From the Northern Times 25, 50 and 100 years ago
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25 YEARS AGO
From the newspaper of February 6, 1998
Golspie High School Board is to discuss the proposed closure of various buildings connected with the school at a meeting next week. On the agenda will be Highland Council's plans to close Mackay House Hostel along with the high school's technical annexe on the outskirts of Golspie. And also expected to be discussed is the closure of Drummuie Farm, which has served for years as an agricultural training centre. The buildings have become surplus to requirements due to the high school's dropping school roll, caused mainly by the opening of Kinlochbervie High School and the sixth year status of Dornoch Academy.
The site earmarked for Durness's new village hall has been found to be unsuitable for building on, it was revealed this week. Soil tests have shown that the ground, behind the Mace shop in the centre of the village, is boggy clay. However, a new site at Sanogmore headland, behind the tourist information centre is now being investigated. It is hoped that the hall and the centre can be linked together.
50 YEARS AGO
From the newspaper of February 2, 1973
An extension to the new covered fish market, a "graving dock" where the fishing boats can undergo major repairs, a slipway and a car park are wanted for Sutherland County Council's developing white fish harbour at Kinlochbervie. Representations are to be made to the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries about the vital need for such facilities if the harbour is to grow in stature and meet the fishermen's requirements. The alternative, the department will be told, is that boats may go elsewhere, and the harbour would stagnate.
The west breakwater at Helmsdale harbour is disintegrating – its condition has been made worse by the severe storm of 10 days ago – and if there is not quick action the fishing industry there could suffer a sever blow, Sutherland County Council has been told. The council agreed to make strong representations for immediate action to the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries. A suggestion was made that it might be a job for Army engineers under Opmac.
100 YEARS AGO
From the newspaper of February 1, 1923
The hearts of all the community were saddened by the news of a drowning accident off Rispond on Tuesday, 23rd January. Alexander John Campbell, Smoo, and Donald Macintosh, Lerin, went out from Rispond to secure their lobster creels during a lull in the storm which prevailed last week. The fishermen accomplished their object successfully, but the wind suddenly increased in fury, and they did not return to the harbour.
Friends and relatives hoped against hope during all that day. the gale abated none of its fury, and when Wednesday morning came, all were prepared for the sad tidings brought in by other fishermen who had gone out to look for the missing men, and who only found their boat overturned in the bay.
A PORTION of the Lochinver to Drumbeg road has been extensively damaged by a tremendous landslip occurring there, and the road has been closed against all traffic until it has been repaired. Altogether the dislodgement amounted to around 1,000 tons.
