25 YEARS AGO
(January 9th, 1987)
Golfing holidays featuring Royal Dornoch, one of the world's best courses, are now being launched to attract American golfers to the Highlands. The package is being promoted by the Highlands and Islands Development Board in the Gateway Scotland travel trade mission to the United States, which will be focusing on golf.
Lochinver's "Mr Aviation man", Peter Thomas of Badnaban, has been awarded the MBE in the New Year's honours list in recognition of his services on behalf of the Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund. Mr Thomas founded Skyfame, the aviation history company that organised the Save the Sunderland campaign 20 years ago to preserve the illustrious flying boat for posterity.
Two controversial applications to site salmon cages for commercial fish farming in Loch Migdale have resulted in a flood of objections being sent to the divisional planning office. Most are concerned that such a development will seriously harm the amenity of the area which is recognised as one of the most outstanding for animal and wildlife, although it is not a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest.
The initial application was from brother and sister Hugh and Alison Murray of Badbea, who run a croft on the Loch Migdale shoreline. Their father is regional councillor for the Fleet ward, the Rev Alex Murray, Lairg. The second application was from Skibo Castle Estate per Wester Ross Salmon of Market Brae, Inverness.
Skibo Estate own the Loch Migdale water and were originally the objectors to the Murray application, claiming the family had no right to the loch.
It will be February before the applications go before the planning committee.
The Sheigra Open Golf Tournament was inaugurated on Hogmanay. Five miles north west of Kinlochbervie, Sheigra is the most northerly golf course on the west coast of Britain. Club secretary Bob Massie says it is also the most scenic. It was looking good on Hogmanay. There was no wind, snow was on the mountains and sunshine on the beach.
Sheigra is an umpteen hole course, only three made by the greenkeeper, the rest by rabbits. Holes are about 300 yards.
For this match play tournament, each pair of players went six holes, that is two rounds, but not all in the same direction. There were 11 entries. Roger Tebay, from Scourie, won the game to become the first ever Sheigra Open Golf Champion. He said afterwards: "That's the first time I've ever played golf."
50 YEARS AGO
(January 12th, 1962)
Detective Chief Inspector Kenneth Ross, who was born in Melvich and is presently with Renfrew and Bute Constabulary, has been appointed chief constable of Sutherland. He will succeed Mr D. G. Ross, the present chief constable, who is retiring in April.
The appointment was made by Sutherland County Council at Lairg last Monday when a short leet of six was interviewed in private.
Originally there were no fewer than 61 applicants for the post, which was perhaps a record for Scotland.
Brora brickworks were on Wednesday taken over by the new operators, Sutherland Bricks Ltd. The directors are Mr W. R. Sutherland, Rostellan, Golspie, and Mr W Stuart Sutherland, Ford Park, Golspie.
Mr W. R. Sutherland told a reporter that in the meantime the machinery was being serviced and the kiln repaired and he did not expect production would begin for four or six weeks. It was hoped that 20 men would ultimately be employed.
An object of antiquarian interest was recently found at Kildonan - a flat, ornamental iron casting, roughly 2ft square, 105lb in weight and bearing the French royal coat of arms and the date 1633. Photographs taken by Mr Ian Sutherland, who discovered the casting, were sent to the National Museum of Antiquities in Edinburgh for identification.
The following is the report by the Keeper of the museum - "My colleague of the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, has seen your photograph and says that the object is indeed a cast-iron fireback; despite the French royal coat of arms, it appears to have been made in Sussex.
"There is a suggestion that firebacks like this one were made in honour of Henrietta Maria, Charles I's queen, but as their marriage was in 1623 and the earliest recorded fireback of the type is 1617, this appears doubtful."
In the Dornoch Town Council minutes for December 5 last, tribute is paid to the caretaker, Mr Walter Ross, whose "extraordinary vigilance" had averted what might have been a disastrous fire in the council chambers on the night of November 28-29 last.
The clerk, Mr W. C. Wright, reported that Mr Ross detected smoke coming from the woodwork under the floor adjacent to the fireplace. The Dornoch and Golspie fire brigades were called out, and it was discovered that a joist crossing under the fireplace and timber below the hearth block was smouldering.
Later Mr Ross discovered an over-heated section of wall in the town clerk's office immediately below the council chamber fireplace and the Dornoch Fire Brigade were called out again. The brigade kept watch until it was certain that all traces of fire had been eliminated. Now the Hydro-Electric Board have been approached to give advice on the heating of the council chamber.
75 YEARS AGO
(January 14th, 1937)
The finance committee of Sutherland County Council, at a meeting held in the British Legion Club, Golspie, on Friday, accepted offers for the Lairg-Laxford and the Laxford Bridge-Lochmore roads. The former will be carried out under the direction of the County Road Surveyor, while the Ministry of Transport will be directly responsible for the latter. Both roads are being constructed under the Ministry's 100% grant, the amount involved being £111,060 4s 10d.
Proposals which, if given effect to, would involve a considerable outlay, came before Sutherland Police Committee, at a meeting held in the British Legion Club, Golspie, on Friday.
These were in connection with police stations throughout the county, and were made by Brigadier General Dudgeon, Inspector of Constabulary for Scotland, during his annual inspection.
Electric lamps were suggested at Golspie, Dornoch, Brora and Helmsdale stations, while the installations of the telephone at Melvich, Bettyhill and Rhiconich was recommended.
Nor was that all. It was suggested that the stations which were no longer serviceable should be replaced by new stations and that these be completed within a period of five years. The stations falling to be dealt with were Lairg, Tongue, Bettyhill and Melvich.
The proper heating of police cells, the provision of blankets and mattresses, tables and chairs for prisoners were other proposals made. In addition it was suggested that adequate washing facilities could be provided by furnishing each station with a basin, soap, shaving brush, safety razor, towel and mirror.
The committee went minutely over the proposals, the majority of which were turned down.
His Majesty's Inspector recommended the appointment of an additional sergeant in the force. This was turned down. But it was agreed to enrol 25 additional special constables. There are 20 at present.
100 YEARS AGO?(January 11th, 1912)
The most important engagement of the New Year is that just announced of the Marquis of Stafford, son and heir of the Duke of Sutherland, with Lady Eileen Butler, the acknowledged belle of the season, daughter of the Earl and Countess of Lanesborough.
The Marquis is in his 24th year and formerly belonged to the Lovat's Scouts and Scots Greys, and is now Captain of the Golspie Company of Territorials.
He was one of the pages who bore Queen Alexandra's train at King Edward's Coronation, and by a curious coincidence, his fiancée is one of the six daughters of Earls who acted as train-bearers to Queen Mary last summer.
Lady Eileen has been much seen in society and is the constant companion of her mother, Lady Lanesborough. She is a recent debutante and is today one of the most admired girls in the social world.
It is understood that the marriage of Lord Stafford and Lady Eileen will take place in London shortly after Easter. The marriage will probably take place from Stafford House, which has been lent by the Duke and Duchess of Sutherland on several occasions for the weddings of their kinsfolk.
The poor of Golspie were on Monday the recipients of the renewed liberality of His Grace the Duke of Sutherland who ordered 12cwts of coal to be sent to each deserving poor person. The recipients feel grateful for His Grace's generosity.
The members of the Golspie Curling Club have been much annoyed by the interference of youths with their pond. On Sunday evening last a quantity of stones, bricks and other rubbish were thrown on the pond, with the result that what gave promise of being a grand sheet of ice was utterly destroyed. It is hoped that a warning will be taken by those responsible for last Sabbath evening's work, otherwise it may be awkward for them.
The blizzard which has swept over the whole country during the last few days has been very severely felt in Brora which, owing to its exposed situation, receives the full force of storms and, while there was no damage of a serious nature done, several minor mishaps are reported. A matter which is the subject of much discussion is the dangerous nature of the ruins of the Grand Hotel to passers by.
Part of the Gower Street gable which stands to a height of some 40ft, does not look strong enough to withstand the terrific gusts of wind to which it is subject and when viewed on a dark, stormy night, gives one an uncanny feeling. It is certainly a danger to those who have occasion to pass that way and also to residents in the immediate vicinity.
