|
A few months ago we posted a "snippet" about how, in September 1912, Farnhill and Cononley Parish Councils failed to agree on the use of Farnhill Wood as a rubbish tip. The following report is from the Keighley News, dated 7th September 1912, describing a meeting of Farnhill Parish Council: After the last meeting, members of the Council viewed the old tip and, deciding that it was no longer of use, they instructed the Clerk to write to Cononley Parish Council accepting their offer to join in the cost of a gate for the entrance to the proposed tip in Farnhill Wood. To that letter the clerk of Cononley Parish Council replied as follows: "In April last year you wrote to me in reference to the above proposal. You commenced your letter "Sir" and stated that the matter was "not of sufficient interest" to your Council. I read your letter to my Council ... strong comments were made [and] on June 30 our Council passed a resolution to take no further steps with reference to the proposed tip. Doubtless you or some members of your Council would see the report of the meeting in the local Press. If so, it is somewhat surprising that I should receive a further letter from you this evening headed "Dear Sir", and stating that your Council are now willing to join us in the cost of erecting a gate, etc. My reply is that the matter is not now of sufficient interest to the Cononley Council. This Rowland* for your liver is not written in an offensive spirit, but only to show you that my Council do not believe in the shilly-shallying of your Council. ..." At the time we thought that was the full story. A narrow escape for our local beauty-spot that, fortunately, seemed to have been the end of the matter. However, looking through some old local newspapers recently, we came across a report of the Farnhill Parish Council meeting in October 1915, during which complaints were raised about people setting fire to rubbish on the Farnhill Wood rubbish tip. The following month it was reported that the nuisance had been stopped but the Fire Brigade had had to use a water cart to extinguish what sounds like a blaze originating from within the centre of the tip. So, there are two mysteries: when was it that Farnhill Wood was used as a rubbish tip; and where in the wood was the tip located ?
Originally posted as an "Anecdote": 29th March 2014 |