125 Years Ago -1891

By all means let the Board encourage the formation of a Telephone Exchange at Ilkley; it will be of immense service to “all sorts and conditions of men.” But in giving the requisite permission, let them insist upon underground and not overheard, wires being adopted. The unsightly pole and wires lining the highways are not desirable in a place like Ilkley, and if the Board is wise it will, whilst it has the chance, insist upon the wires being placed underground, out of the way of kites, birds, floating debris and what not. There is nothing either elegant or artistic about these poles.

100 Years Ago – 1916

Burley district Council – Plethora of Flag Days. Several appeals for the holding of flag days and making collections on behalf of various objects were received, and in the opinion of the members there were too many to have so close together. It was decided to hold a Serbian Flag Day on July 22, and to ask Mr Gossop, schoolmaster, to take it in hand. The Central Committee for National Patriotic Organisation wrote asking that there might be a patriotic demonstration on August 4th – the anniversary of the outbreak of war.

The sad news has been received by Mr and Mrs Denton, of Pool Post Office, that their son Bertie has been killed in France. The deceased had only attained his twenty-first birthday on June 26th and was killed on the 27th. About six weeks ago he was home on furlough. Of nearly 200 Pool parishioners who have joined H. M. Forces, this is the second death in action.

75 Years Ago – 1941

Mrs Doris Simpson, of 5 Croft Avenue, Otley, has this week received official intimation that her husband Gunner Ben Simpson, youngest son of Mr and Mrs Ben Simpson, of The Crescent, Otley, has been posted as “missing” since June 2. Gunner Simpson, who is 23, had been serving in the Middle East with the royal Artillery. About 10 weeks ago his wife received a letter from him saying he was just leaving Egypt. She has heard nothing from him since.

I was given an interesting “peep behind the scenes” this week with regard to the registration of women for national service. The sum total of the information given to me was that the women of Wharfedale are being absorbed into the war effort in a volume that reflects the greatest credit to the district. A good many local girls and young women have been placed on munitions, and, I am told, are turning out work of a special character of a standard equal to that of the men.

50 Years Ago – 1966

The Beanlands family have served Ilkley as grocers since 1869 when Joseph opened the shop in Brook Street later to be demolished to make way for the new railway to Skipton. He then moved to premises lower down the street, where his present successors still serve the community as provision merchants. But the Beanlands connection with the district goes back much further. Their family tree records their presence in the village over 300 years ago and probably they had connections with it 100 years before that.

Approval for the development of land in Denton Road, Middleton, which recently fetched what is believed to be a record price for building land in Ilkley at £29,500 for nearly three acres, was approved by Ilkley Urban Council on Monday. The plans are for 14 detached homes and a new road to be named Olicana Park.

25 Years Ago - 1991

Major plans for a multi-million pound tourist attraction in Ilkley have been shelved. The enterprising Roman Fort scheme for the centre of the town has been suspended after being hit by a lack of cash – just two years after the plan was unveiled. The plan proposed to recreate Ilkley’s famous past by excavating a section of the original Roman Fort and turning it into a tourist attraction. The section of the fort at the centre of the proposals lies underground, next to New Brook Street, and between the back of the Manor House Museum and the Riverside Gardens.

Worldwide interest has been shown in the theft of an historic turban from Ilkley Cricket Club. The sporting relic was stolen when burglars forced their way into the club’s Denton Road headquarters. And the disappearance of the 21ft red and gold headcloth has aroused the curiosity of the media as far away as Canada. The turban used to belong to cricketing legend Kumar Sri Ranjitsinhji – better known as Ranji – who play 15 times for England between 1896 and 1902. The Indian prince left the headgear in this country when he returned to his homeland.