THE ARCHIVES

100 years ago

The ordination and induction of the Rev John Dow, locum temens, West Church, Brechin, as succesor to the Rev Donald Cameron, North Leith, took place yesterday in St George’s United Free Church, Montrose in the Presbytery of Brechin and Fordoun. The Rev F. Gordon Macleod, Fettercairn, presided, ordained and inducted and gave the charges and the Rev J.H. Clark, St Cyrus preached. An induction tea was subesequently provided by the ladies of the congregation.

50 years ago

Although the Royal Navy makes use of much of the most up-to-date electronic equipment, a 46-yearold steamroller was handed over to HMS Caledonia, the apprentice school at Rosyth Dockyard, to help train the apprentices. The gift was made by 39-year-old Lieutenant Commander Brian Kemp, who is emigrating to Australia with his family. “It is the basis of everything they are learning and will give them a lot of knowledge for their work on more complicated machinery,” he said.

25 years ago

Delegates at the Earth Summit turned to one of the trickiest issues at the global gathering – who will pay for the £71.4 billion a year for cleaning up and protecting the environment. The issue underlies nearly all others at the summit and is partly responsible for the US refusal to sign a treaty to protect animal and plant species. The United States has been criticised for its stance. President Bush has adamantly opposed the treaty because he claims it would hurt US industry.

One year ago

A Perthshire man has set a world record for stone-skimming after a throw longer than the equivalent of six double-decker buses. Dougie Isaac, from Blairgowrie, skipped a stone across a lake for a distance of 352ft 3in. He is now waiting to hear if his achievement will be recorded in the next Guinness Book of World Records. The throw stunned judges at a contest for Europe’s elite skimmers at Abernant Lake in Powys, Wales. Dougie is seventime stone-skimming world champion.