Looking Back – news from the John O'Groat Journal of yesteryear
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
Land raiding in Halladale
From the Groat of June 30, 1922
It was reported that the land raiding common in many parts of the Highlands "has evidently become contagious".
Several landholders in the townships of Trantlebeg, Croick and Dalhalvaig in Sutherland had driven their stock, consisting of horses and cattle, on to the adjacent sheep farm of Forsinain.
The farm, since around 1916, had been held on lease by five local landholders, thereby constituting a club farm. It had been created as a result of the vast land reclamations carried on under the regime of the grandfather of the current Duke of Sutherland.
It was understood that the "raiders" claimed an equal share with the present club holders.
They maintained that when the farm was leased to its present holders "they [the raiders] were for the time being bereft of their sons who were engaged in the muddy and bloody trenches of Flanders, and some of whom, alas!, never returned, their bodies lying in alien soil, whereas they likewise maintain that no individual contribution was made by any of the present holders to the fighting forces of the Crown".
Elsewhere, 40 men from Wick and Thurso had had their applications to emigrate to Australia granted.
More than 70 men had applied but many "were of the seafaring type who are not meantime required in Australia".
Wick pool 'now a promise'
From the Groat of June 30, 1972
Members of Wick Town Council had committed themselves to the principle of providing the burgh with an indoor swimming pool.
The estimated cost was £225,000 and to cover the loan charges a rate increase of 6.39p in the pound would be required.
The councillors had approved, without comment, the unanimous recommendation from the finance and general purposes committee which had agreed in principle that an indoor pool be built.
The recommendation also put forward that "first priority be given to the inclusion of a pool within a sports complex proposed to be built to serve the Harmsworth Park and the Bignold Park, which adjoin each other".
The provisional estimate of the cost of the complex was between £50,000 and £60,000.
The need for the new premises had arisen from the fact that the existing pavilion had become substandard. It had been built by voluntary labour just over 20 years previously. Proposed was an all-purpose pavilion with a warden's house above.
Meanwhile, the foundation stone had been laid for a new hotel in Wick. It was hoped that the work on the Norseman Hotel would be completed in time for the summer tourist season the following year.
The building, which was to occupy a two-acre site at the riverside, was to cost £150,000 and include 30 en-suite rooms.
Call for 'whole truth' at Dounreay
From the Groat of July 4, 1997
Scotland Against Nuclear Dumping (SAND) had called on the government to let "the whole truth" be known about past activities at Dounreay.
In a letter to Dounreay director Roy Nelson, SAND convener Lorraine Mann said she wanted Lord Sewell, the Scottish Office environment minister, to lift all restrictions on information relating to the site.
The move came in the wake of revelations that radioactive material had been dumped by the Ministry of Defence at Beaufort's Dyke in the 1950s, "despite government assurances to the contrary".
Mrs Mann said she noted Mr Nelson's comments about the "open and honest approach" he intended taking to activities past and present at Dounreay and invited him to join her in the call to Lord Sewell, saying the lifting of restrictions would be "a useful act from both our perspectives and, more importantly, from the perspective of the people of the Highlands".
Elsewhere, the Pentland Hotel in Thurso had become the fifth local hotel to change hands since the beginning of the year.
Michael Mancini, of the Northern Sands Hotel in Dunnet, had successfully bid to take over the 48-bedroom establishment from Uisdean MacLean, who was retiring after 25 years in charge.
Then 34 members of staff had been told that their jobs were being retained and in the meantime the Mancinis were continuing their efforts to find a buyer for the Northern Sands.
