyd, Guiseley, for services rendered to the Royal Observer Corps. The award was included in the King’s Birthday Honours List.

The bitterly disputed question as to whether Bradford Education Authority should be allowed to carry out their scheme to establish an approved school in Westwood Drive, Ilkley, has taken an entirely new turn. Previously it was understood the decision lay with the Home Office, and intimation had been made that the Home Office had given their sanction. Now the whole matter has gone into the hands of the Ministry of Health.

50 Years Ago - 1967

Along with other towns and villages in the country, Ilkley celebrated United Nations Day. At Ilkley the day was marked by a special united service in the Parish Church, a widely representative parade and the reading at the top of Brook Street by Mr. Henry Hargrave, Chairman of the Urban District Council, of a message from the Prime Minister.

Arrangements for the fluoridation of Addingham's water supplies are now taking place despite strong protests made by the Parish Council and an Anti-Fluoride committee. The County Council in reiterating its decision in favour of fluoridation is pursuing the matter with the various water undertakers, the Parish Council was told at its monthly meeting on Monday night.

25 Years Ago - 1992

People living in Castley Lane are to campaign against a scheme for low-cost housing which would increase the number of homes in the area by 25 per cent. As reported in last week’s ‘Wharfedale’, Lower Washburn parish councillors have given a cautious welcome to the plan to build six new houses and refurbish an existing one in the lane.

DIANA: Her True Story went on sale last week – and took the world by storm. An eager public has been clamouring to get an insight into the private life of one of Britain’s best-loved Royals. In Otley, Manor Manor Books and Music had sold out within the first day of it being on sale. Owner Mr John Seal said: “I doubt whether you would be able to find a copy on sale in Leeds, Harrogate or Bradford.” Andrew Morton’s ‘Diana’ is set to be one of the most controversial and best selling books of modern times.