From the Northern Times 25, 50 and 100 years ago
25 YEARS AGO
From the newspaper of May 26, 2000
The fight to keep Hunters of Brora afloat took a surprise turn this week with an unlikely group of local people announcing they had lodged a bid to buy the textile firm from receivers. Spearheading the four-strong consortium is Robbie Rowantree (39), a deerstalker at Gordonbush Estate, director of his own bus company, community council chairman and prospective Westminster parliamentary candidate for the Conservative party. He is supported by two other estate workers, Balnacoil deerstalker John McMorran and mechanic Tony Smith. The fourth member is Ian Clark, proprietor of the Golden Fry restaurant and take-away. The group say they are fronting a bid on behalf of expatriate private investors who presently wish to remain in the background. Four bids were understood to have been lodged with receiver John Reid, a partner of accountants Delotte Touche, by Monday’s closing date.
The Carnegie Club at Skibo Castle were this week given the go-ahead to turn one of the best arable farms in Sutherland into a second championship golf course - prompting claims of a latter-day Highland Clearance. The county committee’s decision to grant Skibo Ltd outline planning consent for the development at Pulrossie Farm was deplored by the local branch of the National Farmers Union as “anathema to the agricultural community Sutherland”.
50 YEARS AGO
From the newspaper of May 30, 197
The manual telephone exchange at Lairg will be replaced next Wednesday by a new automatic telephone exchange, giving dialling access to some 1350 telephone exchanges throughout the United Kingdom.Nowadays telephone exchanges are custom-built,but this was not the case in September, 1928 when Lairg telephone service was first provided from a room above the old post office. The telephone exchange opened with two subscribers - the Post Office and the Lairg Electric Laundry - both of which remain telephone customers to this day. The late Mr R. D. Macdonald was appointed to run the telephone exchange at a payment of 12/- per week. In November 1950, the service had grown, and two day telephonists were required. The exchange now employs four day, three evening and three through-night telephonists.
With the country in such dire straits and heavily in debt abroad any decision to leave the European Common Market would be fraught with dire consequences, Mr Robert Maclennan, MP., told his audience at Bettyhill recently. If Britain was on her own, it was questionable whether the United States would help her with investment. The world had changed - the Western Alliance was shaken. The Middle East’s oil weapon had caused industrial recession.
100 YEARS AGO
From the newspaper of May 28, 1925
The people of the Brora community are pleased to welcome home two Brora boys, who have returned for a short holiday in their native land and parish. The first to arrive was Mr John Sutherland, a nephew of Mrs Matheson, Dalchalm, who is a shepherd, and has been out in the Argentine Republic, S.A., for over 17 years. Mr Neil Leek, who has been in Sydney, Australia, for a number of years, arrived on Tuesday. He is a son of Mr Leek, who at one time was an engineer in brora, and lived in the Terrace. Both gentlemen are in the best of health, and it is hoped they will spend a pleasant holiday among old friends.
Mr John W. Smith, emigration agent, Wick, will visit Golspie on Monday 1st June, and can be interviewed by intending emigrants from noon to 4pm in Miss Murray’s Temperance Hotel. Under the Commonwealth Government of Australia and Settlement Schemes, there are great opportunities for farm labourers and boys in farm work, also for girls in domestic service. Call upon Mr Smith on Monday first and he will explain the whole scheme. All interviews are free.
