THE ARCHIVES

100 years ago

The lighting of Bowhill and Cardenden villages is still exercising the minds of Kirkcaldy District Committee of Fife County Council. Cardenden Gas Company offered to erect and supervise the lighting of 22 lamps for six months for a sum of £72. Auchterderran Lighting Committee considered this charge excessive and offered a rate of not more than 35s per lamp. Meanwhile, Bowhill and Cardenden remained in darkness. Ratepayers held an indignation meeting calling for an explanation.

50 years ago

Glasgow bookmaker Mr John Banks said that he had lost more than £3,000 as a result of Prime Minister Jim Callaghan’s resignation. “A couple of days before devaluation we decided to offer evens on him staying in his job for at least six months,” said Mr Banks. “Our opinion was that if he did not devalue the £1 Mr Callaghan would probably stay in his job. We found that poeple with political knowledge took up the odds. As a result, we have lost almost exactly £3,200.”

25 years ago

Arbroath lifeboat RNLB Shoreline thundered down the slipway at the harbour for the final time at exactly 2pm yesterday. Following the routine exercise, the vessel was berthed at the inner harbour so that work can be done on the shed and slipway in preparation for the arrival of the new lifeboat next year. Shoreline is not due to stand down at Arbroath until March, but has vacated her home early to allow the shed to be modified to accept the larger Mersey class vessel.

One year ago

A new report has revealed more than a quarter of all parking fines issued by Dundee City Council were unpaid last year. The council’s annual parking report showed out of all tickets issued for the 26 different parking contraventions, around 8,000 of the 31,236 fines were unpaid. Beginning at £30, the fines rise to £90 after 28 days, meaning the council could be owed up to £756,180 if all outstanding fines are more than a month old. The report also states 2,861 fines, or 9%, were classified as “bad”.