Reflections from Ross-shire: A look at our old files from 100, 50 and 25 years ago
100 Years Ago
Friday, September 19, 1919
ON Friday, while Mr Watson, the Cromarty and Nigg ferryman, was doing his last run for the day, a passenger, Mackenzie by name, crossing from Cromarty to Nigg, was seen to suddenly fall overboard.The motor boat was going eight knots an hour, and the accident occurred in mid-stream, where the current was running very rapidly. Without a moment's hesitation, Watson plunged into the sea in an endeavour to rescue the
drowning man, who could do nothing for himself. While in the water, Watson had the presence of mind to shout order to his young engineer his own son to bring the boat about.
By the time this was accomplished, there was considerable distance between the man in the water and the boat. Watson, however, secured the drowning man, and managed to keep him afloat till the boat come up.
A resident at the Royal Hotel, Cromarty, who was a passenger in the boat, describes the rescue as the pluckiest act he had witnessed in many
a day, especially as the man was much bigger than he rescuer. This is nothing new for Watson, as it happens to be his twelfth rescue from drowning at Cromarty since the war started.
A captured German howitzer arrived as a gift in Tain from the War Office. It was taken up Friday night to the old St Duthus Cemetery gate in the meantime.
50 Years Ago
Friday, September 19, 1969
DAVID Fleming, Academy Road, Invergordon, may well be Britain's youngest newspaper editor. Although only eleven he prints and sells a local newspaper called “The Invergordon Weekly.” His activity will be featured in “Hobby Horse” in BBC 1 Television on Sunday, September 21, when he will talk to Cliff Morgan about his interest in journalism and the methods he uses to get his newspaper on the streets.
The Jack Wilson Stock Car Racing Trophy for Ladies, was won by Mrs Nora Morrison, Norville, Craig Road, Dingwall, at Keith Stock-Car Racing recently.
Ross County gained another two coveted away points on Saturday when they visited Banff and defeated Deveronvale 4-2. If they can keep their end up at home and collect as many points as they can in away matches the
league championship can be theirs.
Peter Borley, Don Macmillan, John Buchanan and Jim Hosie scored for County.
25 Years Ago
Friday, September 16, 1994
THE picturesque Wester Ross village of Plockton will provide the setting for a new television drama series.
BBC Scotland, Skyline Productions and Zenith Productions are delighted to announce details of Hamish Macbeth, a major new drama series for BBC 1.
With scripts by Daniel Boyle (of Morse fame) and starring Bobby Carlyle as Hamish, the six one-hour episodes will be filmed on location in the Highlands of Scotland starting on August 29, for network transmission in Spring 1995.
Excitement is already mounting in Cromarty – along with some amusement and the inevitable bit of grumbling – over the visit of Prince Charles to the town at the end of this month (September 30).
It is some 2-1 years since a royal patronage set foot in the place – and then it was a big party, including the Queen and Queen Mother, who
landed from the royal yacht Britannia.
