From the archives of the Ayrshire Post

25 YEARS AGO

Burns Cottage is on the verge of collapse. A report has revealed that the walls are buckling.

And if plans to improve it had not been drawn up when they were, that’s just what would have happened.

Now the Trustees have adopted in principle a £ 200,000 proposal to upgrade the interior of the world- famous cottage. Work will begin to make the inside a “living attraction” as it would when Burns lived there. Visitor numbers have dropped from 137,000 in 1978 to 75,000 last year.

50 YEARS AGO

Accusations have been made the Rector of Ayr Academy Mr Neil McCorkindale was responsible for “leakage” of information to a meeting of Moderate members of Ayr Town Council.

Police judge Charles O’Halloran said discussions on the future of Ayrshire Education had been at a confidential stage. He understood Provost Alexander Handyside had been provided with information from the Rector which formed the basis of his statement. Mr O’Halloran said: “I deplore this conduct and think there is a case for a conduct investigation.”

100 YEARS AGO

An Italian restaurateur with a business in Maybole appealed against the decision refusing exemption. Appellant was 39, married and classified C2. In the appeal it was stated he was an ice cream merchant in Maybole and manufactured aerated waters. Before the war he employed six men, now he had just one girl and had to give up one of his shops.

Major Galloway said the appellant was naturalised seven years ago, but it had not been registered to the Italian Consul in Glasgow. As a result he had been called up for the Italian Army.