Looking Back – news from the John O'Groat Journal of yesteryear
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War memorial date
From the Groat of August 17, 1923
A date had been set at last for the unveiling of the Wick war memorial following concern about the time the project was taking.
At a meeting of the war memorial committee, members heard that the sculptor Mr Portsmouth had written to explain that progress on the monument had been slowed "through the difficulty of securing from the quarries in Aberdeenshire a large enough block of flawless granite for the pedestal".
Several blastings had been tried without success, according to Mr Portsmouth, but it was hoped "the difficulty would shortly be overcome".
In view of this latest update, the committee agreed to set September 26 as a provisional date for the unveiling and General Lord Horne was to be asked to perform the ceremony.
It was also "probable that the bronze tablet which is to be erected to the memory of the local Seaforths who fell in the war... will be unveiled by another distinguished military visitor on the same day".
Elsewhere, the Wick to Lybster train had been derailed "after the engine came in contact with two horses". The incident happened two miles from Wick while "rounding the bend before the Newton Road gates were reached". It was thought the horses had wandered onto the track having leant against the gates, causing the bolts to give way.
Both the animals were killed.
Royal opening of Watten hall
From the Groat of August 17, 1973
More than 1200 people turned out to celebrate Watten's big day – the opening of the village's new community centre by the Queen Mother.
It was the Queen Mother's first official visit to Watten and the villagers laid on the red-carpet treatment in every way, starting with two local pipers – John Swanson and Bill Williamson – playing a tune specially composed in Her Majesty's honour.
The hall had been completely modernised at a cost of £20,000 and on the day, along with the invited guests, Her Majesty took time to speak to a number of stallholders who had "obviously laboured long and hard to put on an eye-catching display of home baking, farm produce and handicrafts".
It was reported that the Queen Mother had purchased "an embroidered cushion, some jam and a grandson-sized Fair Isle jersey".
Officially opening the hall, the Queen Mother congratulated all those who had contributed to the achievement of upgrading the facility and added: "I do pray that this centre will bring lasting benefits to the people of Watten and the surrounding districts."
Elsewhere, the old Marine Inn at Thurso was to be turned into a hotel and restaurant if the new owner was given permission for the development.
Stefan Rochan, former owner of Stefan's restaurant and Seaview Hotel, John O'Groats, was to apply for approval later in the year.
Doctors demand local control
From the Groat of August 21, 1998
Caithness and Sutherland would know by the end of the month if it was still to have a local NHS trust in its area.
Scottish health minister Sam Galbraith, who was to restructure the trust system in Scotland, was expected to make an announcement within the next 10 days.
In the meantime, the fight to establish a locally managed body continued unabated, and the minister had been sent a letter signed by 28 GPs in the two northern counties and 14 Caithness consultants supporting the campaign.
The signatories had expressed their dismay that Highland Health Board had ignored the views of the majority of the people in Caithness and Sutherland who wanted a local NHS.
The board had recommended one primary and one acute care trust be set up in its area – a decision that would result in the loss of local control.
Dr Peter Joiner of Lybster, who wrote the letter, stated in it that "we believe that the highest standards of clinical care and the benefits of service integration can be best achieved by working together rather than as parts of separate, but equally remote, trust organisations based in Inverness".
Meanwhile, the Queen Mother had given the royal seal of approval to the £500,000 upgrading of facilities for stroke patients at Caithness General Hospital in Wick.
Her Majesty had visited the Queen Elizabeth Wing and chatted to staff and patients in the newly refurbished premises.
