THE ARCHIVES

100 years ago

A gang of burglars was smartly captured by the Dundee police early yesterday morning. A man was seen to come out of a close in the vicinity of Nelson Street and give a low shrill whistle. The nature of the call roused the suspicions of an inspector, who gave chase to the man, who was eventually lost. A search in the Dallfield Walk district being made, a light in a window drew attention. Detectives, listening at the door, heard the words: “The job is up,” and concluded they had tracked their quarry. Three young men were arrested.

50 years ago

Princess Anne officially opened the Royal Commonwealth Pool in Edinburgh last night. It will be the venue of the swimming and diving events at July’s Commonwealth Games. She told almost 2,000 spectators that she hoped every section of the community would be given a chance to use the pool. The pool building, which cost £1,600,000, includes diving and teaching pools as well as the main pool which has eight racing lanes of regulation 50 metres length. The ceremony was followed by a swimming gala.

25 years ago

A £1 million painting housed in Dundee for over 160 years is the property of the district council and not the National Galleries of Scotland, councillors insisted last night. The picture of Dundeeborn Admiral Duncan receiving the Dutch surrender after the Battle of Camperdown in 1797 was painted by the American artist J. Singleton Copley. The treasure, which is insured for a seven-figure sum and hangs in the city’s Camperdown House, faces an uncertain future and could even be lost to Dundee.

One year ago

Rail users are facing a six Sunday shutdown of services between Dundee and Aberdeen. Network Rail delivered the bombshell news as part of an announcement over a major upgrade of Carnoustie level crossing due to start within weeks. Barrier replacement and resurfacing works will run from February 9 to March 18 and will also lead to two 10-day closures to vehicle traffic at the crossing. The shutdown will affect Sunday travellers heading home from two Six Nations rugby international weekends at Murrayfield.