Delve into the past with a look through the columns of the East Lothian News and Musselburgh News
From our issue of February 6, 2009100 years agoTHE half-yearly meeting of the Heritors of the Parish of Inveresk was held in the Parish Halls, Sir Alexander Hope, Bart, of Pinkie House, presiding. Mr R C Menzies aske
d if it were the case that the graves after interment were filled up, or whether they were in some cases allowed to lie open for some time. The chairman said Mr Newlands had answered the question in committee. Provost Simpson rose up and said he thought Mr Menzies would be quite content if the Churchyard Management Committee were authorised to look into the matter. Mr Scarlett said he thought the Committee of Management would see that everything was done decently. We understand this question arose through a letter in our columns in which it was alleged that in the common ground for poor people in the churchyard the graves were in some cases left open for the reception of other coffins. If such a practice exists we have no doubt the committee will see to it that it is stopped at once. It was intimated that wrought iron receptacles for withered flowers had been presented by Mr Menzies.
50 years ago THE Rev Sidney Adamson, latest of a long line of ministers of Musselburgh's oldest church, was inducted to the charge of St Michael's Church, Inveresk, on Wednesday afternoon in the presence of 200 members of the congregation. In the evening, Mr and Mrs Adamson and their son Barry were welcomed to Musselburgh and Inveresk by the congregation at a social in the church hall, which was packed to the door.
THE Moderator of Presbytery, Mr Eaton, referred to a report which dealt with housey-housey and gambling. The Moderator said that, unfortunately, housey-housey was obtaining a firm grip and it was "pretty bad in Whitecraig" which was a "black spot."
THERE are few of the older Musselburgh folk who did not learn to dance in Stein's Ballroom. John Stein, himself a brilliant dancer and known universally in the town as Uncle Johnny, opened the dance hall when it was built in 1922 and "Stein's" was Musselburgh's first real ballroom.
25 years ago RESIDENTS of North Berwick this week said 'thank you' to the "true gentleman who contributed so enormously to the well being of the town" for more than 30 years. Townspeople crowded into the ballroom of the Marine Hotel for the retiral presentation of Dr Derrick Morton, not just a town doctor, but "a friend to us all." Addressing the reception, Sir Hew Hamilton-Dalrymple thanked Dr Morton for his services. The doctor and his wife, Kathleen, were a well known "team" in North Berwick. Dr Morton was presented with a silver salver and salmon fishing rod while Mrs Morton received a crystal claret jug and glasses, and there was still a cheque for £1,150 left over to spend as they chose.
A LONGNIDDRY housewife has graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree from the Open University after a five-year course of studies. Mrs Dorothy Goodwyn, 33 Glassel Park Road, is now looking forward to striving for an honours degree.
10 years agoTRIBUTES have been paid to unsung heroes who helped a group of elderly Tranent residents when the roof was blown off their sheltered housing complex during the Boxing Day storms. Local councillor Bishop Shepherd praised the actions of the emergency services and a relief warden who went to the pensioners' assistance at the Well Wynd complex. Residents from the upper floor had to be evacuated when an area of flat roof was ripped off.
THE sons of Musselburgh, Wallyford and Whitecraig who fought and died during the Second World War are set to receive official recognition. The names of 214 servicemen who lost their lives between 1939 and 1945 have been put forward for inclusion on Musselburgh's proposed war memorial. The roll of honour has been compiled by the Musselburgh War Memorial Remembrance Fund Committee as part of its long-running campaign to establish an official war memorial at the old fountain in the High Street. Secretary Ruth Knight this week thanked the community for its assistance.
Interested in local history? Find out more by contacting East Lothian Local History Centre and Scran, both of which hold fascinating records of life in East LothianFrom our issue of February 13, 2009100 years agoON Saturday last a meeting of the employees of Carberry Colliery was held in the Royal Hotel Hall, Musselburgh. After dealing with the Eight Hours Bill, a question was raised about providing for the distress at the various collieries through miners having so much short time. Mr R Brown, Scottish miners' secretary, spoke at some length on the acute distress which undoubtedly existed at the various collieries in East and Midlothian, specially mentioning Carberry, Wallyford, Rosewell and Polton.
IT was reported to Musselburgh Town Council that alterations to the racecourse had been well pushed forward, and were now nearing completion. The council agreed to meet on the ground in regard to altering a part of the fencing on the course. The council also agreed to consider the advisability of preserving an entrance from the Links to Goose Green between the Wire Works and the Royal Musselburgh Golf Club-House.
50 years agoA RETIRED station master who breeds Border terriers as a hobby, took one of them, seven-months-old Rab Roy, to Cruft's Dog Show in London and collected one first and three second prizes. He is Mr Walter Irving, Marine Cottage, New Street, Musselburgh. Along with him went Mr T Geddes, 11 Eskdale Road, who entered Rab Roy's sister, Linwell, and captured four first prizes and one second prize.
ALREADY, since September 16, 1958, the Mall House Furnishers have spent about £100 in their efforts to get rid of the dampness in their gable wall. As they were satisfied that the dampness was caused by Musselburgh Town Council having raised the level of plot of ground fronting the Town Clerk's Office, they were not prepared to bear one-half share of the cost of providing and laying new slabs. The meeting recommended that the Town Council should, in the circumstances, go ahead with the work at their own expense — the estimated cost being £40.
25 years agoA PROPOSAL that Coal Board chairman Ian MacGregor open the extended Prestongrange Mining Museum was attacked. The museum's joint steering committee recommended Mr MacGregor should be invited to perform the opening ceremony of the new Prestongrange visitor centre later this year. As part of the coal heritage trail between Prestongrange and Lady Victoria Colliery, Mr MacGregor would be expected to receive the NUM banner of the Newtongrange pit. Councillor Pat O'Brien said: "There is bad feeling in our area regarding the closing down of pits." Councillor Tom Wilson felt Mr MacGregor should not be invited. "Instead of opening it, he might close it," was the quip from Councillor John Macnair.
A £69,000 facelift is planned for the Balfour Square and John Street areas of Tranent. A £40,000 landscaped project is earmarked for the former prefab site at Balfour Square a car park is included for the proposals at John Street.
10 years agoCHAIRMAN of the Gladsmuir Community Group, Scott Galt, has expressed gratitude to local residents who generously gave up their time to attend a recent East Lothian local plan inquiry concerning housing strategy. CALA Homes (Scotland) Ltd lodged an outline planning application last year for a village expansion scheme which could see up to 450 homes being built around the existing hamlet. Mr Galt said: "As a result of their commitment during the last three weeks we were able to demonstrate the opposition of the community."
A PROCESSION of local children decked out in Victorian dress will brighten up Dunbar's High Street next week to celebrate the 150th anniversary of John Muir's departure from the town. John Muir left Dunbar for Wisconsin in the USA with his parents 150 years ago this month and Mrs Maxine Pettigrew, the P7 teacher at Dunbar Primary School, has been organising the pageant with the help of Mrs Joan Bailey from the Dunbar John Muir Association.
Interested in local history? Find out more by contacting East Lothian Local History Centre and Scran, both of which hold fascinating records of life in East LothianFrom our issue of February 20, 2009100 years agoAT a very largely attended meeting of the members of the Musselburgh and Fisherrow Co-operative Society Ltd, held in the Town Hall, Musselburgh, attention was drawn to the distress in the town and surrounding district caused through unemployment, especially in the coal trade, and it was unanimously agreed to place at the disposal of the committee the sum of £200 to be applied to the relief of necessitous cases amongst the members.
LETTER to the Editor: I notice with satisfaction the formation of a corps of Boy Scouts in Musselburgh. There is no finer training for a boy to fit him for the duties of a man in any station of life in any part of the Empire than the training he will get as a scout. I say to parents: by all means have them trained to be useful and manly, quick of eye and sure of foot, but above all have them taught to swim. Should the occasion arise that their lives depend on their own exertions, they will not lose their heads in deep water. J G Warner, Musselburgh Swimming Club.
50 years agoLAST Friday a party was held in the canteen at J & W Stuart's, Musselburgh, at which a presentation of a standard lamp was made to Miss Annie Smith, who retired after 46 years' service in the Twisting Department of the works. As recently as last November, her sister, Chrissie, had retired. Department foreman Mr R C Begbie spoke of the sisters' wonderful record of work, and Miss Annie Smith made a suitable reply. She cut a beautifully decorated cake and the rest of the evening took the form of a social for which Mr Jock Gunn provided the music.
THOUSANDS of men and women throughout the country are experiencing the hardships of unemployment as the result of the deliberate policies of the Government, said Mr E G Willis, MP for East Edinburgh, when he addressed members of Musselburgh Labour Party. Tens of thousands, he said, were living in a state of fear and uncertainty. "It has become quite obvious," insisted Mr Willis, "that Tory policies cannot bring prosperity to Scotland."
25 years agoBRITISH Rail this week gave their strongest commitment yet to the future of the Edinburgh to North Berwick railway line. BR's area operations manager Mr Harold Bowron announced they would be laying on extra trains when a new timetable is introduced in May. Councillor Pat O'Brien said: "I am delighted with the commitment British Rail have made to the North Berwick to Edinburgh line." Meanwhile, BR came under fire at a meeting of the environmental health committee over the poor condition of North Berwick railway station. Councillor John Macnair said: "At one time this station used to get prizes. Now it is really a slum."
CONGRATULATIONS were in order when Musselburgh Amateur Musical Association members got together. Time off from a rigorous schedule was allowed when members congratulated their producer, Mr Tommy McIntyre, on being honoured in the Queen's New Year list. Mr McIntyre was awarded the British Empire Medal for his services to amateur dramatics.
10 years agoTHE campaign to save Fisherrow School from demolition will take to the streets next weekend in protest at council inaction on moves to preserve the building. The action group at Fisherrow Community Centre, which is housed within the school, will be supporting a march and rally in Musselburgh on Saturday February 27. Keith Simpson, secretary of the community centre management committee, said the action group had agreed to support the march in light of the continuing lack of action from East Lothian Council in its attempt to save the Fisherrow School building.
MEMBERS of the public can now get their first glimpse of the £4.7 million extension to East Lothian Council's headquarters in Haddington. A new reception area, accessed from Brewery Park, has been created although council taxes and council house rents should still be paid via the former reception area off Court Street. A spokesman explained East Lothian had received £1.2 million from the former Lothian Regional Council to offset the costs of the project.
Interested in local history? Find out more by contacting East Lothian Local History Centre and Scran, both of which hold fascinating records of life in East LothianFrom our issue of February 27, 2009100 years agoWITH the exception of Monday last, the soup kitchen at Musselburgh Town Hall has been open every day this week, and has been very largely attended. On one or two days it was reckoned there would be present about 400 children. Many older people present themselves daily at the kitchen with jugs, and obtain a portion of the hot fare. The efforts of the promoters are very much appreciated by all.
ON Friday last a rather remarkable golfing feat was performed on Musselburgh Links. Mr Wm Paterson, Assistant Town Chamberlain, while playing to the last hole, had it in one stroke. Of course, this has been done before, but the remarkable thing about it was that his companion, Mr John Ness, also drove close to the hole. In putting for a two, however, the ball went into the cup and rolled out again, having no doubt struck the ball already in the cup. Had Mr Ness got the hole in two, he would have been beat on any account. It is seldom one hears of a hole being lost after sinking the ball in two strokes.
50 years agoTHERE have recently been several accidents owing to the lack of a stair light at 5 Kilwinning Street, Musselburgh. In a letter to the housing committee, the tenants appealed to the Town Council to give them a light as the stairway, at present, was so dark. At present Kilwinning Street is gas lit, although the system will be converted to electricity soon. Bailie Waugh said that the first street for conversion to electricity should be Kilwinning Terrace. Bailie Hill said Kilwinning Street was "blacked-out" by the property at the "Dam Brae." He looked on Kilwinning Street as one of Musselburgh's "black spots."
MUSSELBURGH police station are finding that spring is not the season for losing things. In the past week there was handed in at the police station one 10/- note, a tartan travelling rug, a heavy iron pulley wheel and several keys. As our reporter left she enquired if anyone had handed in a beret, which she had just lost. But that was one article still be to handed in to the station.
25 years agoFORMER data control clerk Susan Medland of Marine Parade, North Berwick, is off to a flying start in her new career with the Royal Air Force. Susan (20) has passed out of the RAF School of Recruit Training at Swinderby near Lincoln as best recruit of her flight. Susan, a former pupil of North Berwick High School, is now going to RAF Gosford for specialist training as an Electronic Technician Flight Systems.
THE proposed sheltered housing at the former cottage hospital will be a "prestigious addition" to Dunbar, community council chairman Stephen Bunyan said. Mr Bunyan said he had studied plans proposed by the Civil Service Benevolence Fund and the attractive buildings, surrounded by landscape gardening, would be an attractive addition to the town's landscape.
OFFICIALS of Prestonpans Labour Party are: chairman, Jimmy Cullerton; secretary, Willie Innes.
10 years agoWORK started earlier this month on the upgrading of the latest section of the A1 carrriageway to be dualled. The new stretch is about 2km south east of Dunbar from west of Spott to Oswald Dean, and includes realignment of Spott Road and the construction of a roundabout at Spott Road junction, together with construction of a new access to Hallhill. The £3m project, expected to be completed in 10 months, will join up with the Oswald Dean to East Innerwick junction road end section which was dualled in 1997.
SNP activitists and members gathered at the Brunton Hall for the formal adopting meeting of Kenny MacAskill as prospective Scottish Parliamentary candidate for the Edinburgh East and Musselburgh seat.
COLIN Sutherland, the new head teacher at North Berwick High, was settling into his job this week. Mr Sutherland (43), was formerly acting head teacher at Port Glasgow High School. Mr Sutherland and his family are planning to live in Port Seton.
Interested in local history? Find out more by contacting East Lothian Local History Centre and Scran, both of which hold fascinating records of life in East Lothian
