THE ARCHIVES

100 years ago

Tonight’s aviation communiqué says: “On August 21 our squadrons drove down or put out of control 17 enemy aeroplanes, set fire to six captive balloons and attacked on several occasions with machine guns the German troops who were retreating in the Lassigny region and between the Oise and the Aisne. Our bombing squadrons dropped by day 34 tons of projectiles on the regions of Chauny and district and by night 28 tons on railways stations as well as on the battle zone.”

50 years ago

Tom Adams, who runs a newsagent’s shop on Main Street, Thornton, is retiring at the end of the month. The business – already nearly 80-years-old – will be carried on by his son, John, 38. Mr Tom Adams has had the shop on the high street since 1945, when he took over from his aunt Miss Euphemia Welsh, who retired. The business was started in 1890 as a bookstall at Thornton Station by Mr Laurence Welsh, Mr Adam’s grandfather. He started the shop on Main Street before his death in 1912.

25 years ago

The Dundee Six Circle group, which has often sought help and donations, intends to put something back into the community over the next months. A social group where young offenders, the disabled and other interested people meet, Six Circle has restarted weekly meetings in the former St Columba’s School, Kirkton, following a summer break. The members began renovation work on a puppet theatre, donated to the group, and are planning performances.

One year ago

A councillor is calling for a public debate on the introduction of a blanket 40mph speed limit in Fife. Only dual carriageways and the motorway would be excluded if Bill Porteous’s Forty for Fife idea becomes a reality. He wants to hear people’s views on the notion of capping the region’s speed limit, arguing it would be good for road safety, the environment, tourism and the public purse. However his scheme was branded “utterly nonsensical” by the Alliance of British Drivers.