From the Northern Times 25, 50 and 100 years ago
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25 YEARS AGO
From the newspaper of April 16, 1999
Crofters in the north-west Sutherland township of Laid, near Durness, fear the area’s fragile economic recovery is being threatened by the renewed possibility of a superquarry on their doorstep - a prospect they thought had gone away. Renewed attention is being focused on a possible superquarry site a mile away at Meall Meadhonach, first mooted five years ago and then dropped.
A father who went to investigate why his son had not returned for his evening meal from a canoeing session on a loch behind the family home in Assynt was horrified to find him drowned in the water. The family had only moved into their new home on the shores of Cam Loch at Elphin a few weeks ago. The dead man was named by police as 23-year-old Andrew Gunn of Resallach, Elphin.
Vandals threw a large stone through a double glazed window at Sutherland Swimming Pool, resulting in shards of glass falling into the shallow end of the pool.
50 YEARS AGO
From the newspaper of April 19, 1974
A 123-year-old muzzle loading rifle, of the type used in the Crimean War, was brought out of wraps at Golspie last Saturday to be fired to signal the start of a sponsored walk for the ladies up Ben Bhraggie. The occasion was to benefit the local Church of Scotland funds. The resultant “bang” was duly impressive and had the required effect on the participants who moved off smartly.
The Defence Ministry’s plan to move part of an Army gunnery range to near Tain may be off. this follows an indication to Mr Robert Maclennan, M.P., that the Government decision to stall the Maplin Airport project could make it unnecessary for the Shoeburyness Range to be re-sited after all.
Itwas a really happy party in Dunrobin Castle last Monday night when the Hon. Martin Sutherland Janson and his wife, the Hon Mary Ann Janson received wedding gifts from the Sutherland Estate and the staff of the Northern Times. The couple were married in London last February in London.
100 YEARS AGO
From the newspaper of April 17, 1924
The Chief Constable’s report for the year ending 15th April, 1924, was submitted to Sutherland Licensing Court. The number of liquor licences within the county is 30. This number is the same as last year. The licences consist of: - hotels, 27; grocers, 2; porter and ale, 1. this gives one licence to every 593 of the estimated population of the county. During the course of the year 15 special permits for the sale of excisable liquor were granted, and satisfactorily concluded.
Under the auspices of the Entertainment Committee the annual concert and dance, in aid of the Royal Infirmary, Edinburgh, was held in Durine School, Durness, on Friday, 11th inst. The “Infirmary Concert,” as it is know locally, has been loyally supported for many years by the people of Durness and it was gratifying to find the same spirit prevailing this year despite the distress occasioned by the failure of crops and the scarcity of fuel There was a good attendance in the concert hall, some of the audience coming from places far distant. Kinlochbervie.
