From the Northern Times 25, 50 and 100 years ago
25 YEARS AGO
From the newspaper of November 15, 1996
Plucky Scourie minister the Rev John Macpherson has said he will be back in his pulpit on Sunday - a week to the day since he was the victim of a horrific knife attack. The minister (41), had to have 16 stitches after he was slashed from ear to mouth as he led Remembrance Day prayers last Sunday. A 53-year-old man has been charged by police in connection with the attack. The Highland Health Board this week launched its own inquiry into the incident and any lessons it may have for their "care in the community" policy for people with mental health problems.
Local councillors have made clear to north health chiefs their opposition to any proposed closure of Sutherland's Migdale Hospital which caters for geriatric and psycho-geriatric patients. Highland Health Board recently revealed plans contained in a substantial consultation document to close down the 40-bed Migdale hospital at Bonar Bridge and create a single site hospital at Golspie's Lawson Memorial as part of a redefinition of community hospitals.
50 YEARS AGO
From the newspaper of November 12, 1971
Because of marauding sheep in certain villages Sutherland County Council agreed to find out what it would cost to fence these areas and provide such as cattle grids. At a meeting of their finance committee at Dornoch recently it was stated that to fence Lochinver would cost about £3500, including three cattle grids, and to fence Embo would cost just over £3000, with one cattle grid. The officials had also been asked to make a survey of Helmsdale village, but they said the cost here would be high as the trunk road went right through the middle of the village and they could not have cattle grids there.
Work is to go ahead with the building of the slipway for the lobster fishermen at Portskerra. There had been a hold up because of the cost. But Mr Gordon Edmond, county surveyor told Sutherland Roads Committee at its meeting last Monday that it had been mutually agreed that the council's former proposals would be amended slightly. The roads department would do the work themselves.
100 YEARS AGO
From the newspaper of November 10, 1921
On Wednesday the second day of November people congregated to the high mound called Crockbrack at Bettyhill, on which a handsome War Memorial had been erected, to take part in the memorial service and to witness the unveiling of the monument by Lady Millicent Hawes. The minister and some members of the Memorial Committee met Lady Millicent at the gate leading to the mound, and accompanied her ladyship to an elevated position in front of the monument. Ex-servicemen were lined up.
Dornoch Town Council was told that about 40 men in its area were unemployed and in receipt of unemployment pay. D. H. Donaldson suggested that something ought to be done by the council in the way of work for their relief and mentioned the removal of sawdust from the lands at Auchinchanter (the site of the Canadian sawmill); the removal of several old and broken down houses and the improving of the Meadows Road. He contended that such a scheme would provide work and improve amenities.
