From our July 29 edition
25 YEARS AGO
(July 26, 1991)
A STUDENT minister narrowly escaped death when his car was hit by a Sprinter train at the unguarded level crossing at Rovie Farm, Rogart, on Friday.
The vehicle driven by Iain Murdoch, East Mayfield, Edinburgh, was dragged 25 yards down the line and ended up on its roof on the northern embankment.
The 40-year old emerged from the wreckage of his car unscathed aside from a badly bruised leg.
He said: “I was conscious of the car being turned over and spinning. When it came to rest I checked myself all over and thanked God I was still alive.
“I managed to crawl out of one of the passenger windows, by which time people were running back from the train, passengers as well as crew.”
Mr Murdoch preached to a crowded congregation at Pitfure Church, Rogart, less than 36 hours after his terrifying experience.
A British Rail spokesman said plans were in place to erect flashing lights and an audible signal at the crossing.
The spokesman said: “The Rovie Farm crossing was originally a private crossing with gates but over the years it has come into public use.
“It does have a history of user indiscipline with gates permanently left open. There has been considerable communication between ourselves and the community about this crossing and there have been a number of incidents involving road users.”
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LOCHINVER is to be given an economic boost with the construction of a £1.7 million fish processing plant, assisted by Highlands and Islands Enterprise.
Marcoak Ltd, which processes prawns and other shellfish, has outgrown its Glac Mhor premises and is to relocate into a purpose built 14,000 square foot factory constructed with HIE grant assistance of £278,000.
The new factory, located on reclaimed land adjacent to the new pier at the fishing port, will allow the company to meet the latest EC hygiene standards and increase production, creating 10 jobs and safeguarding the existing 39 posts in an area where the unemployment rate is nearly 20 per cent.
A PARTY of agricultural journalists is touring Caithness and Sutherland this week in advance of the opening of the new A9 Dornoch Bridge.
The reporters are being shown how much of an asset quicker transport to and form the Far North will be for stock breeders.
50 YEARS AGO
(July 29, 1965)
THE Highlands and Islands Development Board is to undertake the proving of a new coalfield at Brora. The bores are to be put down to the west of the present pit shaft in an area where the National Coal Board estimate there are eight million tons of coal reserves.
Should they be positive, the existing pit, instead of facing closure in the next few years, will be given a new lease of life.
The Board state: “Already production this year has exceeded the recent annual rate of 5200 tons. Should the new field be proved, a surface mine is planned which would push output up to about 12,000 tons a year using the present labour force.
“Highland Collier Ltd, the company formed in 1962 by the Brora miners and the Highland Fund to run the pit, is enjoying a rapidly expanding market. Most of this lies in the immediate area but the greatest demand is from local distilleries.”
Around 30 men depend on the colliery for their livelihood. Highland Colliery Ltd took over the pit when Brora Colliery went into liquidation in May 1962. The Highland Fund provided more than £10,000 by way of a loan and the miners agreed to purchase by deduction from wages two 5/- ordinary shares in the company each week to repay the loan. An NCB licence was obtained and operations began in October 1962.
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AT a small ceremony in Ardgay House last Friday, Sir Kenneth Murray, chairman of Ross and Cromarty Savings Committee, presented Miss Winifred Heap with a medal for her 25 years’ service to the small savings movement in the parish of Kincardine and Creich. Since 1941, Miss Heap, organiser for the district, has been instrumental in collecting exactly £81,762. She has lived in Ardgay for 32 years and now is going to make her home in Peebles.
75 YEARS AGO
(July 31, 1941)
SUTHERLAND War Weapons Week, which opened on Monday, started with an all-in effort and, in proportion to the size of its population which is roughly 16,000, the county hopes in the period of the campaign, to do well if not better than the other Highland counties.
A big amount of hard and sustained effort has been put into the organisation by local committees in every corner of the county and when final figures are made available, it will be found that these efforts have been crowned with success.
That the sacrifice is today more essential than ever before and is worthwhile has been clearly in evidence during the first three days of the campaign.
There are still three more days in which those who have not already done so, can speed up victory and ensure peace by lending every penny they can to one unchallengeable type of security – the security of the British nation. When the final figures are made known, it will be found that Sutherland has well exceeded its objective of £20,000.
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THE Ministry of Food announces that eggs are decontrolled in the county of Sutherland and in other specified northern counties.
If you have under 50 fowls, you may sell any number of eggs to anyone, except for re-sale or to a caterer. You require no licence to sell. You can keep all the eggs you want for your own use.
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A FARM manager and a shepherd were each fined £2 in Dornoch Sheriff Court on Tuesday when they admitted charges under the Lighting Restrictions Order. The offences were that they did not take proper precautions to see that heather fires lit by them were extinguished before dark.
Accused were Paul O’Brien, farm manager, Melness, Tongue, and David Mackenzie, shepherd, Dail, Cape Wrath, Durness. Charges against two Helmsdale men, who were alleged to have left their motor vehicles without immobilising them, were adjourned until Tuesday, 5th August.
100 YEARS AGO
(July 27, 1916)
THE sincerest sympathy was on every hand extended towards Mr and Mrs George Munro, Tigh-Iolaire, Bonar Bridge, when officially informed that their son, Robert, had been killed in action at the great battle of the Somme on 10th inst.
How Lance-Corpl Munro met his death and how well he was liked by his comrades is borne out by the officer who was at his side when he fell. He wrote as follows: “It is with regret that I write this note to inform you of your son’s death. I was in the same trench and under a heavy bombardment when he was hit. He died as only a British soldier can. He never spoke. At dusk we buried him and four others side by side. Your son was well liked by all his comrades and by officers of his company.”
Educated at Tain Royal Academy, Lance-Corpl. Munro was for five years apprenticed with Mr Manners, C E, Inverness and then spent a year-and-a-half with Mr Munro, architect, Inverness.
About six years ago he went to Buenos Ayres, where he secured lucrative employment under the Government of the Argentine Republic in the construction of roads, bridges etc.
When the war cloud burst he returned to Scotland to re-enlist in the Inverness corps of the 4th Camerons (of which he had formerly been an enthusiastic member).
He was shortly afterwards transferred to another battalion, where his practical and technical knowledge of engineering was of valuable service. Last year he was wounded so seriously that he was invalided home but he returned to the front in February.
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WE regret to learn that Lieutenant Macleay, Cameron Highlanders, son of Mr and Mrs Macleay, Bridgend, Bonar Bridge, has been wounded in the leg during the recent fighting on the Somme but the nature of his injury is not yet known.
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THE Duke of Sutherland has sold the Kinlochbervie portion of his estates on the West Coast of Sutherland, extending to more than 35,000 acres, to Mr George Morrison, Ullapool. Mr Morrison belongs to Kinlochbervie.
