Court rules on Wick harbour collision, County’s worst storm in 15 years and Surprise win for Wick shooter
LOOKING BACK: News from the John O’Groat Journal of yesteryear
Court rules on collision case
From the Groat of April 10, 1925
A long-running civil case which had been prompted by the collision of two motor boats in Wick harbour had finally come to an end.
The incident had occurred in July 1921 as the Nellie was leaving the harbour bound for the fishing grounds while the Scalesburn was entering the port.
The Nellie had been badly damaged as a result of being run into and her owners had raised an action against the owners of the Scalesburn to recover damages.
It was reported that “after a long proof, during which much expert evidence was heard for the defenders, Sheriff Trotter decided in favour of the pursuers, and awarded the damages”.
However, the defenders had appealed to the sheriff principal, arguing that the Scalesburn had been entering the harbour under control and that the collision had been caused by the other vessel.
The owners of the Nellie maintained that their vessel had been on its proper course and the collision had been entirely due to the “excessive speed” of the Scalesburn.
Sheriff Principal Pitman agreed with Sheriff Trotter and found that the Scalesburn had been at fault and dismissed the appeal.
Meanwhile, plans were being made to site a generating station at Wick harbour “in connection with the Town Council’s electric lighting scheme”.
Worst storm for 15 years
From the Groat of April 11, 1975
Hundreds of newborn lambs had perished during the worst blizzard to hit Caithness for 15 years. However, fears that the conditions would result in “casualties of catastrophic proportions” had proved groundless.
A local NFU spokesman confirmed that lambing casualties had been higher than other years, with local farmers and vets painting a similar picture.
Caithness had been virtually sealed off by the blizzard. The A9 had been blocked between Dunbeath and Helmsdale by eight-foot snowdrifts and abandoned cars, while snow and high winds had brought down communication wires, causing rail services to be disrupted.
In addition, flights from Wick Airport had been cancelled and fishing boats confined to port.
North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board linesmen had worked late into the night to restore power to households in the south of the county.
Elsewhere, the new primary school to be built in Wick at Roxburgh Road was to be called South School and not Old School, as had previously been suggested.
This would be the second school to bear the name in the town.
The original South School at the junction of Macrae Street and Kinnaird Street, commonly known as Fulley’s School, had closed in 1938.
Shooting title was a surprise win
From the Groat of April 14, 2000
Wick shooter Irene Paul had missed one top title – but was spot on target with another.
She didn’t have high hopes while competing in the British smallbore open championships at Surbiton, Kingston upon Thames, and realised she wasn’t in the running.
So she got the shock of her life when her husband Alan told her at the end of the tournament that she was a champion.
While she was unsuccessful in the open event, she had amassed the highest points of the female competitors which made her the British ladies’ champion.
She was the first Scot to win the title for 30 years and had even outgunned a seasoned competitor who had dominated the event.
Irene, a member of Wick Old Stagers Rifle Club, now had her sights set on hitting top scores with the Scottish team, as her British success had earned her a debut cap with the national side’s postal tournament against New Zealand.
Elsewhere, Caithness councillors had baulked at the prospect of the introduction of charges for the disposal of bulky household waste.
The doorstep service had been run free of charge by Highland Council’s area protective services committee.
The proposal to begin charging coincided with plans to fund two full-time civic amenity sites in Wick and Thurso.
