From the Northern Times 25, 50 and 100 years ago
25 YEARS AGO
From the newspaper of May 7, 1999
At a recent meeting of the Kirk Session of St Andrew’s Church, Golspie, it was decided that the creation of a “Biblical Garden” in the grounds of Seaforth House would be an appropriate way to mark the start of the new millennium, a living, growing reminder of what the millennium really is - the celebration of 2000 years of Christianity.
An application to the Rural Challenge Fund to develop a heritage trail on Laid Common Grazings has been rejected. The trail, which included a substantial car park and paths leading to the HMS Hood stones, the Bronze Age wheelhouse and burial chambers, can still be walked, however, and the Countryside Ranger took a party out this week on the proposed route.
Last Saturday saw the opening of the Tourist Information Centre within the Timespan building at Helmsdale. The centre, formerly on the A9 on the outskirts of the village, is now located inside the foyer at Timespan. The relocation is part of a cost-cutting exercise by the Highlands of Scotland Tourist Board, but reaction to the move is mixed.
Local fishermen attended a meeting in Durness school last Wednesday to discuss forming a local fisheries association to manage the conservation and enhancement of local stocks from Whiten Head to Cape Wrath.
50 YEARS AGO
From the newspaper of May 10, 1974
Sutherland’s first water ski-ing club has been formed at Dornoch. Chairman is Mr Robert Smith of the Trentham Hotel. The club is now waiting for a supply of wet suits before going into proper operation at Dornoch beach. At the moment practices are being held at Meikle Ferry.
At 11.30am next Thursday Mr K. J. McLeod, chairman of Lochbroom District Council, will throw a switch which will bring into service a new, modern telephone exchange serving the Ullapool and Lochinver districts. Telephone customers in this area will then have the services of sophisticated switching plant which will enable them to dial some 900 exchanges throughout the UK.
Sutherland Development Committee are hoping to have talks with the owners to find out what the future is for the brickworks at Brora. These closed down temporarily during the fuel crisis. Their workers eventually became redundant and the brickworks are still out of action. Mr Walter Sutherland told the committee last Monday that this was the oldest industry in Brora.
Golspie Boys’ Brigade Company, reconstituted two years ago under Capt. David Partner, local school teacher, are holding their first annual camp at Carrbridge, Inverness-shire, in June. And the boys are helping towards the cost through a sponsored swim in the public baths at Golspie tomorrow.
100 YEARS AGO
From the newspaper of May 8, 1924
The School Medical Officer’s reports on a number of schools visited, and pupils examined, were submitted to Sutherland Education Authority. The schools visited included Assynt, Portgower, Loth and Kildonan. Melness and Oldshore schools had been closed temporarily on account of, respectively, whooping cough and influenza. It was pointed out in the report that the lavatories at Kildonan school were in an abominable state.
HMI Reports were submitted on Blarich and Shinness schools. The reports were considered quite satisfactory, but in regard to Shinness school the register had not been checked by the committee as required by regulation,
The Harmsworth Park Improvements Committee, Wick, organised a beauty contest open to the counties of Caithness and Sutherland. The competition was decided by photographs and the judge was Sir John Lavery, London. There were 22 entries in section 1 (ladies over 18 years of age) and the first prize, a gold medal, was won by Miss Jessie Ross, daughter of Mrs Ross, 2 Seaforth Road, Golspie.
