Thurso binmen stood in icy river to repair broken water pipe
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Thurso's Heritage by a Thirsa Loon
Last month, I closed the article about Thurso’s refuse collectors and street sweepers with insights from a letter penned in the 1860s. Following on, I begin with the observations of another correspondent from the same era: “I have visited several streets... among the rest Grove Lane and Wilson Street – two places – the dirtiest and most appalling I have ever beheld, the former being the worst of the two. They are taxed, sorely taxed, and why does not the Commissioners see the town properly cleaned.”
In 1871, the Commissioners appointed a subcommittee to address this ongoing issue. Unfortunately, this approach proved ineffective. Ultimately, in 1875, the Commissioners reclaimed control of refuse collections, employing their own personnel and purchasing a horse and cart.
Yet, as late as 1890, people persisted in dumping loose rubbish outside their doors, expecting scavengers to shovel it into carts. Some residents discarded their refuse after the cart had passed. Recognising the need for a change, the authorities determined that substantial labour, time, and mess could be saved if residents placed their rubbish into containers. To enforce this, they dispatched the town bellman to warn all householders of potential prosecution for failing to provide their own containers.
It wasn’t until 1907 that officials acknowledged the strenuous efforts of the scavengers in maintaining clean streets and granted them a weekly half-holiday. Incidentally, the council also had a water cart to keep down street dust, but this practice ceased in the first half of the 20th century.
Skipping ahead, the horse and cart were replaced by a tractor and trailer, which was replaced by a lorry in the 1950s. In 1957, the Thurso Town Council mandated that all dustbins be equipped with handles and lids to ensure cleaner streets, particularly on windy days. The proposal specified that households not using proper dustbins would not have their rubbish collected. However, the impact of this measure appeared limited.
During the subsequent year, the Burgh Surveyor was granted authority to hire additional workers to maintain Thurso’s cleanliness. Nevertheless, Robert Dick Pace appeared “quite slummy,” and Duncan Street featured “a few peculiar-looking receptacles” holding rubbish.
The binmen displayed extraordinary dedication in a noteworthy incident during the Thurso Town Council’s tenure. A pipe beneath the iron footbridge had collapsed, cutting off the water supply during a bitterly cold winter day with heavy snowfall limiting visibility.
Undeterred, the binmen completed their rounds and worked tirelessly to help repair the pipe throughout the night and the next day. They stood in the icy river, using ladders in freezing conditions to get the job done. Afterwards, they returned to their homes, soaked and frozen to get warmed with tea and dry clothing before promptly resuming the day’s rubbish uplift.
However, one councillor objected to the men being paid for their efforts. Given the hours worked and conditions endured, the councillor eventually relented, agreeing to an additional payment. The men received a mere £1 extra for their remarkable endeavours.
With the expansion of housing due to atomic developments, new challenges arose, including tenants failing to put their bins out on time, resulting in the lorry constantly returning to collect their rubbish. Eventually, a conversation between one driver and the housing officer for the atomic site led to a letter to the tenants, resolving the issue once and for all.
- To get in touch, contact thursoheritage1@gmail.com
