From our 24th April edition
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25 YEARS AGO
(April 20th, 1990)
SUTHERLAND district councillors Addie Mackenzie, Skerray, and Dick Gordon, Golspie, are among a group of ex Lovat Scouts to make a commemorative trip to the Faroe Islands next month. The visit will mark the 50th anniversary of the British occupation of the islands in 1940, to pre-empt Germany invading.
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MISS Margaret Sutherland, head teacher at Dunbeath primary school, has been named one of Britain’s top teachers for leading her pupils to safety as their school was destroyed by fire.
Miss Sutherland was one of 14 winners in national awards sponsored by Best magazine and Encyclopaedia Britannica to honour achievement in primary school education.
The citation states Miss Sutherland showed great courage when her small village school went on fire in February 1989. She afterwards ensured that their schooling was not disrupted and their morale remained high.
Miss Sutherland received a deluxe set of Encyclopaedia Britannica worth £1560 together with a medallion in recognition of her special achievement.
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TONGUE Community Council, meeting recently at Melness, expressed deep concern for the safety of children using the play park at Tongue which has been deemed unsafe and presents an insurance risk.
It was noted that the park had not been sealed off and children were still reported to be using it.
Community councillors expressed deep concern for the safety of children using the park and also for the play park committee and community council should there be any claims for damages.
After a lengthy discussion it was agreed that the gate to the play park should be secured with a chain and padlock and a notice displayed on the gate making it clear that the park is unsafe and must not be used.
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HEAVYWEIGHT star attraction at Golspie Gala Week’s Queen dance in the Stag’s Head Hotel ballroom tonight is “Fiddling Tom”, the 31-stone gentle giant from County Antrim.
He has been entertaining people in Ireland for almost 30 years and has been notching up 70,000 miles a year travelling to concert and cabaret venues.
50 YEARS AGO
(April 23rd, 1965)
SUTHERLAND Harbours Committee recommended at Dornoch last Monday that application should be made for a grant towards the cost of a power winch (£180) for the use of fishermen at Kirtomy. The fishermen had applied for financial assistance.
The committee was told there was one full-time boat in operation there and another worked in the summer.
Mr J. Rodger, deputy clerk, asked if this degree of fishing justified the expenditure of public funds and Mr R. A. Whyte, deputy treasurer, pointed out that the county council had no power to do this although there was nothing to prevent their applying to the relevant department.
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SUTHERLAND County Council has been urging the government to approve a £57,000 extension to its white fish pier at Lochinver and the deepening of the entrance channel to their new white fish harbour at Loch Bervie, at an estimated cost of £34,000.
Conditions are congested at Lochinver pier because of the lack of space for landings while the new harbour at Loch Bervie cannot be developed fully until the channel entrance is deepened to allow its use at all times. Meanwhile the old pier at nearby Loch Clash has to carry the burden.
At Dornoch last Monday, Sutherland Harbours Committee agreed that the constituency MP, Mr George Y. Mackie, should be urged to press the government for action.
Mr J. Rodger, deputy clerk, said he had been “bombarding” the relevant department for a reply but he still had not heard from them.
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TENANTS of Sutherland County Council’s craft village at Balnakiel will get no compensation from the council for any improvements they may make to their buildings.
This was agreed by Sutherland Development Committee at Dornoch last week when Mr J. Rodger, deputy county clerk, said a tenant who was leaving had a right to “do a deal” with the incoming person but the council could not pay compensation.
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LIMMER and Trinidad, contractors for the four-mile section being reconstructed under the Crofter Counties Scheme between Muie and Rogart, on the Lairg-Mound road, have opened a quarry as an experiment on the Morvich estate.
75 YEARS AGO
(April 25th, 1940)
THE members of the Children’s Knitting Bee are very grateful to Mrs Duncan Sutherland, Argyll House, Brora, for a handsome gift of wool to help in their work for the forces.
The girls have formed themselves into a club and are organising a Gaelic concert with Highland dancing to be given shortly in Brora.
Mrs Macrae, the Links, has kindly undertaken their training for this concert which will be in aid of comforts for the troops.
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MISS Roberts, president, gave a short account to Dornoch S.W.R.I. of comforts despatched.
It was agreed to send a further supply of 24 pairs socks and 18 mufflers to the minesweepers and 14 mufflers and eight pairs of mittens to the Sailors’ Home for the British Sailors’ Society, Inverness.
There was on view at the S.W.R.I. meeting a very warm and charmingly blended blanket knitted by Mrs Robichaud, being the fourteenth one she had made for war comforts.
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KING Gustav of Sweden, President Kallio of Finland and Stalin were not listed among the rulers who sent congratulations to Hitler on his birthday, according to an announcement read over the German-controlled Copenhagen radio.
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A DARING attempt at burglary took place at Crakaig House on Saturday night when one of the owner’s watch dogs was shot dead.
The house was vacated for the week-end and the caretaker, before retiring, took a look round the house and put the owner’s three dogs, a mastiff, a dachshund and terrier, into one of the rooms before locking up.
On arriving to open the house and let the dogs out in the morning, she was surprised to find the back door forced open. On entering she found the mastiff lying dead in the passage with two bullet wounds and one of the rifles from the gun room lying close by.
It appears that the burglar thought the house was empty but was attacked by the mastiff which he shot at sight and made good his escape. The shot dog was an ideal watch dog and his mistress’s favourite.
100 YEARS AGO
(April 22nd, 1915)
OLD friends will be sorry to hear of the death in action of Acting Sergeant Andrew Sutherland, of Golspie Tower.
Sutherland had already taken part in the South African war in the ranks of the Black Watch. Previously he had spent several years with the same regiment in India, where he distinguished himself in football and in hockey.
In the year that the Black Watch gained the Calcutta Cup, Sutherland was described as “the best half-back in the Indian Army”.
Shortly after the outbreak of the war he enlisted in the 3rd Battalion Black Watch and had only been a few days in the trenches when on the 10th of March he met with a soldier’s death at Neuve Chapelle.
His brother, Christopher, who was badly wounded at Ypres, is now recovered and is off again to the front, while his nephew, Corporal Colin Sutherland, not yet 18 years of age, is in the trenches near Ypres with the 1st Battalion Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders.
The old fighting spirit of the Cattachs, or indeed of any Highlanders, is not yet extinct.
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THE Duke of Sutherland is at present on leave from military duty abroad and along with the Duchess of Sutherland and a large party, is in residence at Dunrobin Castle.
Like all lord lieutenants throughout the country, His Grace, has lived an exceptionally strenuous life since war was declared. In his capacity as lord lieutenant he has had many and varied duties to perform in connection with the defence of the realm and the work of the Territorial Force Association.
When His Grace went abroad on military duty, the work of the lieutenancy was entrusted to the vice-lieutenant, Colonel Morrison, who is in constant communication with the duke in carrying out important affairs for the welfare of Sutherland and the defence of the country.
In addition to personal service rendered to the state, the duke and duchess have placed their magnificent home, Dunrobin Castle, at the disposal of the navy and army for the benefit of wounded sailors and soldiers; their yacht is on naval duty in the North Sea and they have paid hundreds of pounds in wages to their employees who are on military service.
His Grace gave orders that every man in his employment who joined the forces was to have his military pay made up to the same amount as he was paid in wages before the war commenced.
