THE ARCHIVES

100 years ago

Every encouragement is being given by the army authorities to the troops to take up pig keeping. A good many units have kept pigs for some time and now commanding officers have been told that, wherever possible, pig and poultry keeping should be encouraged. For pig food the soldiers are using camp swill, supplemented by vegetable tops and outer leaves and the grazing round the camps. In addition, a concentrated pig food in the form of a cake is given and pigs thrive well on it.

50 years ago

Kirkcaldy High School orchestra are to give an ambitious performance in the school hall this month. The orchestra will be supported by five different choirs from all sections of the school, and a military band under the direction of Mr M. Abbot, teacher of woodwind. Between 50 and 60 pupils are in the orchestra. They will be playing Finlandia, by Sibelius, the Elizabethan Serenade and a difficult piece, Marche Joyeuse by Chabrier, among others.

25 years ago

Dundee centenarian Susan Mcgee will soon be reading newspapers and watching television after years of blindness, thanks to an operation to remove cataracts. Doctors first offered her the operation to save her sight 20 years ago – but Susan turned it down. “I was 82 and I thought I was on my way out, ready to die,” she said. “If I had known I was going to live to be 101, I would have had the operation at that time.” Now, just days after the operation, Susan’s sight has partially returned.

One year ago

Lord of the Rings fans will be able to stay in a Hobbit hole from home after a glamping firm was given the green light to build two underground holiday huts. Middle Earth will be recreated at Craighead Howff, near Braco, with work due to begin imminently. Holidaymakers expecting all the mod-cons should look elsewhere as the buildings will be completely off-grid – with compost toilets and no electricity, though it will sport a top-of-the-range shower and comfortable furnishings.