Delve into the past with a look through the columns of the East Lothian News and Musselburgh News
From our issue of April 4, 2008100 years agoAT the weekly meeting of Bridge Street UF Church Literary Society, Mr Robert Couston made the following motion: "That Bridge Street Literary Society appoint a small committ
ee to meet and confer with other literary societies in Musselburgh with a view to approaching the Town Council and to ask them to consider the matter of adopting the Free Libraries Act, and thereafter to approach Mr Carnegie with the view of securing a public library for the town." The motion was seconded by Mr A Y McGill.
A REPORT was submitted by the Compulsory Officer on the attendance at Wallyford School on re-opening after the recent epidemic of measles. It was reported that on the day of opening the attendance was 138 out of a total of 168. The school had been closed for three weeks. Within the past four years the school had been closed three times with measles. Mr Young said the bad sanitation of Wallyford was responsible for the frequent outbreaks of the epidemic.
50 years agoMUSSELBURGH'S mussel beds are being ruined by a polluted River Esk, and tourists might be driven away by the smell issuing from its waters, stated Provost James Lannand at a meeting of the Lothians River Purification Board. "The river is running like an open sewer," he said, "and the inhabitants of the burgh are alarmed at the position." Provost Lannand, who lives in the Stoneybank area, not far from the River Esk, claimed: "I watch the pollution every afternoon. The stench sometimes radiates around the whole river bank area." The National Coal Board are carrying out further work to reduce the pollution from their sources. The paper mills by the banks of the Esk are forging ahead with plans to reduce the content of pollution in their discharge.
ON an international panel of an "Any Questions" show staged at Musselburgh Town Hall last week, Willie Ormond unhesitatingly named Alec Young of Hearts as the best centre forward in Scottish football at present. "He is a great team man and works with his other inside men," he said.
25 years agoPRESTONPANS this week mourned the death of a former provost, Lothian Regional Councillor Jimmy Nisbet, who died after a short illness. He was 58. Jimmy, of 10 Wilson Avenue, Prestonpans, was born and brought up in the town. He was elected to the old Prestonpans Burgh Council in 1955 on which he served as treasurer, bailie and Provost. At local government re-organisation in 1974, he was elected to Lothian Regional Council as representative for the Gladsmuir and Preston ward.
COUNCILLORS have clashed over a decision to make East Lothian a "nuclear free zone." The anti-nuclear stance was adopted by the ruling Labour group at a special meeting of the full council. The Labour view was led by Councillor Pat O'Brien (Prestonpans) who reminded everyone that nuclear war would be the "final holocaust." For the Tories, Councillor David Whiteford said that not to take part in civil defence was to let people die. "We accept that nuclear deterrence is a fact of our time. The real nuclear deterrent is nuclear horror."
10 years agoBEACON bonfires and a torchligh procession are among the ideas being suggested to celebrate the start of the new millennium in Cockenzie and Port Seton. The local community council was delighted with the response to its request for ideas for millennium celebrations and will now suggest to East Lothian Council that beacon bonfires are lit in all coastal towns and villages on Hogmanay.
A MAJOR restoration and improvement project at Lewisvale Park in Musselburgh is due to start by the end of August at a cost of more than £350,000. East Lothian Council has received a £264,000 grant from the National Heritage Memorial Fund which will help fund the work. The project, which will cost £359,997, is expected to start by the end of August.
A SMART new look could be on the way for East Lothian's school pupils, with moves to introduce dress codes in every school across the district — after backing from the education committee.
From our issue of April 11, 2008100 years agoAN alarming accident occurred at Prestongrange Pit. Four men were buried by a fall of stone from the roof of the great seam working. Mr Alexander Cunningham, stone mine contractor, 37 West Holmes Gardens, Musselburgh, and three miners — John Gunn, Summerlee Street. Prestongrange; Thomas Cunningham, Eskside, Musselburgh; and George Steele, Musselburgh — were engaged "redding a wreck" caused by hutches gone off the track, knocking out props. Suddenly about three tons of stone from the unsupported roof fell upon them. They were got out very speedily. Steele had escaped with a few scratches as Gunn, who is elderly, had fallen across him. Gunn was very badly hurt about the head and face. Thomas Cunningham was injured on the head and Alexander Cunningham was hurt on the back and crushed internally. The men were removed to their homes in an ambulance. Meanwhile, representatives from all the mining districts attended a meeting of the Lothian Miners' Association in Dalkeith.
50 years agoWHEN three-year-old Robert Towler fell 30 feet from a window in Moir Terrace, Musselburgh, he landed inches from a concrete path in the garden — and was unhurt! Mrs Annie Cowan, the boy's grandmother, had just started to climb the stairs outside a two-storey tenement when she saw her grandson fall through the air and land in the garden. He had begun to cry when Mrs Cowan was joined by her daughter, Mrs Elizabeth Towler, and an aunt who had been in the house at the time. Mrs Towler had opened the windows in the front bedroom because they had been "steamed up" and had begun making the beds. She had her back turned for only a minute, but in that minute he appeared to have climbed on to a chair, and she next saw him disappearing over the window. She made a despairing, last-minute grab for him but in vain, and Robert fell to the ground.He was carried into a neighbour's house on the ground floor and a doctor was called. Robert was then taken to the Sick Children's Hospital for observation. A doctor later described his escape of injury as "really amazing."
25 years agoSTAFF at Haddington's Lamp of Lothian Trust have described their newly renovated Poldrate Granary as "throbbing with new life." A magnificent agricultural building now renovated on the ground and first floors to accommodate community pottery, photographic darkroom and workshop facilities being used at present by two Collegiate clubs — the Visual Arts Workshop and Haddington Camera Club — it is the latest mill building to be restored by the Trust. The first, the Mill Workers Cottages, renovated in 1968, now houses The Bridge Youth Centre, recently updated to include a drop-in centre with fast food bar to be open throughout the day.
HADDINGTON branch of the East Lothian Conservative Association have elected Mr Alasdair Watson as their candidate in the forthcoming district by- election. Mr Watson, the proprietor of a stationer's in Market Street, hopes to take over from Councillor David Thomson who has decided to concentrate his activities on his role as a regional councillor.
10 years agoWORK has started on the installation of zebra crossings in Tranent and Port Seton. The Tranent crossing is being installed in Haddington Road, near Morrison Avenue, while the Port Seton crossing is in Links Road outside the Co-op. Each crossing is costing around £4,000.
MUSSELBURGH Rugby Club members have agreed unanimously to give up their ground at Stoneyhill — valued at £1 million — and move to Pinkie Playing Fields. The move would involve entering into negotiations with East Lothian Council in a bid to join their Centre for Excellence for Sport Scheme. The plans for Pinkie playing field comprise three pitches, match floodlighting on the pit, training floodlights (previously installed by Musselburgh RC at Pinkie), a 400-seater stand with six changing rooms, physiotherapy and referees' rooms, toilets, a clubhouse equivalent to the current one at Stoneyhill, and car park. Meanwhile, plans for a multi-million pound sports complex in Dunbar,on land near the railway line off Countess Road, have been outlined.
From our issue of April 18, 2008100 years agoA DEPUTATION of ratepayers of Musselburgh met the Magistrates in the Burgh Chambers to submit the following resolution which had been adopted at a temperance demonstration in the Town Hall: "That this meeting of citizens of Musselburgh urges upon the Provost and Magistrates to close up all the back doors of the public houses, as they made public supervision more difficult, gave increased facilities for the sale of drink and encouraged secret drinking, and increased the temptation to many, particularly women and children." Bailie Kelt announced that the Magistrates would give a deliverance at the Licensing Court next day. At the Licensing Court, Bailie Kelt intimated that they had given the resolution their very serious consideration, and he thought the result would be found in the decisions come to in connection with the various applications before the court. Several of the applicants for transfers were granted certificates on condition that they closed their side doors to the premises.
50 years agoTHE first item on the agenda at Musselburgh Town Council's "greetin' meeting" was the presentation of a Royal Humane Society Award to 14-year-old George Lee Urwin, who rescued a boy from drowning last year. Provost Lannan, calling George "a delightful and gallant little gentleman," handed over the award while Chief Constable William Merrilees read the citation. It was in October that George, a pupil of Musselburgh Grammar School, dived fully clothed into the sea at the Promenade where two-and-a-half year old Raymond Demarco was struggling in stormy waters which were swollen by the high tide.
MR George Sutherland, 13 Thorntree Crescent, Prestonpans, has won the City and Guilds of London Institute Bronze Medal for Coal Mining. Mr Sutherland left the RAF and was for a short time with Ward & Co., wagon repairers, then he started on the surface as a labourer at Prestonlinks Colliery in 1951. He attended evening classes at Musselburgh Grammar School to acquire the qualification for day release education.
25 years agoTO mark the centenary of the present church building, the congregation of St Andrew's Church, North Berwick, are having a week of celebration beginning with a united service in the ruins of the old church in Kirk Ports on May 29. A booklet on the last 100 years of the church's history is being prepared by the minister, Rev W M Ferrier, and an all-purpose card, showing an architect's drawing of the church, will be on sale.
AGE Concern have made a grant of £500 towards the cost of the conversion of Belhaven Parish Church Stables, which are to be opened up next month. The kirk session are very grateful for this assistance as the stables will provide a custom-designed meeting place for the elderly and disabled.
A CHURCH of Scotland minister is expected to be nominated by the Labour Party to fight the Gladsmuir and Preston regional by-election. Rev Colin Morton, of Prestongrange Church, is almost certain to be named as Labour candidate.
10 years agoA SHORT dedication ceremony was held at Dunbar this week to mark the completion of restoration work on the town's Fishermen's Monument. The monument, which has been a prominent and important landmark in the harbour area for many years, was built in 1856 with carvings by Alex Handyside Ritchie, a famous sculptor of the time. The carvings were restored by local sculptor Michelle de Bruin, with a new barometer installed by James Ritchie and Sons of Livingston.
TRIBUTES have been paid by Lothian Presbytery to the Rev Colin Donaldson, who is to retire from his charges at Pencaitland and Ormiston on August 1. Mr Donaldson thanked Presbytery for its good wishes and said he could hardly believe it was 16 years since he had come to Ormiston and Pencaitland. He referred to the conversion of Pencaitland Carriage House from a derelict building to a thriving centre for use not only by the church but by the community at large. In Ormiston, he said, the church was in excellent condition.
From our issue of April 25, 2008100 years agoIT is now well known that Mr J Ramsay, of the Royal Bank, Musselburgh, is about to retire from the services of the bank after having been in the employment of the company for nearly half a century. Mr Ramsay, a native of Skirling, Peebles-shire, received his early training in the Western Bank, which came to grief in 1857. In 1860 Mr Ramsay came to Musselburgh as a clerk in the service of the Royal Bank of Scotland, and in four years was appointed accountant. In 1877 he was appointed joint agent of the branch and, in the following year, on the death of Mr Thomas Lees, Town Clerk, he succeeded to the agency, which position he has held for the past thirty years.
THE Rev John McNeill, the famous evangelist, paid a visit to Musselburgh and spoke for an hour in the open air at the Hayweights. The evening was beautiful and a large crowd assembled to listen to Mr McNeill's address. At the close he left the town in his motor car. He again addressed a meeting at the Hayweights next day.
50 years agoTHE flags were flying in Fisherrow on Saturday afternoon as members and friends of Fisherrow Yacht Club arrived in Caird's Row to attend the opening ceremony of this club which hopes to do much to revive a love of sailing in the hearts of all Fisherrow inhabitants and others who live further afield. Provost James Lannan was welcomed outside the club premises by the club commodore, Mr Joseph B McLean. A touch of colour was added not only by the Provost's gold chain of office but by the silver medallion sported by fisherman Robert Fairnie on behalf of the Fisherrow Fishermen's Association. This medallion was presented to the Fisherrow fishermen in 1796 for protecting the coasts during the Napoleonic wars. Another colourful and traditional feature was introduced by 82-year-old Fisherrow fishwife Miss E (Leebie) Langlands, 42 Lochend Road, dressed in eye-catching fishwife's costume. The Provost set the ball rolling in his welcoming speech to Lord and Lady Balfour and the many yacht club members who eagerly awaited the opening ceremony.
25 years agoMITSUBISHI (UK) Ltd this week remained tight-lipped about the intended site of its European video recorder production plant — amid mounting speculation that Haddington has already lost any hopes of winning over the new contract worth 100 jobs. For it is believed the Japanese electronics giant has decided to expand in Livingston instead of alongside the existing colour television factory at Gateside, although a company spokesman refused to confirm a decision had been made.
A FINAL decision on the future of the 24 hour accident and emergency unit at Roodlands General Hospital, Haddington, is unlikely to be taken until June. The unit is threatened because of new staffing arrangements designed to make sure junior doctors are adequately supervised.
GULLANE'S jubilee clock is up and ticking — formally inaugurated at noon last Saturday by local district councillor Dr David Whiteford. It is on the wall above the Goose Green bakery.
10 years agoTRANENT'S Loch Centre has reopened its doors following a £300,000 programme of repairs and refurbishment. The opening ceremony was carried out by local boxer Willie "The Mighty" Quinn. Members of the public were invited to come and see — but not use — the facilities on offer and there were also competitions. The work has included the creation of a new health suite with sauna and steam rooms as well as a "Bodyworks," a state of the art gym with body conditioning equipment. The entire poolside has been re-tiled and the changing areas completely renovated with new lockers installed.
A CONTROVERSIAL plan which could see historic Traprain Law turned into East Lothian's answer to Mount Rushmore has been unveiled. Calum Miller, convener of Prestonpans SNP, believes the ambitious proposal, which would see the faces of great Scots figures being carved into the volcanic rock face, could have massive tourism potential. "I am trying to find out what people think about it," said Mr Miller.
The full article contains 2778 words and appears in n/a newspaper.
