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From the Northern Times 25, 50 and 100 years ago


By Caroline McMorran

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25 YEARS AGO

From the newspaper of March 1, 1996

Dornoch Academy, Scotland's first self-governing school, was this week finally given the go-ahead by the Secretary of State for Scotland to upgrade to six-year status. The news was received with jubilation at the Academy, but was greeted with intense disappointment by the various groups which have campaigned vigorously against both the opt-out and the upgrading. Announcing the decision on Wednesday, Scottish Secretary Michael Forsyth stressed he had taken into account all the representations made to him during the consultation period which ended in December last year.

A PRE-HISTORIC burial site has been uncovered during major road improvement works on the A836 between Bonar Bridge and Lairg. The find has excited archaeologists who are now planning a fuller investigation of the site. A mechanical excavator was stripping peat between Lairg auction mart and Achinduich – an aea known to be rich in archaeological remains – when the burial site was uncovered. At the centre of the site was found a clay urn.

50 YEARS AGO

From the newspaper of February 26, 1971

Three young Sutherland fishermen heaved a sigh of relief last Tuesday night when their distress signal was acknowledged and they were picked up off rocks on which they had been marooned after being forced to abandon their 15-ton lobster boat, the Silver Cord, of Kinlochbervie. They were the boat's skipper, Angus Munro, of Tarbet, Kenneth Morrison, Post Office, Kinlochbervie, and John Chattan (18), of Polin. The Buckie fishing boat the Orcades, about four miles away, at once alerted Wick coastguards, and the men were eventually rescued by HMS Wasperton, a mine-sweeper doing fishery cruising duty.

The need for a holiday caravan park in the Bonar Bridge area was emphasised at a meeting of Sutherland Development Committee. Councillor Michael Burnett, Creich East, claimed that Bonar-Bridge was "very much the Cinderella of the county so far as development is concerned". All that had happened since he joined the council was that the medical officer's department had gone from Bonar Bridge to Dornoch.

100 YEARS AGO

From the newspaper of February 24, 1921

A COMMODIOUS YMCA hut at Invergordon, which the Authority had under consideration as to its suitability for a hostel in connection with the Golspie H.G. school has been sold, and the proposal at present mooted is to build one. It will be an expensive undertaking, but as the hostel would benefit pupils from all parts of the county, the authority feel, costly as it would be, it would be money well spent. The Department has to be approached for a grant. If a grant is not received, as in the other projects, the money, if it is decided to build the hostel, will be raised by a loan.

The report of the Plans Committee on Shinness school was not in the same fabourable light as on the Doll and Rhilochan Schools, Sutherland Education Authority heard. The school was not in good order. One of the main objections was the lack of a water supply. The inside of the building looked dilapidated and the light was defective. Medical officer Dr Bremner said the building was not satisfactory.


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