Looking Back – news from the John O'Groat Journal of yesteryear
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Strange scene at village burial
From the Groat of July 27, 1923
An "extraordinary incident" occurred at a burial in Canisbay churchyard which had caused "much remark throughout the parish and district".
It appeared that a young man, a student, residing with his brother in the area, had converted to certain religious views which included a claim to the power or gift of healing. Certain rites had been conducted on the brothers' invalid mother, and for a time she looked to have considerably recovered but she had had a relapse and passed away.
At the burial on a Sunday afternoon, an unusual day for burials, and as the coffin was being lowered, mourners were "exceeding surprised, not to say shocked" to hear the student exclaim: "Stand back and see the glory of the Lord... In the name of Jesus, arise!"
The onlookers waited "in a state of tense expectancy and astonishment". However, the minutes passed and "needless to say, nothing occurred".
It had been rumoured that a daughter of the deceased had had a vision that the spirit of her mother would return to its body at 4pm, and this "served to maintain the excitement". Four o'clock arrived and nothing happened but the student remained "in prayer and devotion at the graveside for about a couple of hours".
The incident caused much comment. While some admired the earnest convictions of the brothers, others thought it demonstrated the "folly of ultrafervidness in religious beliefs".
Cottage blaze at Brough
From the Groat of July 27, 1973
A retired teacher twice had to be restrained from plunging into his burning cottage to rescue his dog.
The cairn terrier, named Tina, perished in the blaze at Sinegoe Cottage.
The fire had been caused by an explosion when Jessie Fishbourne attempted to light a paraffin stove. She and her husband Reginald had staggered out of the burning house while neighbours and tourists tackled the blaze until the fire service arrived.
Units from Thurso and Wick fire brigades arrived on the scene but despite the efforts of firefighters the cottage was reduced to a roofless shell and the couple lost everything.
Elsewhere, football fans in Wick were looking forward to the visit of Queen of the South. The team was scheduled to play a friendly against Wick Academy at Harmsworth Park.
Academy, who were to field 11 players from among those who had taken part in the North of Scotland 2nd XI League, had still to pick a team. They were set to do so following a friendly against a Dingwall select.
Queen of the South was the first professional team to visit Wick in this capacity "since pre-war days, when there were visits from such teams as Celtic, St Johnstone and Dundee United".
The game was to be followed by a Football Queen Dance in the Assembly Rooms.
TV focus on Lord Thurso at Halkirk
From the Groat of July 31, 1998
The annual Halkirk Highland Games was being filmed as part of a documentary about the House of Lords and could well appear on national television.
Lord Thurso was being extensively featured in the three-part programme and at the upcoming games was to be followed by a camera crew.
Directing the work of the camera and sound technicians was Daniel Brittain-Catlin, the owner of Scotscalder station, who worked for the BBC and was involved in the project alongside another director, Tricia Lawton.
Lord Thurso had already been filmed at work in Champneys exclusive leisure complex, at the House of Lords, in Inverness and at Thurso East with his mother, Lady Thurso.
The filming at Halkirk was to show him in his role as honorary president of the games.
Mr Brittain-Catlin explained that Lord Thurso had been chosen to be featured because he was one of the hereditary peers who could lose his seat in the Lords if reform of the House went ahead.
Elsewhere, a proposal to sell off the car park at Wick riverside was to be discussed in private at a meeting of the Caithness area committee of Highland Council. Members were to be invited to agree to the sale "at a price and conditions to be negotiated by officials to ensure public parking is safeguarded".
