Looking Back – news from the John O'Groat Journal of yesteryear
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Wick lighting 'a disgrace'
From the Groat of January 21, 1921
Wick Chamber of Commerce heard that the lighting and the state of the roads and streets in the town was a disgrace and that electric lighting should have been installed long ago.
Provost McEwen made the remarks during a discussion about whether the town council should be approached to have electric lighting installed in the burgh.
It transpired that there had been a scheme initiated for electric lighting some years previously but this had fallen by the wayside after the contractor had gone bankrupt.
The provost considered that a scheme should get under way, starting at the harbour, and it was even suggested that tidal power could be harnessed to power the lights.
It was agreed to approach Wick Harbour Trust in a bid to take the idea forward.
Meanwhile, an exciting scene was witnessed at Scrabster when a horse, yoked to a cart belonging to George Sinclair, fishcurer, took fright and jumped into the harbour. After entering the water the horse succeeded in getting clear of the cart, which sank.
A boat was secured and the crew was successful in getting the horse, which was swimming in the harbour, guided to a suitable landing place.
Traders object to tuck shop
From the Groat of January 22, 1971
Traders who had formerly sold cakes and confectionery from vans to pupils at Wick High School during breaks had strongly objected to being deprived of this business as a result of the tuck shop being set up within the school grounds.
Bailie Daniel T Harper told Caithness Country Council that the traders were ratepayers and part of their livelihood had been taken away from them, and he wanted to know who had granted permission for such a scheme.
On learning that the education committee was responsible, he hit out, saying they had "no right to do this sort of thing".
He also commented on the fact that the shop was run by pupils.
"Children go to school to learn," he said, "not to become part of a nation of shopkeepers. As far as I can see the high school is setting out to make them shopkeepers."
It was agreed to ask the education committee to look at the matter again. It was stressed that the traders included ex-servicemen and that, if the local authority did not examine the position further, the matter would be raised with the British Legion and the MP.
Row over cinema ventures
From the Groat of January 26, 1996
A row had broken out behind the screens in Thurso which threatened to cast a shadow over the return of a regular cinema after an absence of several years.
Two rival groups – the local town improvements association and a mobile film company from central Scotland – were both showing Braveheart within a few days of each other at Thurso Town Hall. But only one – Filmobile from Lanarkshire – had been given a discount on the rent of the hall by its owner, Caithness District Council.
The town improvements association chairwoman Helen Brown said they were flabbergasted to learn that Filmobile was to get a 50 per cent discount. They had applied for a discount earlier in the year to run events but didn't get it, "so we didn't think there was any point in asking them again", she said.
The association had commissioned the Edinburgh Film Guild to screen Braveheart and Apollo 13, while Filmobile was showing Braveheart and Pocahontas just a few days later.
Mrs Brown said: "It is going to cost us nearly £1500... and we are getting no help, yet we are doing this to raise money to put back into the town. It is unbelievable."
