125 Years Ago - 1891

J. Henry Freeman, a joiner, 51, residing in Croft Place, Otley, died somewhat suddenly on Tuesday morning. For some time past the deceased had not enjoyed robust health and on Saturday evening was taken so much worse that medical assistance had to be summoned. He expired, however, unexpectedly, about a quarter past ten on Tuesday morning.

Sir, I have heard that we are suffering much inconvenience on account of the scarcity of water. This being the case, surely it is incumbent upon the ratepayers to see if it is not possible to obtain their water elsewhere. Cannot the local Board be petitioned to approach the Yeadon Water Company in respect to the above? T. D. Wheeler.

100 Years Ago - 1916

Pte. A. C. Clapham, a former Pool man, now in the R.A.M.C., writing from a hospital in Egypt to Mr W. Wigglesworth, his former schoolmaster, says:- "We have had our hospital full to overflowing, with all kinds of cases, both wounded and sick. The main cases though, I think, were heat exhaustion, and this can be easily understood when I tell you that the temperature here has been 113 degrees F. in the shade for quite a long period.

The death took place at his residence at Burley-in-Wharfedale this (Friday) morning of Mr Charles Lister. The deceased, who had reached the patriarchal age of 85, had formerly been engaged as a farmer.

75 Years Ago - 1941

Mr B. T. Akers, of Ilkley, was the speaker at last week's Otley Rotary Club lunch. He spoke of "Some Impressions of Nazi Germany before the War," impressions which he obtained on a six week tour of Germany in 1937, accompanied by his wife and daughter. He had many interesting stories to tell, one of the most engrossing of which was their experience in Munich, which they visited at the time of a meeting between Hitler and Mussolini. They were locked in the hotel bedroom for several hours, and Nazi soldiers came in and stayed by them while the procession was passing. Mr Akers said he got the impression that while Nazism was almost universal in Germany it was not universally loved.

Lieut K. W. Horner, of Otley, a former member of the Editorial Staff of the "Wharfedale Observer", now serving with the Royal Marines in the Middle East, in a letter relates an interesting meeting with Bowes, the Yorkshire and England cricketer, whose home is at Menston. He says he had arranged a few cricket matches for his battery team. "I had one planned against an army unit," he continues "and about 2 o'clock we rolled down to the ground full of confidence, having won eight successive games, Imagine my horror when I saw out visitors arrive, and towering in their midst a figure no Yorkshireman could mistake. For it was no other than "Big Bill" Bowes, now 2nd Lieut Bowes. It was horror at first which I felt, which soon gave way to pleasure when he recognised me as a fellow dalesman, and , he said he 'wouldn't be too harsh' on my team.

50 Years Ago - 1966

A good deal of excitement was created by the sight on Monday of a ten-week-old pig trotting along the now disused railway track near Clifton Villas. A correspondent writes: "Much has been said and written on the future use of the railway track, but never has it been suggested that it should be used for the antics of a runaway pig. However it so happened that on Monday afternoon some of the lady residents of Clifton Villas espied such an animal careering on the uptrack in the direction of Menston. Armed with a clothes line they sallied forth, and with the assistance of one of the male residents it was eventually lassoed.

At the opening of Thrusscross reservoir last Wednesday, Mr J R Roberts, general manager of Leeds Waterworks, said they would not object to picknickers near the reservoir so long as they behaved themselves.

25 Years Ago - 1991

About 150 Otley householders will know soon if they have won their fight to stay under the control of Harrogate Council - or whether they will be swallowed by Leeds City Council. The Otley wrangle centres on people living in Throstlenest Close, St David's Road, Carr Bank and Riverside Park.

Either bring Otley's open air swimming pool in Wharfemeadows Park up to an acceptable standard or close it altogether - that's the call to the Leisure Services Department of Leeds City Council. "They should make up their minds and do one thing or the other," said Coun Norman Hindle, Otley Town Mayor, after his help had been sought by a mother who described the facilities at the pool as 'diabolical'.