Looking Back: Brora hotel blaze, ‘Customs post’ at the Ord and Caithness freezer company’s hot new product
Big blaze at Brora hotel
From the Groat of July 18, 1924
The Station Hotel in Brora had been completely gutted by fire.
It was around 5.30am on Saturday when smoke was first observed issuing from the top flat. The alarm was soon raised, “and the occupants of the house awakened”.
The report went on: “Fortunately there was no loss of life but one of the servant girls had a narrow escape, the flames reaching her bedroom.”
Dunrobin Fire Brigade was summoned and within 30 minutes firefighters “were on the scene and set to work” along with a number of willing volunteers who rendered valuable service.
Most of the furniture on the ground floor was taken to safety but “despite all the efforts the fire gradually grew fiercer and created a weird spectacle as the flames tore their way to the other flats. It was now evident that the fire would fight its way out, and the crash of falling debris was heard at intervals.
“In a few hours the building was completely gutted out and nothing now remains but a heap of ruins of what once was one of the leading hotels in the north.”
Meanwhile, in Wick a violent thunderstorm had patrons of Ord Pinder’s circus and amusements at the riverside running for cover.
However, the only real damage was at Thrumster where the house of Sheriff Trotter was hit by lightning. The sound of falling masonry there was likened to that of “an aerial bomb exploding”.
‘Customs post’ raised charity cash
From the Groat of July 19, 1974
A novel fundraiser by the members of Wick and District Round Table raised £76 for the book recording for the blind scheme.
The Tablers set up a “customs post” at the Ord and visitors to Caithness were given a “passport” and a “licence to trap haggis” in exchange for a donation.
The passports were made possible by the generosity of local traders who had paid for advertising space.
It was reported that Pipe Major Davidson had gone along to provide some music and that some of the Tablers had dressed in kilts and Viking regalia to add colour to the occasion.
"Almost without exception the visitors were delighted to receive a personal welcome to Caithness and were generous with their donations.”
Elsewhere, members of the Caithness branch of the Scottish Pre-School Playgroup Association tried out a new venture at the Latheron Landholders’ Show at Nottingham Mains.
A “Playgroup Tent” had been organised by Mrs V Miller. Parents could go in and sit and have coffee and a sandwich or home baking while the children happily played with dough, paint, sand and jigsaws.
The group was planning a similar tent at the County Show in Wick.
High hopes for freezers
From the Groat of July 23, 1999
The world’s most energy-efficient freezers had been produced by local company Norfrost and were to go on sale at a number of leading retail outlets, including the Dixons chain and Harrods in London.
News of the venture by the Castletown-based company had been announced by managing director Pat Grant, who said she had high hopes for the new product line which used “environmentally friendly technology” and reduced the electricity running costs.
It was unlikely that the Aura freezers would create more jobs at the factory but the new line would help maintain the existing workforce of around 380.
Mrs Grant hoped that the new product would help Norfrost get back into some European markets that had suffered as a result of the strong pound.
She said they had managed to maintain their position in the UK, America, Italy and Portugal but had lost out in France and Germany.
Elsewhere, a hat stretcher which was last used in McGhan’s Laundry in Wick was the centre of a new “service” at Wick Heritage Centre.
The Wick Society had put the item on display in the centre window. A few days later, retired farmer Noss Clyne arrived with two hats that had become tight over the years and wondered if they could be stretched.
It was thought the last time this service had been offered locally was at Fred Shearer's shop in Cliff Road, which had closed in the late 1970s.
