THE ARCHIVES

100 years ago

At a meeting of the Arbroath branch of the National Farmers’ Union held on Saturday – Mr Thomas Meikle, Boghead, presiding – it was decided to draw the attention of the Ministry of Food to the shortage of railway waggons and covers for the transport of potatoes and to point out the serious results which would ensue if this was not remedied. It was also agreed that the Ministry be asked to fix the maximum price for grain for 1917 as the minimum price for 1918.

50 years ago

Mrs Margaret Wylie gave birth to her third child overnight – but her new son could not wait until the ambulance reached the hospital. Perth ambulance driver Jimmy Campbell had to stop the vehicle three miles out of Perth to act as midwife. Twenty-one-year-old Mrs Wylie and her farmworker husband David (21) have been living at West Cultmalundie, Perthshire, for the past five or six months. The couple have two other children, a three-year-old daughter and a son, aged two.

25 years ago

A Tayside girl, who took up judo after being bullied by other children because of her deafness, and now ranks among the top young judo experts in Scotland, has had her courage recognised with a McDonald’s Child of Achievement Award. Tracey Page (15), Ferryden, by Montrose, will be one of 150 young people to receive the award from the Princess of Wales at a ceremony in London today. Tracey is a pupil at Craigie High School’s special unit for the hearing impaired.

One year ago

Staff from an under-fire construction firm are behind a surge in support for controversial new housing at Scone. The head of Perth-based A&J Stephen has defended his employees’ right to bombard council chiefs with letters calling for the 700-property scheme to be approved. The firm is fighting back in the face of a campaign against the development led by the community council. Managing director John Stephen said his staff were trying to protect their livelihoods.