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October 2008 Looking Back articles

Delve into the past with a look through the columns of the East Lothian News and Musselburgh News

From our issue of October 3, 2008

100 years ago

A SPECIAL meeting of Musselburgh Town Council was held for the purpose of receiving a deputation of citizens representing the various interests in the town who, at a large meeting held some months ago, were deputed to meet the Town Council in connection with a proposal to procure a free library and institute for the burgh. Rev Thomas Hannan, chief speaker for the deputation, said a representative meeting of ratepayers was held, the object of which was to take into consideration the question of adopting the Free Libraries Act. Referring to the number of young men who were in the habit of wandering aimlessly about the streets, he remarked that there was no doubt if they had a good public library in Musselburgh a large number of these young men would find their way to it. The library would consist of a reading room. There would also be a reference library. He said they had not approached Dr Andrew Carnegie, but it was quite certain that if approached he would provide the building and furnishings.

50 years ago

DISGRACEFUL foreshores of seaside resorts were "chasing prosperity out of the districts," claimed Musselburgh Provost James Lannan at a meeting of the Lothians River Purification Board. Holidaymakers returned no more because of the disgraceful beaches which, he said, "were more like no-man's land." Provost Lannan described how Musselburgh Town Council had been extremely alarmed at the situation. "About 55 years ago the beach at the racecourse was a perfect place for bathing," he said. "Further east, we had coal pits dumping small coal into the sea. Today I wish this Board could have a look at this 'beach.' Now we have acres and acres at the bottom end of the burgh filled with nothing but small coal."

CREATING a considerable amount of interest in Musselburgh this week is a make-it-yourself racing car. It is on display in the SMT main showroom window. The car was made by Mr Dennis Dryden, a salesman with the SMT, Musselburgh, who is in the novice racing class, this being his first year at the game.

25 years ago

A 17th century building in Dunbar, thought to contain a secret passage and stairs used at the time when Cromwell held prisoners there, is to be altered to form five flats. In granting permission, the planning committee have said that during renovation work the applicants must allow archaeological investigations to be carried out. The intriguing possibility of uncovering a secret passage at 23A High Street emerged when a neighbouring proprietor wrote to point out the historical interest.

PIPE Major Gavin Stoddart BEM, of the Royal Highland Fusiliers, currently serving with his regiment in Belfast, won the White Horse sponsored March, Strathspey and Reel piping competition at the Argyllshire Gathering at Oban. From Tranent, where his wife Jane and sons Graham (9) and Alistair (8) live, Gavin repeated his success in the 1981 competition when his name was first inscribed on the White Horse Trophy. A piper for 25 years, Gavin follows in the footsteps of his father George, from Edinburgh.

10 years ago

FRIENDS from far and wide have been venturing to Musselburgh for celebrations marking the 200th anniversary of the town's Congregational Church. A modest Victorian building standing at the top of Links Street, the church has enjoyed two centuries of devout worship and earned its place in the history books as the place where the Congregational Union of Scotland was conceived. The Congregational Church is the oldest standing place of worship in Musselburgh and, as such, has been paid respects from many quarters.

RESIDENTS in the South Seton Park area of Port Seton are getting ready to rumble following a proposal to introduce traffic calming measures near their homes. The community council has been campaigning for traffic calming measures to be taken in the village for some time now and had suggested introducing "rumble strips" in a bid to slow the traffic. The community council has also expressed concern over the state of the road surface in Park View West, parts of South Seton Park and Park Road.

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

From our issue of October 10, 2008

100 years ago

ON WEDNESDAY evening fire was discovered to have broken out in the stackyard at Pinkie Hill Farm, Inveresk, tenanted by Mr Alexander Kidd. Mr Kidd was unfortunately from home attending a market but willing hands were soon on the scene of the outbreak, and a telephone message was dispatched summoning one of the fire engines belonging to the Edinburgh Fire Brigade, which arrived in the course of three-quarters of an hour. The firemen had great difficulty in keeping the flames from spreading over the whole stackyard owing to the inadequate supply of water. This was the first time water pressure had been tested since the laying of the new six inch pipe from the Ship Inn to Inveresk, and consequently it was very disappointing to find that the water would not rise the height of the stacks. Naturally, the people of Inveresk are grumbling about this. It seems that if the cisterns in the houses to the south end of Inveresk are emptied during the day, there is no chance of them refilling till night again.

50 years ago

AFTER 39 years as a postman at Dalkeith, Mr Peter Holmes, 60 Whitecraig Avenue, Whitecraig, retired at the weekend. To present him with the Imperial Service Medal for faithful service, the Head Postmaster, Mr A W Lloyd, travelled from Edinburgh on Saturday morning. At a delightful little ceremony in the sorting room, Peter's many colleagues put down their bundles of letters and crowded round to see Mr Lloyd pin the medal on Peter's tunic.

AS the rain lashed down, Provost James Lannan braved the heights to hoist Musselburgh's BB flag, after climbing the worn steps of the burgh's ancient tolbooth. In towns and villages all over the world, BB flags were hoisted as the Boys' Brigade celebrated its 75th anniversary.

TWO policemen and a horde of children from the Wimpey and Linkfield Road housing scheme, Musselburgh, rushed to the Coup on Sunday afternoon when a "mystery fire" had broken out in a heap of dumped car tyres.

25 years ago

DUNBAR Squash Club this weekend will see the result of their 28 months' effort when their new premises at Winterfield are open for use. The courts will be opening on Monday but to let prospective members view the facilities, the club will be open on the 16th, when committee members will be present. The four founding members, chairman Gordon Millar, vice-chairman Paul Greco, secretary Peter Humphrey and treasurer Graham Mitchell went round the area to get support for the project. The Sports Council gave a grant of 15,000, East Lothian District Council 7,500 and the balance of the cost was raised through a bank loan.

NORTH Berwick Junior Choir have crowned their successful year by winning the Queen Elizabeth 1937 Coronation Trophy for unison singing at the National Mod in Motherwell. The choir have also won the Donald Morrison Memorial Award for the highest marks awarded for Gaelic in the learners' choral competition. This is a cash award of 50.

10 years ago

EAST Lothian Council last week presented the Scottish Seabird Centre Appeal with a cheque for 35,000 as part of its overall contribution to the project. The 2.4m centre, which is expected to open in spring 2000, will provide a major new visitor attraction for the area, with between 50,000 and 60,000 visitors expected every year.

THE information superhighway has arrived in Prestonpans, as the local library last week officially launched its new public access internet service. The library has taken delivery of a new computer with internet access thanks to the generosity of Prestonpans Community Council, which paid for the equipment through its share of the Local Priorities Scheme.

DEDICATED members of Musselburgh War Memorial Fund Committee have notched up their first 10,000 as they approach their first anniversary. Since the committee's formation, the fountain at the top of the High Street has been agreed as a suitable memorial.100 years ago

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

From our issue of October 17, 2008

100 years ago

FOR some time back the supply of houses in Musselburgh has not been anything like equal to the demand, and as a result every hole and corner has been taken up. At the present time it would be next to an impossibility for one to go in search of a house in Musselburgh with success. There are only a few unlet houses in the town, and those are unoccupied simply because they are in a state of disrepair or are not suitable for the class of people who are seeking houses. With characteristic enterprise, however, Messrs F Cooper & Son have commenced building operations in Monktonhall Road, and in the course of a few weeks there will be erected in that ideally situated quarter of the town a row of houses much the same style as those in Inveresk Road. The houses will have three apartments and bathroom, with garden plot. The situation is an ideal one, being 300 feet above the level of the sea, and having a fine view of the banks of the Esk in front. There is sure to be a good demand for these houses.

50 years ago

MRS John Cunningham, who formerly lived in Eskview, Musselburgh, and is now living in Hamilton, Ontario, has certainly found truth in the old adage, "It's a small world." One day Mrs Cunningham's daughter and her son-in-law were walking along the beach in Hamilton, Ontario, when they noticed a man walking towards them with six dogs. Mrs Cunningham's son-in-law enquired about their breed. The owner replied that they were Border terriers. Immediately Mrs Cunningham's daughter heard that, she, being a true member of the Honest Toun, mentioned Mr Irving's name and the many prizes he had won in dog shows in all parts of the country for his Border terriers. Mrs Cunningham's daughter was amazed when the owner told her that his dogs also came from Musselburgh. He and his wife had visited Musselburgh and they had bought two terriers from Mr Irving, who lives in Marine Cottage, New Street. "It was quite a thrill to hear the man speak of Musselburgh," said Mrs Cunningham, "and I hope Mr Irving will get pleasure reading this."

25 years ago

EAST Lothian soldier, Sergeant Lawrence McCran, currently serving in Germany, has reason to celebrate an unusual family achievement. Lawrence, together with his father and brother, have contributed a combined total of 60 years dedicated to the Royal Army Medical Corps. Lawrence, 27, is now Chief Clerk of the Medical Reception Station at Rheindahlen, home of Headquarters British Army Of The Rhine. His father, Mr John McCran, of Lindores Drive, Tranent, had already achieved 30 years' service before retiring from Army Medical Services in the rank of Captain.

THE South of Scotland Electricity Board's Torness nuclear power station looks firmly on time to meet the completion date, officials said at the site. Construction of the Torness AGR began three years ago in August 1980, following 18 months of site preparation work. The first generating unit is expected to be commissioned in early 1987 and the second 12 months later. SSEB chairman Mr Donald Miller said: "We still have some way to go."

10 years ago

EAST Lothian MP John Home Robertson last week went back to school to see how almost 1m has been spent in improving two local schools. The MP was joined by East Lothian Council convener Pat O'Brien, education committee chairman Willie Innes and Councillor David Costello as they visited Pencaitland Primary and Ross High schools. At Pencaitland, the visitors were shown round by head teacher Freda Ross, and saw the new extension. The group moved on to Ross High in Tranent which has benefited from 545,000 worth of improvements.

COMMUNITY councillors in Musselburgh have agreed to back residents on the town's Park Grove estate in opposing the development of an all-weather sports pitch close to their homes. Residents are concerned that the proposed siting of the pitch on the perimeter of Pinkie Playing Fields will result in nuisance from noise, bad language and inconsiderate parking — as well as leading to vandalism of school property and the loss of school playing fields.

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

From our issue of October 24, 2008

100 years ago

ALL the districts of Mid and East Lothian were represented at a meeting held in the miners' offices in Dalkeith. The meeting considered complaints from the Elphinstone and Loanhead colliery delegates in connection with the question of the employment of workers who are without the pale of the Federation. In many cases, it was stated, the men were disregarding the repeated solicitations of the Union miners to join them. The meeting decided that unless non-unionists became members within a week's time, the whole of the Federationists at these collieries should stop work to try to induce the men in question to ally themselves with the Union. Mr Robert Brown, the Scottish miners' secretary, said that the employers, having asked for a reduction of 3d (1p) per day, placed the miners in even a more critical position than had obtained since the big strike of 1894, as this proposed reduction brought the wages down to 6s (30p) per day, which the Scottish miners had determined was to be the minimum.

50 years ago

SPEAKER at the weekly Rotary Luncheon in Musselburgh was Jimmy Logan, the well-known Scottish star of radio, screen and television, and, at present, the principal artist in the "Five-Past Eight" show at the King's Theatre, Glasgow. Jimmy spoke on the life of the Scottish comedian, and recalled the great names of Sir Harry Lauder, Harry Gordon, Tommy Lorne and Will Fyfe, all of whom had, he said, done much to put the Scottish theatre on such a high level. He condemned the use of the all-too-frequent use of the smutty and suggestive story, and felt that humour and wit should be of such a high level that the family could be taken to the theatre to enjoy "good, clean family fun." President Alex Lowe thanked Jimmy.

WHEN police approached the Ling Field at Pinkie Mains Farm, Musselburgh, children ran off, leaving behind them a perambulator in which they had stored potatoes. At the Burgh Juvenile Court, a 10-year-old girl and a nine-year-old boy were charged with having stolen three stones of potatoes. Both were admonished.

25 years ago

A 450,000 housing development for Prestonpans has been welcomed by members of East Lothian housing committee. The site at 8-20 High Street will consist of 19 two-apartment flats. Twelve amenity flats for elderly people will be provided on the ground and first floors, and seven flats on the second floor. The site is occupied by semi-derelict buildings which are about to be demolished.

TRANENT policeman Jimmy Girvan received the shock of his life on Monday night — he found himself the unsuspecting victim of a surprise presentation to mark his retiral from the police force. Invited as a guest to a reception to honour the Tranent team who won the inter-town challenge competition, Jimmy was stunned when community council chairman Jimmy Ross announced the presentation. "They took me completely unaware," said Jimmy (47). "As Jimmy Ross said, this was the first time I had been left speechless." Jimmy, who hails from Armadale, joined the police force on October 31, 1958.

10 years ago

COMMUNITY councillors in Prestonpans bade a fond farewell to Christine Edwards, who has been the secretary for 15 years. Chairman Gerald O'Brien presented Christine with a basket of flowers, a cheque and a card. Christine thanked the councillors for the gifts. George McArthur has taken over as secretary.

HADDINGTON could be left in the dark this Christmas following a decision by the local community council to withdraw from organising the town centre festive lights display. Members agreed to opt out of the annual responsibility after being slapped with an estimated bill for more than 10,000 from East Lothian Council for installing and dismantling the seasonal illuminations.

THE People's Dispensary for Sick Animals has delayed the opening of its new shop at 103 High Street, Musselburgh, to Friday October 30. Funds raised at the shop, which was to have opened a week earlier, will go towards the treatment of pets at PDSA's veterinary centre in Gorgie.

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

From our issue of October 31, 2008

100 years ago

ABOUT seven o'clock on Wednesday morning, an accident occurred at Prestongrange Colliery, resulting in the death of a young Musselburgh miner named Joseph McLaughlan, who resided with his mother in Market Street. It appears the unfortunate youth had been engaged shifting hutches, when he was caught by them and killed. The accident was not observed by anyone, the body being found by a fellow workman shortly afterwards, but it is thought that he must have died instantaneously.

WE have pleasure in intimating that next Thursday night the principal singer at the Musselburgh and Fisherrow Trades' Band concert in Inveresk Hall will be Miss Bertha Bird, the famous Australian soprano. Miss Bird is of Scotch descent and was born at Melbourne, where she made her debut in 1899. As the "Australian Lark," she toured Australia with great success, and came to Europe five years ago to study under French and English masters.

50 years ago

MUSSELBURGH Rugby Club have probably set a new fashion among rugby clubs with the issue of their own newsletter which will circulate among members, ex-members and friends, and will tell of the doings of the club and make comments. The newsletter, aptly named "In Touch," was issued in September and proved an immediate success. The Musselburgh Rugby Club was formed about the year 1921, and records of the early days are not quite complete.

CRUDENS Ltd, Musselburgh, have undertaken to have the extension to the secondary department of the Knox Academy, Haddington, ready for use in August 1960. The cost of the extension will be 161,000. The housing committee of Edinburgh Town Council agreed to accept the Musselburgh firm's tender of 182,287 for building 110 houses at Gracemount, Edinburgh. The committee also agreed to the acceptance of a tender by Crudens Ltd of 20,260 for the erection of 10 shops at Gracemount.

25 years ago

THE only Red Cross residential home in Scotland, King's Knoll in North Berwick, is closing on December 31, with the loss of 18 jobs. The Scottish headquarters of the Red Cross have issued redundancy notices to the 18 members of staff at the home, which was opened 20 years ago as a centenary project. Mr Colin Newman, assistant general secretary, said: "We feel that due to the progress that has been made with the provision of facilities for the disabled and the elderly, with improved access, travelling and hotels, there is now less need for such a unit. We were running a deficit of 40,000 a year, which is a subsidy of 90-100 per guest."

THE "drastic reduction" of the workforce at Blue Circle in Dunbar, were 227 jobs are to go in a modernisation scheme, will have a "very serious effect on the economy of the area," according to MP Mr John Home Robertson. He said that news of the reduction in the workforce had not come as a complete surprise "although I am obviously very disturbed about the effect on the Dunbar area of the loss of 227 jobs."

10 years ago

NORTH Berwick's proposed twinning link with Kerterminde in Denmark moved a step closer. A group of North Berwick residents went on an official visit to the town and, on their return, a decision will be made on whether or not to go ahead with the partnership.

PRESTONPANS voluntary group ELCAP is bidding to become East Lothian's first organisation to win an award under the Health At Work scheme. ELCAP, the East Lothian Care and Accommodation Project, which helps local people with learning disabilities, is taking action on staff help.

THE exhibition on plans to build a 3 million state-of-the-art seabird centre in North Berwick, which will run in the local library until the end of the month, is attracting a lot of public interest. Librarian Susan Butts reported a steady stream of visitors. The new centre will feature a spectacular viewing gallery looking out to sea, with powerful telescopes and remote controlled cameras.

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

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