THE ARCHIVES

100 years ago

One of the most popular garden fetes of the season was opened yesterday by the Countess of Strathmore at Craigiebarn, Stannergate, in aid of a permanent clothing fund for necessitous mothers and babies. The handsome sum of £1,200 was realised. Young and old thronged the beautiful grounds. No provision is made for this help through any official source and the money raised will be administered by the Dundee Voluntary Health Workers’ Association and health visitors..

50 years ago

Luck and the appearance of a police patrol car saved the lives of almost 150 pigs and other livestock when fire broke out in a smallholding in Kirkcaldy early yesterday. One sow and six piglets were destroyed in the fire. The patrol car was cruising by the Boreland Woods just before 5am when the driver noticed that one of the pig sties at the back of the smallholding belonging to John Haig was on fire. The fire brigade was called. Policemen herded the rest of the 150 pigs to safety.

25 years ago

The car ran beautifully with never a hint that anything was wrong, until a friend remarked that he had seen what appeared to be a puddle of water beneath the engine. When Alex Walker of Seymour Street in Dundee opened the bonnet, what he found was certainly a surprise, even if it did not explain the puddle. Tightly wedged into the engine compartment was a bird’s nest complete with five eggs! It was so neatly constructed that Alex had considerable difficulty removing it.

One year ago

The Queen has paid tribute to the “breathtaking sight” created by the Queensferry Crossing and its neighbours. As she officially opened the £1.35billion bridge, she said: “The three magnificent structures we see here spanning three centuries are all feats of modern engineering and tribute to the talents, vision and remarkable skills of those who designed and built them. The Queensferry Crossing has joined its iconic and historic neighbours to provide an important link for so many.”