THE ARCHIVES

100 years ago

A Dundee family with a very fine record of naval and military service has suffered the loss of its youngest representative with the fighting forces. Driver John Cosgrove of the Royal Field Artillery was the eldest son of Private Michael Cosgrove, of the Black Watch, now residing at Park Lane, Dundee, and formerly of Arbroath, who is at present home on leave preparatory to going to the front. Driver Cosgrove was in his 19th year and was killed in action. He enlisted in September 1914 and was an apprentice pavior.

50 years ago

The Foyers, Inverness-shire, aluminium refinery of The British Aluminium Company Ltd, is to be closed. Starting on February 1, operations will be run down and production will cease before the end of the month. None of the 60 employees will be affected before March 31. The reason for the closure is that the small scale of the plant – the oldest in the BA group – has made economic operation impossible. The development of other aluminium processes is not feasible.

25 years ago

An elderly Methil woman and her nephew were rushed to hospital yesterday morning after a gas explosion ripped through her home. Glass was blown across Methilbrae as the blast tore through No 117 at 8.30 injuring 85-year-old Catherine McMorran and her visiting nephew Charles Lawless. The force of the explosion blew out three windows, overtuned furniture in the house and uprooted the front garden fence. The emergency services attended and both were taken to hospital.

One year ago

A national charity has moved to allay fears its renowned Scottish training centre in Angus is to close. Speculation has mounted that Guide Dogs Scotland’s Forfar base could shut as the charity discusses its future in challenging financial conditions. Local fears have been expressed that the charity’s only Scottish dog training centre, based in Forfar, will merge with existing “mobility centres” in Glasgow or Edinburgh. Guide Dogs insist any moves would take “a number of years” to bring to fruition.