Delve into the past with a look through the columns of the East Lothian News and Musselburgh News
From our issue of March 7, 2008100 years agoAT a meeting of the General Committee of Midlothian Unionist Association, Sir Charles Dalrymple, who presided, expressed regret that Mr Frank J Usher, who contested the sea
t at the last election, had declined repeated invitations to stand again. Sir Charles then announced that that Selection Committee had recommended the Hon Mountstuart William Elphinstone, brother of Lord Elphinstone of Carberry Tower, Musselburgh, for the approval of the Association. The Hon Mountstuart Elphinstone, who is 36, is setting out on a political career. By his residence at Carberry he has obtained a fairly intimate knowledge of the constituency.
AT a meeting of Inveresk School Board, it was reported that a large number of children at Wallyford were affected with measles, and it was a question whether the school at Crookston be closed or not. The sanitary authorities had been notified of the fact, and they were to decide whether the school be closed or not by Monday first.
50 years agoFISHERROW Yacht Club is believed to be the first yacht club in the United Kingdom to run a training scheme which is entirely free to all persons over ten years of age who take out membership of the club. It is run on a night school basis throughout the winter, and will be followed by a course of practical training on the craft of yacht club members during the spring.
MUSSELBURGH Public Health Committee decided to do something positive in order to secure indoor public swimming facilities for the people of the town, and the Town Clerk, Mr David Taylor, was instructed to discuss with the headmaster of Loretto School, Mr Forbes Mackintosh, the possibilities of opening the Loretto School Baths to the public on one or two nights per week. The headmaster regretted that he was unable to comply with the request. He discussed the matter fully with the Town Clerk, and said that the Loretto School Baths were already being more than fully used, owing to the fact they were being used by the children of Midlothian schools.
25 years agoTHE latest estimated cost for the Musselburgh and Tranent bypasses has been announced, with further assurances from the Scottish Secretary, Mr George Younger, that the work would begin this year. The two bypasses will cost an estimated £12.1 million for the Musselburgh section and £8.2 million for the Tranent section. Mr Younger reaffirmed the Musselburgh section, the second stage of the three section bypass, was scheduled to begin in the winter, although it had previously been announced a start would be made by now. Alan Stewart, Scottish Affairs and Environment Minister, ruled out efforts to have the village of Gladsmuir bypassed. "This would be a very costly proposition which could not be justified on economic grounds," he said.
EAST Lothian District Council's general purposes and finance committee have pledged their support to moves fighting the closure of Tynepark List D School. Members were asked to back a motion by Haddington Labour Party to support efforts to save the town's List D School and others under threat.
10 years agoSTUDENTS throughout East Lothian were celebrating news of their graduation from the Open University. They were: Martin Cunningham (25), St Martin's Gate, Haddington, a production engineer, who receives a BSc degree; Tom Dickson (41) of Kirk Park, Dunbar, an engineer with Scottish Nuclear, whose BSc Honours degree was supported by his employers; Shona Forsyth (32), of Wellside, Haddington, a registrar with East Lothian Council, who receives a BA Honours degree; Margaret Furley (52), of Main Street, Aberlady, a clerical assistant with East Lothian Council, who graduates with a BSc Honours; Alan Imlah (42), of Whitecraig Avenue, Whitecraig, a volunteer information officer who achieved an MA in education despite being paralysed form the neck down; Evelyn Laidlaw (45), from Musselburgh, BA Honours; Paul Lennon (35), Lauder Place, East Linton, BA Honours; Sandra Patterson (40), Lime Grove, North Berwick, BA Honours; and Victoria Wilson (29), West Holmes Gardens, Musselburgh, an IT training administrator, who receives a BA degree.
From our issue of March 14, 2008100 years agoCOUNCILLOR Niven drew the attention of Musselburgh Town Council to the choking of the sewers through lack of systematic cleaning. The streets were swept on very wet days with the result that large quantities of mud and water were swept into the sewers by the scavengers. This was the cause of a great deal of the overflowing of the sewers, for it had never been so bad until recently. Bailie Kelt said the wettest day they could get was best for the sweeping of the streets. On the other hand he was of the opinion that the streets could be swept by the scavengers in a more intelligent way, and Mr Barclay should instruct his men to see to it that no mud is swept into the sewers. Meanwhile, a letter was read from the County Clerk on the question of the nuisance caused by the discharge of Wallyford village sewage into Ravensheugh Burn, which has been under consideration to the council for several years. The District Committee had not been quite satisfied with the proposals of the Earl of Wemyss, the superior of the ground.
50 years agoMUSSELBURGH Town Council agreed by a majority to support a Lanark Town Council petition dealing with the Licensing (Scotland) Acts with respect to Sunday drinking. "Like the rest of my fellow councillors, I sympathise with the Lanark councillors, " said Dr T Wright. "But the situation is caused by our most fantastic licensing laws. We can go to Lanark and drink all day, but we cannot get one drink in our own town. Such restrictions have produced the very opposite effect of what they were expected to do, and now in Scotland we have the perfect parody of a Sabbath. It is a ridiculous situation where a person can travel to a place, say three hours distant, and drink all day long whereas the local inhabitant of that place cannot even get a pint of beer."
PEOPLE who rely on the High Church, Musselburgh, clock at the Mall and disdain to wear watches have had rather a shock on looking up at the clock this week for there are no longer any hands on this clock. It is having its face washed.
25 years agoA DIPLOMAT who was born and brought up in North Berwick, and still has a home in Westgate, received an honour from Her Majesty The Queen at the conclusion of her visit to Southern California. British Consul-General George F Finlayson received the Honour of Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO) from the Queen on board the Royal Yacht Britannia.
RUMOURS sweeping Tranent that the Cross Keys public houses and VG Foodstore in Bridge Street are about to vanish under the bulldozers were dispelled by East Lothian District Council. The confusion has arisen because of the uncertainty of the new road system to be introduced as a result of the Tranent bypass and south side improvement project.
PROUDEST boy in Prestonpans is 12-year-old Kevin Hooker, 146 Polwarth Terrace. Kevin, who was born with spina bifida, became the owner of a brand new Batricar through the fund-raising efforts of Bob and Agnes Hamilton of Tranent.
10 years agoWEST Barns Bowling Club has been awarded a £10,000 windfall in the latest cash awards from the Lottery Sports Fund. The money will go towards the £40,000 cost of building a new locker/shower facility adjacent to the existing clubhouse. The surrounding area will also be landscaped.
AN emotional farewell was given to Rev Sandy Strachan by the 300 people who attended the popular minister's final service. The congregations of St Michael's, Inveresk, and St John's, Whitecraig, were joined by members of other churches at a family service when they wished well to the minister and his wife, Helen, on their move to Guernsey at the end of the month.
NORTH Berwick's town clock is to carry on chiming. Local councillor Jean McEwan had been approached by a local hotelier who claimed that he was losing business because guests were kept awake at night by the hourly chimes. Officials have decided the clock should not be changed.
From our issue of March 21, 2008100 years agoTHE pollution of the River Esk at Musselburgh is at times very bad, reported Mr John Barclay, sanitary inspector. Immediately outside the burgh boundary there are two pipes from Messrs Stewart's net factory and the cottages adjoining discharging sewage (in a crude state) and other deleterious matter, including bark dyes and other chemicals of an oily nature, into the river. A little further up the river, two sewers, which drain the village of Inveresk, also discharge sewage into the river. In fact the whole of the sewage from the various towns, villages, and works along the course of the river (with the exception of Penicuik) is discharged into the river without any attempt at purification. There are also at times large quantities of mine water and the residue of coal washings discharged into the river from several coal mines; this leaves a thick muddy deposit along the whole bed of the river. During dry weather, when the river is low, the faeces and other deleterious matter is deposited along the sides and bed of the river.
50 years agoINDISCRIMINATE gathering of mussels might destroy the mussel beds at Fisherrow. A meeting of Musselburgh general purposes committee recommended refusal of all further permits for the right to gather mussels. The question came with the application of Gourdon Fishermen's Association for the lease of the sole right to gather mussels from Fisherrow Scalp. They wished to gather three tons of mussels per week, to be used as bait by line fishermen. The Medical Officer had maintained that the mussels were not fit for human consumption.
MUSSELBURGH Town Council have asked for the support of their Dalkeith counterparts in an effort to have Edenhall Hospital incorporated in the general hospital service for the area. They are satisfied that the hospital is suitable for this purpose, and are backed by the opinion of general practitioners in the town. Dalkeith have agreed to support the proposal in principle, providing the opening of Edenhall to the general public does not prejudice its chances of having a hospital.
25 years agoAN Ormiston woman has had an emotional reunion with the sister she last saw 34 years ago. Mrs Jenny Urwin, 13 Meadowbank, received the surprise of her life when she walked into her livingroom on Saturday. For sitting there to meet her was her sister, Mrs Sarah Porteous, whom she last saw in 1959. Sarah, a widow, and another sister, Mrs Jean Bisset, are over from Australia for a three-month visit.
COMPLAINTS from residents living near a haulage contractors yard in Tranent have prompted East Lothian District Council to consider finding the firm new premises. The environmental health committee agreed to help Wm Baxter & Son Ltd after learning the firm was outgrowing its present yard.
EAST Lothian District Council are looking for a caretaker for their Preston Tower Garden which is likely to be officially opened at the beginning of June. The council would like to see the caretaker of the nearby sheltered housing complex as a park warden for the new gardens.
10 years agoVILLAGERS in New Winton have been hard at work to save their threatened village hall from closure. The hall was gifted to the villagers by the Winton Estate some 50 years ago and local residents were responsible for its upkeep and maintenance. They are now trying to raise around £5,000 to upgrade the rest of the hall, including the kitchen, toilets and storeroom.
ABERLADY Parish Church's millennium committee has received Lothian Presbytery's permission to install a stained glass window. The window would be funded by public subscription by the congregation and would not come from the fabric fund or any other church fund. Meanwhile, Whitekirk and Tyninghame is also to have two new stained glass windows —one gifted by Lady Grossart and the other by Lord Haddington.
A STUDY into the future of North Berwick harbour is being carried out at a cost of round £12,000. A team led by Reiach and Hall is working on the study.
From our issue of March 28, 2008100 years agoLETTER to the Editor: In your issue last week I read with pleasure a letter, the headlines of which were "Musselburgh Sadly in Need of a Library." With this statement I cordially agree. The want of a library with reading room has been discussed and talked about for years, but no-one seems prepared to take the initiative. Our civic fathers have the rates to consider but they have it in their power to adopt the Libraries Act. The extra assessment would not pauperise those who had to pay the additional tax. In Musselburgh we have a population approaching 14,000, and it seems like a disgrace that there is no library or reading room when there is such a large population — Advance.
MUSSELBURGH is fortunate in having a very considerable Common Good. The income is largely derived from feu duties and now, through the painstaking work of Mr A B Goldsmith, these have been registered and tabulated. He examined all the feu duty books kept by respective treasurers of the Burgh from 1773 to the present day.
50 years agoIN order to provide a new attraction in the Labour Hall, Musselburgh, on Saturday evenings, the committee have engaged a very popular orchestra from West Lothian to be in attendance. They specialise in rock 'n' roll and have also a skiffle group. There will be no extra charge for admission, and late buses will be provided. Meanwhile, the social and dance organised by the Labour women's section was a great success. President, Mrs Isa McNeill, presided and welcomed over 100 section members.
WHEN Musselburgh Town Council received a communication from the Historic Buildings Council for Scotland, intimating that the Minister of Works had awarded a grant of £2000 towards the cost of repair of the Roman Bridge, they had to fall in with the conditions laid down by the Historic Buildings Council. The council emphasises that the sum specified was a maximum. If the work cost less, the grant would be reduced accordingly and, if it should cost more, the Town Council would be required to meet the excess.
25 years agoMORE than 2,000 people took the opportunity to visit the new £372,000 North Berwick Health Centre and be shown round by doctors and other members of staff. The new centre, in the grounds of Edington Cottage Hospital to which it is connected, came into operation on Monday, when the group practice premises at Garve, Beach Road, and the clinic premises in High Street closed. On the upper floor, beside the four surgeries — one each for Dr J Walinck, Dr W Waugh, Dr R Simmons and Dr P Keeling — there is a splendid physiotherapy room, a treatment room for the use of sister Mary Dennison, and rooms for a chiropodist, a social worker and specialist visitors.
A RESTORED generating set, which dates back to the turn of the century, is to be handed over to Prestongrange mining museum. The 90 kilowatt set, manufactured by Bruce Peebles Electrical, was donated by the Scottish Gas Board. The restoration work was carried out by SSEB apprentices at Cockenzie power station. They have also produced a plaque for the final display.
10 years agoFORMER Tranent and Elphinstone community councillor John Tyson has died after a long battle against cancer. Mr Tyson, a long-serving Army man, came to Tranent in the 1950s and quickly established himself in the life of the local community. He opened a shop selling motoring accessories. He was an active and hard- working member of the local children's gala committee for many years.
A GIFFORD woman, who spent two months last summer helping refugees in Zaire, is planning to continue her aid work. Mary Tennant (29), whose mum Sarah and dad Julian live in the village, is currently studying for an MA in Development Studies at Leeds University.
MUSSELBURGH Grammar School's bid to smarten up their image stepped up a gear when the school PTA held a successful fashion show. The show was designed to promote the image of the school and to encourage a sense of identity for pupils in a bid to introduce a stricter dress code for all.
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