From the Northern Times 25, 50 and 100 years ago
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25 YEARS AGO
From the newspaper of November 13, 1998
A North Sutherland crofting community is launching a bid to buy a small sporting estate, put on the market in October with a price tag of £250,000. Crofters in Strathy and Armadale see the purchase of the 2243-acre Bowside Estate as an exciting opportunity to generate income and provide much needed extra employment in their area.
A small restaurant in a remote corner of Sutherland was this week awarded one of the highest accolades in the catering industry. The Albannach at Badidarrach, near Lochinver, won the 'Restaurant with Rooms' title in the MacAllan Taste of Scotland Awards 1998.
Royal Marine commandos on exercise in north-west Sutherland found themselves recruited as shepherds by a local laird. The men took a break from their war games at the weekend to herd a flock of sheep off a tiny uninhabited island in Loch Eriboll and into their landing craft. They had earlier been on exercise in Loch Ewe!
50 YEARS AGO
From the newspaper of November 16, 1973
The £500,000 bridge at Bonar connecting Ross-shire with Sutherland is to be opened on Friday, December 14, by Mr Gordon Campbell, Secretary of State for Scotland, it was reported to Sutherland Roads Committee at Dornoch last Monday. The bridge, designed for the Scottish Development Department, who foot the bill, is a bowstring tied arch design with the bridge deck supported by locked coil steel cables from the arched box girders. It replaces the three-span metal bridge which was built in 1892 and which was recently demolished.
Sutherland County Council are to be asked to find a site in Church Street, Golspie, for a new shellfish factory for Sutherland Sea Farms or a "site elsewhere". Mr D I Macrae, at a meeting in Golspie High School on Thursday night of last week, agreed to put this proposition to the council. This was the second public meeting called by Mr Kenneth Maclean to discuss the council's redevelopment plans for Church Street and Shore Street.
100 YEARS AGO
From the newspaper of November 15, 1923
The people of Embo got a severe shock on learning of the death of Mr William Birkens, who was the guard on the Dornoch Light Railway. He was a man who was highly respected and beloved by the fisher people of Embo. He always took a keen interest in the people and was ever ready with his jocular remarks as they took their creels out of his van. His familiar figure and cheery word will be much missed.
A MOST successful concert was held on Friday, 2nd November, in Strathnaver School to raise funds for the cocoa which the children are now having at mid-day.
The weekly meeting of Torbreck Debating Society was held in the Reading Room on Thursday night of last week, when a most interesting and highly successful debate took place on the subject "Should the Gaelic language be encouraged?" There was a large attendance of members and friends who took a lively interest in the proceedings. Mr D Sutherland, president, was in the chair.
