LOOKING BACK: News from the John O’Groat Journal of yesteryear
Model yachting on Sarclet
From the Groat of May 1, 1925
What was hoped would be the revival of model yachting in the east of the county had taken place on Sarclet Loch.
Yachts belonging to Peter Harcus, Scrabster, and John Taylor and William Taylor Jnr, Wick, had sailed in a friendly contest, and despite the weather being inclement – with heavy showers of rain and unpredictable winds – “some fine sailing was witnessed”.
The winner on the day was William Taylor, who took the honours in two of the three races.
It was reported that “model yacht racing used to be a popular pastime on Wick River in years gone by, and there must be quite a large number of these little boats in the town that would be better of a spin on the river or on some of the lochs”.
Elsewhere, Mrs William Geddes, of Kenneth Street, Wick, had gifted to the local museum “a very fine geological specimen”. The item was “part of a tree which was dug out of the brae, near the Camps, when her late husband’s yard was being built in 1890.
“It is about 12 inches long and nine inches in diameter and the markings are particularly clear.”
Meanwhile, the London, Midland and Scottish Railway Company had agreed to introduce cheap fares between Wick and Lybster on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
Tycoon’s frustration over delay
From the Groat of May 2, 1975
Plans to develop Dunnet Head as a tourist and leisure centre were at risk of being dropped by London property and ex-Carnaby Street tycoon David Gold because of “sheer frustration with officialdom”.
Mr Gold told the John O’Groat Journal that he had heard nothing from Caithness County Council since the previous December and he explained that while he waited the cost of the ambitious project was increasing.
The developer’s plans for his 17,000-acre site at the House of the Northern Gate included a hotel, a motel, a leisure centre, a wildlife park and a housing scheme.
He explained: “It is no longer a five million pound project, it is a six million pound project due to inflation. There is a time factor involved and if it goes through it might well be seven or eight million by the time it gets off the drawing board, it is taking so long.”
Mr Gold envisaged a centre that would have spin-offs for the whole county and couldn’t understand the delays, which he felt were down to county officials.
However, the council had been waiting since December for direction from the Scottish Secretary over the change of use from agricultural land.
Centralisation alarm at Thurso
From the Groat of May 5, 2000
Highland Council was to centralise its protective services department in Caithness in a move that would leave the service with virtually no presence in Thurso.
A full-time protective services officer based in the burgh chambers in Rotterdam Street was to be transferred to Wick along with all “administrative and clerical work with the exception of burials”.
Thurso-based staff were known to be alarmed by what they saw as centralisation.
A source said: “We are led to believe that the building services section in Thurso will be the next to be moved to Wick. If this is correct, it will mean that the two main regulatory services will not have a presence in the town any longer.”
Councillors had approved the switch in protective services at a confidential meeting in March, according to minutes that had just been made public. The minutes stated that councillors had been told that the changes would “assist the functionality of the service”.
Area protective service manager Bob Earnshaw told the Groat that “nothing will happen which results in a poorer service in Thurso”.
Elsewhere, Thrumster Church was to celebrate its centenary in what its minister, the Rev Bill Wallace, described as a milestone” in rural kirk history.
Parishioners and guests were set to gather for a service at the Norman-style church which had been refurbished for the occasion.
