THE ARCHIVES

100 years ago

The death of Mrs Peter MacDonald, Tighna Dail, Aberfeldy, means a Strathtay nonagenerian has passed away. Born at Derculich in 1826, the year of the short corn, Mrs MacDonald, whose maiden name was Catherine Cameron, had attained the ripe old age of 91 years. Her father and mother, who were also Strathtay folks, held the farm of Tullihownie at one time and emigrated to Canada. Mrs MacDonald and a sister, remained in the Strath. For the past 26 years, she has lived with her daughter.

50 years ago

A young West German gardener Eckehardt, and his East German fiancee, wearing diving suits to ward off the cold, escaped to Austria from Czechoslovakia by swimming three icy border rivers. Police said the couple planned their adventure several months ago to bring the girl, Brigitte, to the West. More than a week ago they met in Brno, the Moravian capital, and made reconnaissance trips for about a week until they finally made their escape. Police said the couple hoped to marry soon.

25 years ago

Hundreds of jobs in Tayside and Fife were under threat last night after Dundee-based confectionary group Alma Holdings Ltd called in the receivers. Weeks of speculation regarding the company’s future ended at lunchtime when Tim Hayward and Rod Owen of chartered accountants KPMG Peat Marwick were appointed joint receivers at the request of the directors. The Keiller plant in Mains Loan, Dundee, is the group’s headquarters and main production facility with 350 employees.

One year ago

A high street retailer is reminding staff in England to accept Scottish bank notes after a customer from Dundee was refused service in Milton Keynes. William Mackay was asked “where’s Scotland” after trying to pay for goods with a Scottish note. He was also told by the shop assistant that she had “never seen” foreign bank notes before. Mr Mackay, who regularly travels to England, became so incensed at the refusals of companies to accept Scottish bank notes that he wrote to his local MSP Shona Robison.