Extracts from the files of the East Lothian News and the Musselburgh News

From our March 9, 2007, issue

100 years ago

A YOUNG lad named Andrew McAlpine jnr was brought before Musselburgh Police Court charged with having thrown snowballs in Campie Road. He was convicted on evidence, and as it was explained that many females were somewhat severely hurt by some of the balls that were thrown, a fine of 7s 6d, with the alternative of five days' imprisonment, was imposed.

50 years ago

MR J A S Taylor, a Loretto School master, will referee the match between Wales and Ireland at Cardiff on Saturday. This is his first international, but he was elected to the panel of international referees last year. Mr Taylor, who played rugby for Musselburgh up to a few years ago, is a Scottish cricket internationalist with eight caps between 1952 and 1954.

MEMBERS of Musselburgh Town Council saw the film of the Riding of the Marches, taken by members of Edinburgh Cine Society, and when asked by Provost Joseph Reid for suggestions as to which shots might be left out, the general opinion was that too much of the film was devoted to the Royal visit and not enough to the festival. On the whole, this colour film was much appreciated.

CHICKENS in an incubator at the Convent in Windsor Gardens, Musselburgh, came to an unhappy end when they were roasted alive. There was a leakage of oil and the incubator burst into flames. The Fire Brigade could not save the chickens. The kitchen was damaged. Naughty children playing with matches started a fire and caused horses at Prestonpans to move out of their stables.

25 years ago

PROBABLY the proudest parents in Scotland this week are Nancy and David White of Beveridge Row, Belhaven. And no wonder — their son Derek (24) wins his first cap for Scotland against France at Murrayfield tomorrow. Derek, who stands 6ft 4in and weighs 15st 4lb, started playing rugby at Dunbar Grammar School. He is particularly grateful to PE teacher Brydon Stephen for his early encouragement.

10 years ago

A MANAGEMENT buyout has proved the icing on the cake for staff at Crawford the Bakers in Tranent. Staff at the High Street baker's shop welcomed the news that their shop was one of 18 involved in a successful management buy-out from their parent company. The move means the future of the Tranent shop is now secure, along with the jobs of the five members of staff.

BUSINESS is getting back to normal at Roodlands Hospital in Haddington after an outbreak of the contact infection, MRSA, forced a suspension of admissions to the medical unit. Admissions were stopped during mid-February when a number of patients contracted the infection, which can cause boils and abscesses.

PUPILS and staff at Law Primary School, North Berwick, will be bidding a sad farewell to head teacher Alistair MacNeill when he retires in two weeks. Mr MacNeill (57), who has been head at Law for the past 18 years, said he had thoroughly enjoyed his time at the school. Glasgow-born Mr MacNeill was brought up on the island of Tiree by his Gaelic speaking parents.

From our March 16, 2007, issue

100 years ago

A LETTER was submitted to Musselburgh Town Council from Mrs Agnes Bolster, New Street, complaining of fishermen drying their nets in front of her property, and also of the town's officials laying ashes down on her footpath. The Town Clerk stated that the drying of the nets was one of the oldest institutions in Musselburgh and could not very well be interfered with. Councillor Millar said it was not nets but sails that were hung out.

50 years ago

COUNCILLOR Dr T Wright gaily waved his papers to the crowd gathered outside the council chambers as he left after the Musselburgh Town Council meeting on Tuesday evening but several women in a hostile mood sprang at him. His hat was knocked off, and his face punched before the police came to his rescue and helped him back into the council chambers. Three women and one man were taken into custody and charged with breach of the peace. Earlier that evening over 2,000 municipal tenants had taken part in an orderly protest march against the council's proposed increases in rents.

BY way of an experiment, and so as to enable members who otherwise do not have the opportunity to attend Communion services together, a nursery was set up last Sunday in Millhill Church Hall to look after the children. With the aid of Sunday School teachers and members of the Youth Club acting as baby-sitters, it was gratifying to see the congregation taking advantage of this venture. Miss Margaret McOmish, the primary leader, and Mrs J Mathieson acted as governesses.

25 years ago

FANDABADOZI — that's the message from excited Pencaitland Primary School children who have been asked to sing on a World Cup record by The Krankies. The 21 P7 pupils have been busy rehearsing the chorus for Jimmy and Ian's song. The recording will be made at the Castle Sound Studios at the former Pencaitland public school. The name of the record is a secret but it is known to have a Spanish flavour.

10 years ago

STAFF and pupils at Preston Lodge High School in Prestonpans bade farewell to two long-serving teachers on Friday. Between them, maths teachers Jeffrey Berry and Allen Davis have clocked up more than 50 years in teaching.

WORK is progressing on a 60-bed nursing home on one of Tranent's most notorious gap sites. Grampian Care Ltd hope to open their new nursing home in September on the site of the former Co-op building in Bridge Street.

From our March 23, 2007, issue

100 years ago

THE dangers attendant on the eating of mussels found on the foreshore at Musselburgh were clearly emphasised by the Medical Officer, and it is hoped that people will profit by the information given to them and leave mussel shells alone. These come so much into contact with sewage that runs into the sea that they cannot be fit for human food.

50 years ago

THERE was considerable discussion at the general purposes committee of Musselburgh Town Council when the question of giving a local cinema permission to screen "The Birth of a Baby" was considered. It was finally decided that the committee would recommend that the film should not be shown in the burgh. Dean of Guild Thorburn said: "In these days it is a hard job to maintain the dignity of a woman. I was embarrassed when I saw the film."

25 years ago

NUDISTS are to be allowed to book East Lothian swimming pools for private sessions. An application from the Forth Naturist Club was unanimously approved — without comment — at the leisure, recreation and tourism committee. The decision was taken despite an earlier stand by the council not to allow district beaches to be used for nude bathing.

BELHAVEN Parish Church is planning to convert the adjacent stables complex into a coffee lounge and meeting room facility at an estimated cost of just over £13,000. But that bill will be reduced to only £5,000 if the Manpower Services Commission agree to supply labour under a special work project.

WORK on the old building of Haddington Infant School is nearing completion and it is hoped pupils and staff may be able to move back into their former accommodation early in the next term.

EAST Lothian District Council's leisure, recreation and tourism committee are hoping to encourage a commercial venture to take over the sun parlour at North Berwick harbour. A proposal to use the sun parlour as a marine and fresh water aquarium was withdrawn recently.

10 years ago

ELIZABETH, Dowager Duchess of Hamilton, has handed over the reins of the Lamp of Lothian Collegiate Trust after 30 years at the helm. Her successor is father-of-two Sir Alistair Grant, chairman of Safeway plc, who was born in Haddington, the son of a grocer. Sir Alistair was officially named the Lamp's chairman at a meeting of the trustees which was held at his home in Tyninghame House on Monday.

WORK which has started on the installation of closed circuit security cameras in the centre of Musselburgh is expected to last for about 13 weeks, with completion at the end of May. East Lothian Council has awarded the contract to Sensormatic who are experienced in this kind of work.

PARENTS, pupils and members of staff gathered to say a fond farewell to popular teacher Nessie Campbell who is set to retire at the end of the month after 22 years' service in Yester Primary, Gifford. Mrs Campbell (62), Gourlaybank, Haddington, returned to school for a special presentation. Two long serving teachers retired from Knox Academy. Both Morrice Lee, principal teacher of guidance, and Christine Tulloch, principal geography teacher, have worked at the school for more than 20 years.

From our March 30,2007, issue

100 years ago

IT has transpired that what is well known as "Forman's Public" in Musselburgh was burglariously entered last Friday morning, and about £9 abstracted from the till. Entrance had been obtained through breaking a pane of plate glass in one of the small windows that looks in to Forman's green on the golf course.

50 years ago

THE famous old Royal Musselburgh Golf Club has been taken over by the Coal Industry Social Welfare Organisation which is administered by the NCB and the National Union of Mineworkers. Formerly, during a century of golf, the Royal Musselburgh club played over the Links, but in 1926 they transferred to Prestongrange Estate which belonged to the Grant-Suttie family. This is the first golf club to come under the ownership of CISWO in Britain.

25 years ago

THERE was good news for King's Meadow Primary School, Haddington, this week with an offer of a colour television set from local company Mitsubishi Electric Ltd. The school had held a bring and buy sale in order to buy a set for use by pupils but now the company have offered to give the school a free one. Pupils from P7 have recently been visiting the Mitsubishi factory at Gateside as part of their local studies.

MORE than the putts are sinking at Royal Musselburgh Golf Course as golfers found out this week when an extra obstacle appeared on the 18th fairway in the form of an old mine shaft. The top of the stone-lined shaft, which is believed to be very old and one of the first in the district, was uncovered when a tractor towing a grass cutter was working on the fairway.

A SILENT order of monks is among the objectors who have asked to be heard at the public inquiry into the South of Scotland Electricity Board's planned route for the Torness transmission lines. The monks at the Sancta Maria Abbey at Nunraw are to place their objections to the Board's preferred Hillfoot route for the lines at the public inquiry which opens in Haddington Town House on April 19.

10 years ago

CLEARING his desk after 23½ years' teaching at Musselburgh Grammar School is Head of Biology, Bill Gentleman. But, taking his early retirement option at the end of the spring term, the one thing 57-year-old Bill did not have in mind was enjoying life in the slow lane. "I am looking at it as an opportunity to do something different," said Bill, who is probably best known as the man who "discovered" Yvonne Murray and set her out on the track to running success.

EAST Lothian MP John Home Robertson has welcomed the news this week that the General Election has been set for May 1. He said: "The Tory Government has finally fizzled out. They prolonged their own agony until the bitter end of the longest post-war parliament, hoping that something would turn up to save their credibility. If ever there was time for a fresh start with a new Labour government, this is it."

PRESTON Lodge High School's deputy head teacher has bade a fond farewell to staff and pupils after a teaching career spanning more than 30 years. Graham Coe's decision to take early retirement at the age of 56 came as something of a surprise to fellow staff members. Mr Coe, who lives in Haddington, began his career at PL in 1964.