From the Northern Times 25, 50 and 100 years ago
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
25 YEARS AGO
From the newspaper of May 30, 1997
The local community council has demanded the closure threat hanging over Migdale Hospital, Bonar Bridge, be finally lifted following publication this week of a high-powered report praising the hospital as "an important and valued resource for the local community". Criticism is reserved in the report by the Scottish Health Advisory Service for the state of the building and, although some redecoration is planned, Caithnesss and Sutherland NHS Trust confirmed that the current uncertainty over the hospital's future precludes major renovation.
A further two Sutherland telephone exchanges, Rosehall and Durness, are to be upgraded from analogue to digital operation under a £6 million programme announced last week by the Scottish Office. Eleven existing digital exchanges will also have further improvements carried out. The new investment will completed the pioneering programme to make the Highlands and Islands the first all-digital rural region in Europe.
Mod fever is building up in Bettyhill as the great day, Saturday, June 7, approaches. This will be the fourth time the village has hosted the Caithness and Sutherland Provincial Mod since the first such occasion in the glorious summer of 1976, when participants were just as likely to be struck down by sunstroke as pre-competition nerves.
50 YEARS AGO
From the newspaper of May 26, 1972
An assurance that the public water supply schemes for Strathnaver and Strahhalladale would go ahead as soon as possible has been received by Mr Robert Maclennan, MP., from Mr George Younger, Under-Secretary for Development. Mr Younger said the position as Strathnaver was that the Scottish Development Department were awaiting the submissions of contract documents and drawings.
Ninety-two first and second-year pupils from Golspie, Brora, Helmsdale, Bettyhill and Lairg secondary schools left Dundee in the 17,000-ton liner Uganda for a 12-day educational cruise last Tuesday night. Six teachers are with the children on the cruise, which is under the auspices of the Scottish Northern Counties' Education Authorities. The liner will call at Bergen, Helsinki and Copenhagen.
Sutherland hostels sub-committee recently recommended that only if parents submitted a formal request in writing for the Education Committee's approval would consideration be given to allowing their children to withdraw from Church attendance. The sub-committee had been reminded that the parent body's policy was that all hostel pupils would attend a Church service on Sunday mornings and were free to decided whether to join Bible class or Sunday school groups. The Education Committee approved this recommendation last week.
100 YEARS AGO
From the newspaper of May 25, 1922
There was an alarming outbreak of fire in the Helmsdale Parish Council buildings early last Friday, and but for the prompt action of Messrs Jappy, who resides on the premises, the entire block of buildings, which include the shop and dwelling house of Mr W. Sutherland, also office of the Registrar, might have been totally destroyed. Mr David Jappy and his son succeeded in extinguishing the flames which originated in the main office. Almost the entire office furnishings was destroyed, including a valuable desk. The cause of the fire is uncertain, and is covered by insurance.
A great injustice has been done to the disabled men in the district of Skelbo (Letter to the Editor). It is a district where there is only one job that does not require manual labour: that job is the postman's. Surely one would think that post would be given to a man, who because of wounds received in the war, is debarred from all the other employment the district affords. The other day to my surprise I found that all the applications from disabled men for the postman's position had been passed over and the post given to a youth from another office. Who is responsible for this injustice?
