Looking Back - news from the John O’Groat Journal of yesteryear
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New club for Wick rumours
From the Groat of April 4, 1924
It was rumoured in the town that "a movement is on foot with the object of establishing a Working Men's Club" and that an application was soon to be made to the sheriff for registration and an alcohol licence.
With Wick being a "dry" area under the Temperance Act, it was reported that "the promotion of any such club is regarded by many as a means of getting behind the constitutional vote of the majority in favour of no-licence, and the idea is being strongly resented".
It was believed that that "certain of the ant-prohibition section" were behind the scheme and the argument was being made that working men "should enjoy the same privilege as those of a higher social scale who are members of the Caithness Club, which has the privilege of a licence".
The Caithness Club had existed for many years before Wick went dry and had chosen to continue with its application for a licence.
However, objectors to the new club maintained that "two blacks do not make a white, but rather something blacker still".
They felt that the proposed establishment would be regarded as a drinking club "and that a stigma would thus attach to its members, however properly otherwise the club may be conducted".
The Groat report stated that "the matter is causing considerable comment and in the event of the rumoured staps being taken it is certain that strong feeling will be stirred throughout the community".
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Brochure bid for teachers
From the Groat of April 5, 1974
Caithness Education Committee was to consider compiling a brochure in a bid to attract more teachers to the area.
The idea had come from Thurso councillor George Bruce who suggested that such a publication could contain details about the county's schools along with other information.
Mr Bruce told his fellow councillors that they should do everything they could "to get teachers here".
"I don't think it is beyond our resources to produce a brochure giving facts on the size of the schools and the conditions in Caithness, and send a copy to all students" coming out of college.
Championing this "personal approach", Mr Bruce said that the committee had in the past been accused of not doing enough to try and recruit teachers.
Mr H R Stewart, the director of education, said that he was prepared to "look at" Mr Bruce's idea.
Elsewhere, moves had been made to form a local shell fishermen's association.
The pilot committee was being led by Councillor David Rudhall of Keiss, who maintained that such an association "would be valuable to look after all the interests of shell fishermen", particularly if the regional board responsible for small harbours was to be located outwith the county.
The proposal to form the association had created such wide interest that it was likely it would have to cover the whole of Caithness and perhaps part of Sutherland as well.
Locals leap to defend John O'Groats
From the Groat of April 9, 1999
John O'Groats folk had sprung to the defence of their village after it had been panned in a newly published guide.
The Lonely Plant guide to Scotland had described the area as a "ramshackle tourist trap".
The guide was also less than complimentary about Edinburgh, Dundee and Aviemore.
The put-down had provoked a "furious response" from locals, with Sandra Sinclair, the manager of John O'Groats Knitwear Company, calling it "totally unfounded".
She said that she had only had positive comments from visitors who, she maintained, left with a "favourable impression".
Walter Mowat, who ran the First and Last craft shop, stressed that John O'Groats was surrounded by natural beauty and outstanding views over the Pentland Firth to Orkney.
He said of the reviewer, "I don't know what the person expects there to be here. Are they looking for some kind of Disneyland?"
Elsewhere, plans to convert the derelict old brewery in Manson's Lane, Thurso, to an archive centre were to go before local councillors for approval for the first phase of funding.
The costs of converting the building, excluding purchase, had been put at £600,000 with a further £25,000 a year needed for revenue funding.
It was hoped the converted brewery would become the centrepiece of the North Highland Archive, currently located at Wick Library, with the drawings of historic Thurso architect Sinclair Macdonald taking centre stage.
Potential sources of funding identified by council officials were Historic Scotland, the Lottery Heritage Fund, Caithness and Sutherland Enterprise and landfill tax credits.
