Looking Back – news from the John O'Groat Journal of yesteryear
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Wireless experiments at Wick
From the Groat of April 27, 1923
"Highly interesting wireless experiments" had been carried out in the Caithness Club. It was reported that "through the courtesy of Mr G Souter, electrical engineer, Elgin, who is a wireless expert of considerable experience, the members of the club had the privilege of becoming acquainted with some of the mysteries in connection with wireless telephony".
Under favourable atmospheric conditions "most satisfactory results were obtained in receiving the items broadcast from 2L.O. (London).
"The volume of music was most surprising and it was distinctly heard throughout every corner of the clubrooms while the speakers who were taking part in the programme appeared to be a yard or two distant, notwithstanding the fact that the space over which the sound was travelling is approximately 800 miles."
The gentleman who announced the items in the programmes became a particular favourite with the club members, "owing to his delightful enunciation and happy manner".
Meanwhile, a telegram from the community of Wick had been despatched by Provost McEwen congratulating the Duke of York, the second son of King George and Queen Mary, and Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, youngest daughter of the Earl and Countess of Strathmore and Kinghorne, on the occasion of their marriage.
In a leader article it was stated that their Majesties' subjects had "welcomed the pealing of the wedding bells", and that for their subjects "north of the Tweed it is a matter for pride and gratification that the Duke takes into his Royal home so fit and fair a prize of Scottish worth and beauty".
Protest at invalid's shower delay
From the Groat of April 27, 1973
A Wick councillor complained that a local woman, "who was an invalid, had to wait seven months for the installation of a shower in her house, which had been ordered for her as she could not use a bath".
At a meeting of Caithness County Council, Councillor A B Henderson stated that the woman was a widow and had been ill for a number of years. Her condition had worsened and the Social Welfare Department had recommended that a shower be installed in her house.
Offers had been taken for the work and the successful firm had been given instructions to go ahead. However, the work was delayed because, according to the contractor, the shower had been ordered but on two occasions the wrong one had been sent.
Councillor Henderson said that seven months had passed "and if I did not enquire about it, it would still be going on".
He asked: "Who is going to be held responsible for seeing that such decisions are carried out? It seems that it has passed from one department to another and no responsibility was taken."
He described the issue as being caused by "a lack of cohesion between departments" and called on the council to "ensure that this does not happen again". He noted that after he made his enquiry, the job had started within a few days.
Ancient sites profile bid
From the Groat of May 1, 1998
A call had been made for greater efforts in promoting the archaeological sites of Caithness.
Colin MacAuley, who had given an illustrated talk on Pictish sculptured stones to Castletown Heritage Society, pointed out that thousands of tourists went to Orkney each year to see such sites.
"They pass though Caithness and yet we have so much to offer here," he said. "The potential is enormous but it would require a lot of work, motivation and money."
Councillor Falconer Waters, a keen local historian, agreed and argued that the county had more archaeological variety than Orkney, but the island sites were better known.
Mr MacAuley spoke about the legacy of Pictish stones in Caithness and also the fact that some of them had been removed from the county and were in museums in Edinburgh and even in European countries, for example Denmark.
There was, the meeting heard, a strong argument for the stones being kept locally provided they could be looked after properly by professional people.
Mr MacAuley said one of the reasons there was a reluctance to return the stones was because there was no proper facility for them, but he felt this was a problem that could be overcome.
Meanwhile, Thurso's Royal Hotel was being transformed by a major refurbishment ordered by its new owners. British Trust Hotels had spent more than £500,000 on the first phase of a facelift.
Once complete, the revamped hotel in Traill Street would be the first in Caithness to boast an indoor swimming pool and leisure club.
