Looking Back – news from the John O'Groat Journal of yesteryear
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Fishing boat driven onto rocks
From the Groat of December 8, 1922
A gale of "great violence" had broken out suddenly at Thurso and had been accompanied by a heavy rainfall.
Several fishing boats had been out and "much anxiety was felt for their safety".
In the evening a lifeboat was summoned to Murkle Bay where the Wick-registered Mary had been driven on to the rocks at Castlehill.
Fortunately the crew of four had, with difficulty, made it to land.
Another Wick boat, The Brothers, had had to be towed into Thurso Harbour after getting into difficulties.
Elsewhere, the urgent necessity of taking steps to raise funds for erecting a public hall in the district of Canisbay had become apparent.
"With so many societies catering for the welfare or amusement of the public, it is difficult, especially during the winter months, to secure the local school for all the meetings to be held in the evening," it was reported.
Among the many groups vying for space were the Parish Council, Educational Committee, Rural Institute, Pentland Rifle Club, Agricultural Show, Medical Association and the Debating Society.
"A combined effort by all those interested should make it possible to raise sufficient funds to provide a public hall, which has now become a necessity for the social and intellectual welfare of the parish."
Dramatic cliff rescue at Brims Ness
From the Groat of December 8, 1972
The captain and eight members of the crew of the Swedish cargo ship Korall, which had come to grief under the high cliffs at Brims Ness, had all been saved by members of Caithness Coastguards "in one of the finest rescues of the kind on the North coast".
The vessel had been bound for Gothenberg with a cargo of stone chips when, in rough seas, it was driven hard into the face of a 120ft high cliff.
Mrs Booth, of Stroma Road, Thurso, was one of the first to learn of the ship's distress. She heard it on her radio trawler band and immediately informed the coastguard.
Coastguards from Wick and the Lifesaving Company from Thurso were quickly on the scene and a rope ladder was lowered over the cliff onto the stern of the ship.
Coastguard Peter Taylor descended to the vessel, Coastguard Bryan Jones took up position halfway down the ladder and Chris Roach was at the top.
Then Lifesaving Company members took up their positions and soon, under the direction of District Officer L Homeward, the crew were brought to safety at the top, one at a time.
The whole operation took less than two hours.
Council slammed for music tuition fees bid
From the Groat of December 12, 1997
A prominent Scots music exponent from Caithness had lent his support to a campaign to ward off the introduction of instrument tuition fees in Highland schools.
Addie Harper snr, from Wick, condemned as penny-pinching and unjustified the plans to means-test primary and secondary pupils who showed a flair for an instrument.
Mr Harper, who ran a traditional dance band and gave lessons in accordion, fiddle and guitar, predicted the move would deter many youngsters from pursuing their interest in school.
The Highland Council's education committee had voted to impose an hourly charge of £3 for the special lessons to raise £182,000 towards its projected budget shortfall.
Pupils on exam courses were to be exempt as were families on income support.
However, Mr Harper maintained that parents would decide they could not afford to nurture their offspring's musical talent.
He said he didn't think it was on for parents having to pay for school music lessons and he appealed to councillors saying "for God's sake leave music alone".
A pressure group formed to fight the fees claimed that parents on family credit would be hardest hit.
The Highland Instrumental Tuition Support Group was confident the committee's decision would be overturned by the full council.
