Looking Back – news from the John O'Groat Journal of yesteryear
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Award for Wick fishers
From the Groat of December 29, 1922
A special meeting of Wick Town Council had been called to honour some Wick fishermen.
The town provost, on behalf of the Shipwrecked Mariners' Society, was to present James More, skipper of the Wick-registered Mayberry, with an aneroid barometer and a purse of money.
The award marked "the brave action performed on November 1 by the skipper and crew of the Mayberry at the East Anglian fishing in rescuing the lives of the crew of the Cordelia" which belonged to Peterhead.
Meanwhile, plans were well in hand for the annual New Year procession through the streets of Pulteneytown.
The event was to be staged on January 2 and it was hoped it would be "as successful as any held in years gone by".
The various trades taking part were to assemble in the Argyle Square green at 10.30am. A prize was to be awarded for the best fancy dress and another for the collector having the highest total.
The money raised was to go towards the funds for the Wick war memorial.
Although the New Year was locally recognised as "the premier holiday", Christmas customs had been "more generally observed" in the town, it was reported. Shopkeepers commented on the briskness of trade in the run-up to the festivities and the post office was so busy that ex-servicemen had been employed to support staff.
Decision deferred on oil plan
From the Groat of December 29, 1972
Caithness County Council had agreed to make no decision regarding the application by Chicago Bridge Ltd to develop land at Dunnet Bay for oil fabrication purposes until after the company had held local public meetings.
The firm had made it known that it would hold meetings in Wick, Thurso and Castletown early in February to inform communities of its intentions and to give people an opportunity to ask questions.
Apart from the public meetings, councillors were to ask Chicago Bridge to meet them in private at around the same time so they could have "the fullest possible information before holding a statutory open meeting of the council at which a decision on the application will be taken".
Vice-convener John Young pointed out that it would be "equally right for the council to hear a representative from the objectors".
Meanwhile, local people wishing to celebrate the festive season had an abundance of social events to choose from, mostly being staged on December 29 and 30.
There were dances in the Dounreay Social Club, the Rosebank Hotel, the Assembly Rooms and the Royal British Legion Club, all in Wick, the Viewfirth in Thurso, the Thurso Club, Britannia Hall in Dunnet, Reiss and Killimster Hall, Strathy Hall, Auckengill Hall, the Drill Hall in Castletown, Reay Hall and Lieurary Hall.
Orkney air link axe fear
From the Groat of December 31, 1997
Concern about the future of air links to and from Caithness was expressed after it emerged that Loganair was poised to pull out of its Wick to Kirkwall service.
Harry Kennedy, president of Caithness and Sutherland Chamber of Commerce, described the move as "worrying", while Caithness provost John Young was disappointed about the likelihood of the loss of another local flight.
The company said the service to Kirkwall was not economically viable but denied that the downturn in passengers was the result of a reduction in the number of flights.
He said the company would "explore all positive options" before making the final decision to pull out of Wick.
Meanwhile, the Rotary Club of Wick's Citizen of the Year Award had been presented to local music stalwart Addie Harper.
Mr Harper, who was known throughout Scotland and beyond for his contribution to Scottish dance music, had formed the first Wick Scottish Dance Band in 1948 and had since travelled over a million miles to perform.
Over the years Addie and his band, by now the Addie Harper Trio, had given their services free of charge to a "multitude of local charities".
As a result, he had also received an award from the local branch of Arthritis Care in recognition of the charity's gratitude for his support.
