From the Northern Times 25, 50 and 100 years ago
25 YEARS AGO
From the newspaper of August 27, 1999
The unease felt by the local community over the design and siting of Golspie’s proposed new health centre continues to grow. So much so that the community council have called a public meeting next Tuesday for views to be discussed with Highland Council and NHS Trust representatives. Rogart Community Council have also been invited - around 300 patients from the area are registered with the Golspie doctors.
Bettyhill Fire Unit’s annual fun day took place at Clachan last Saturday. The unit took delivery of a larger appliance earlier this year and the main event of the day was an exercise to demonstrate the capability of the new vehicle to the public. Local police and paramedics also took part and the scenario was a two-vehicle crash. with one of the vehicles on fire.
Farr Bay, Bettyhill, was the scene of a wildlife spectacular last Saturday night as a large whale fed on a huge shoal of mackerel. The whale, possibly a minke, swam in circles between Glais Geo and the head of the Aird for about two hours before abandoning the hunt and making its way in a leisurely fashion towards the east.
50 YEARS AGO
From the newspaper of August 30, 1974
Sutherland Education Committee have acted to speed up the completion of the new school at Melvich and to make the playground conditions more tolerable for the pupils attending the old school nearby. Mr Michael Burnett, chairman, said that he had agreed with Mr James McLellan, director of education, that a clerk of works should attend full-time at the new school building until the work was finished. Meanwhile classes at the old school were back to normal last week after parents last week, as a token protest at alleged conditions, had kept their children away from school for four days.
Around 50 people spent a happy evening, on Thursday of last week, in Bonar-Bridge Hall when Mrs Mary Gordon (Granny) received her public presentation for 50 years’ service to the community. Mrs Gordon served for 40 years in the Women’s Guild of the Church of Scotland and was a choir member for many years, as well as a member of Kincardine WRI and numerous committees. She was presented with a convector heater and an inscribed Caithness glass bowl.
100 YEARS AGO
From the newspaper of August 28, 1924
The beautiful War Memorial erected by the parish of Kildonan, at Helmsdale, to perpetuate the memory of their 40 heroes who fell in the Great War, 1914-18, was unveiled and dedicated yesterday (Wednesday) at 12 noon. The day was all that could be desired, the sun shining forth in all its glory, and it must have been a most solemn and impressive scene to the large assemblage who had gathered from all parts, not only of the parish but surrounding districts, to witness the unveiling and dedication service. The Memorial, which takes the form of a beautiful clock tower of handsome design, was erected to plans drawn by Mr J. A. Hosie, Lairg, It is erected on the Castle Park, overlooking the village and river and commands a good view of the Dornoch and Moray Firths and surrounding countryside. The unveiling ceremony was performed by General Lord Horne, Stirkoke, Caithness.
