From the Northern Times 25, 50 and 100 years ago
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25 YEARS AGO
From the newspaper of May 8, 1998
A UNIQUE tribute has been paid to former Sutherland councillor Col. Sir Alan Gilmour - in the shape of a weather vane for the roof of Bonar Bridge's new day care centre. The wrought iron weather vane has been fashioned in a likeness of the colonel, sitting in his favourite armchair with his faithful black lab "Toddy" by his side. It was a token of thanks for his hard work and guidance in helping to bring the project to fruition. The new centre at Cherry Grove is almost finished and due to open shortly.
The launch ceremony and inaugural Highland tour of Britain's first mobile cinema had to be postponed this week, following damage to the vehicle on its maiden journey from Manchester to the Isle of Islay. The vehicle hit a bump on the main A82 Glasgow-Fort William trunk route, causing the steel floor panels of the 50ft trailer to twist slightly. On arrival in Islay the unit refused to unfold, as intended, into a 100-seat, state-of-the-art auditorium complete with facilities for the disabled, air conditioning and screen technology.
50 YEARS AGO
From the newspaper of May 4, 1973
The West German firm who recently applied for planning permission to build a holiday complex at Spinningdale, now want a larger development. Sutherland County Council now intends to meet representatives of Karbau AG, of Stuttgart, in order to "discuss the proposal in depth".
With the death of Lady Paynter, the estate of Suisgill, in the parish of Kildonan, one of the best-known sporting estates in Scotland, is to be sold. There is no quoting price, but it is expected to sell for over £1,000,000.
100 YEARS AGO
From the newspaper of May 3, 1923
A LETTER of complaint was read out to Sutherland Education Authority from Mr Hugh Davidson, merchant, Lairg, in which it was contended that his daughter had received excessive punishment at the hand of the headmaster of Lairg H.G. school. His daughter had received medical attention and medical opinion bore out that the punishment inflicted had been excessive. His daughter, it was also contended, had been accused by the headmaster of being the ring-leader of a stone-throwing escapade which took place in the school ground after school hours.
Committee member W. G. Moore, Dornoch, said the question before them was not whether the teacher had the right to administer corporal punishment, but whether the punishment inflicted was excessive, and from the doctor's report it appeared to be excessive. Chairman Andrew Lindsay, Golspie, said it would be creating a dangerous precedent to interfere with the disciplinary powers of a headmaster. It was agreed that the matter be allowed to lie on the table.
Captain John Ridgway has written a long letter objecting strongly to the spending of public money on the road to Ardmore in north-west Sutherland. Capt. Ridgway and his family live at Ardmore – his well-known adventure school is centred at nearby Skerricha.
This week's takings were stolen after thieves broke into a grocer's shop in the West End of Golspie last Friday night.
