From the Northern Times 25, 50 and 100 years ago
25 YEARS AGO
From the newspaper of March 3, 2000
Three Kinlochbervie men found an unexploded mine from World War II while out for a dog walk along the beach at Sandwood Bay. It was partly submerged in the sand but one of the men, Don O’Driscoll, a member of the local Coastguard unit, recognised what it was straight away. A similar find had been made locally some years ago. The Royal Navy’s bomb disposal unit carried out a controlled detonation.
The Carnegie Club at Skibo Castle is planning to turn a long-established local farm into a second championship golf course. Outline planning permission has been applied for by Skibo Ltd to develop Skibo Estate land at Pulrossie, together with Baldruim Wood, into another top-quality 18-hole course. The 374-acre Pulrossie Farm is currently tenanted by well-known Dornoch farming family, the Burnetts. Their farmhouse and outbuildings are earmarked for conversion into a clubhouse as well as staff and maintenance accommodation.
The loft in a tenanted country cottage at Backies, Golspie, was used as a secret factory for the illegal production of large amounts of cannabis, a court heard yesterday. Astonished police discovered that the roof space at Ina’s Cottage, 13 Backies, was kitted out with a sophisticated hydroponic growing system, capable of producing quantities of the drug.
50 YEARS AGO
From the newspaper of March 14, 1975
The threat of closure hanging over Helmsdale’s Pope Maternity Hospital has caused much controversy. Mr John Polson (27) and his wife, Christine (26), of Kirkton Farm, Golspie, have good reason to be glad no action in that direction has yet been taken. Christine was booked to have her baby in an Inverness hospital next month, but at 5am on Wednesday, she had to be rushed to Helmsdale, where an hour later she gave birth to a boy - and seven hours later, to a girl - the first twins to be born there, it was thought, and much to Christine’s surprise, too. Twins had not been suspected. Thus the case for keeping this four-bed cottage hospital open should surely be strengthened. The future of the Pope Hospital lies in the hands of the new Highland Health Board.
The new Inver Bridge at the east end of Lochinver is well on its way towards completion. It replaces the old bridge which was a traffic hazard because of the sharp bend at the entrance to the village.
The Ross and Sutherland Joint Police Committee have decided to go ahead with the building of a new police station on a site at Argyll Street, Dornoch.
100 YEARS AGO
From the newspaper of March 5, 1925
The School Dentist had forwarded a report on Helmsdale school (to Sutherland Education Authority). There had been a lot of work to do in that school. Treatment had been given to 167 pupils. Only two parents refused to have their children treated. The dentist, in his report, stated that Mr Munro, headmaster, took a great interest in the teeth of the pupils, and gave him every assistance when he paid a visit to the school. The teeth of the pupils were now in a fairly good condition.
A communication was received from the Educational Institute of Scotland favouring the extension of the school age to 15 instead of 14. Sutherland Education Committee member J Murray, Balloan, said it would be a sheer waste of time to compel pupils to remain in school until they reached the age of 15 if they were not inclined to do so of their own accord. On the matter being put to the vote, the motion favouring the extension of the school age was defeated by a big majority.
