THE ARCHIVES

100 years ago

The increased duties on beer, sparking wines and motor cars underwent considerable criticism in the House of Commons last night. General Wigan contended that a man worked all the better for a glass of beer and he described how, in Palestine during the war, sickness decreased by something like 80% when they were able to get beer. Commander Kenworthy protested against an increase of the beer duty which fell principally on the working classes. The danger was that men would turn from beer to whisky drinking.

50 years ago

It was whisky-a-go-go for a Dundee lorry driver last night when his trailer, carrying more than 1,200 bottles of best Scotch, overtook him on the Dundee-Perth dual carriageway. John Lilburn (49) was driving along the dual carriageway when the driver’s unit and the eight-ton trailer of his BRS lorry parted company completely. When he realised what had happened, he drove on to the central reservation and his trailer run past and ahead of him. Miraculously, most of the bottles of whisky escaped damage.

25 years ago

One of Scotland’s longest-serving posties has retired after 50 years of delivering letters to the people of Dundee. James Dalgleish began working for the Royal Mail when he left school in 1944 with the hope of being able to try out the PO motor bikes. “When you started as a telegram boy you got a pushbike, but when you moved on to delivering mail you got a motor bike, which really appealed to me at the time,” he said. Mr Dalgleish delivered mail in the Ardler and Douglas areas, before moving to the West office to sort mail.

One year ago

Andy Murray and Serena Williams will have to wait to make their Wimbledon mixed doubles debut after their opening match was postponed last night. The multiple grand slam champions were due to begin their partnership against Andreas Mies and Alexa Guarachi on Centre Court. But with Cori Gauff and Polona Hercog going into three sets in the final scheduled match on there, and Williams in early action in the singles today, tournament organisers announced they would not play.