From the Northern Times 25, 50 and 100 years ago
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25 YEARS AGO
From the newspaper of August 28, 1998
Worried parents of youngsters travelling from Durness to Kinlochbervie High School have complained to the education authority about the lack of seat belts on their school bus. Fears over the age and condition of the bus, run by contractors the Clyne Coach Company, have also been voiced. But Robbie Rowantree, Brora, a director of the company, said this week it was neither a legal requirement nor a condition of his contract to provide a bus with seatbelts. "The company utterly refutes any allegation that the vehicle is not fit for the safe carriage of passengers," he said.
Lochinver's long-awaited new playgroup building opened its doors for the first time this week. The first pre-school children were able to sample the delights of their new purpose-built annexe, next to Lochinver Primary School, on Tuesday.
Dornoch man Trevor Taylor is about to embark on another fundraising stint. He plans to walk on stilts from Tain to Dornoch, a distance of about eight miles.
50 YEARS AGO
From the newspaper of August 24, 1973
The body of a young Glasgow doctor, who vanished when a dinghy capsized in the Kyle of Tongue last Saturday, had still not been found yesterday. The missing man is Dr Stewart Brown (26) who had been sailing the dinghy off Rabbit Island, at the mouth of the Kyle when a gust of wind capsized the craft.
The tourist traffic using Sutherland County Council's free ferry at Kylesku (linking Lochinver and Scourie in the west) is mounting every year at such a rate that, to prevent long delays and serious congestion in the future, a large new ferryboat is urgently needed.
The airstrip planned for Durness, to be built by the Army under their OPMAC scheme, is not designed for military use but as modern communication link for a community in a difficult area. A meeting is to take place with local people to "dispel any unfortunate rumours about the project". The ground proprietor, the tenant crofters and the general public are invited to the meeting.
100 YEARS AGO
From the newspaper of August 23, 1923
Macdonald, Fraser, and Coy., Ltd., on Wednesday conducted their great annual sale of Cheviot lambs at Lairg Station when they presented for public competition the record number of 23,152. This sale, which comprises the largest and best selection of Cheviot lambs in Scotland, surpassed all previous entries. Unfortunately weather conditions were most unfavourable and lambs were not shown to the best advantage.
The splendid new tennis courts and putting green at the Grange, Dornoch, have now been opened for play, and it is only now, when the work is completed, that one sees what an immense improvement it is to that part of the burgh.
A most successful bazaar was held in the Drill Hall, Lairg, yesterday under the auspices of the Lairg Tennis Club in aid of funds for their tennis courts. The bazaar was opened by Her Grace the Duchess of Sutherland and when her Grace arrived the hall was comfortably filled.
