THE ARCHIVES

100 years ago

A demonstration on the use of potatoes in the manufacture of bread was given in Arbroath Good Templar Hall under the auspices of the Forfarshire branch of the Scottish Association of Master Bakers. Alexander Murdoch of the Royal Technical College, Glasgow, said that if care were taken with the addition of 15lbs of raw potatoes to the sack of flour, the resultant bread would be no worse with the present flour bakers were compelled to use than it would be without the potatoes.

50 years ago

Sixty-nine-year-old Mr Robert Leslie, Edenside, Guardbridge, has had his first road accident after more than 60 years as a cyclist. Mr Leslie, a retired paper mill worker, said: “I cycled to work every day and I made a trip on my bicycle right round Scotland. I was very disappointed at this late stage to have my record broken.” The accident happened in St Andrews. His bicycle was badly damaged, but he escaped. “I had to carry the bike home,” he said, “a distance of three miles.”

25 years ago

The Queen and Prince of Wales joined the ranks of ordinary tax payers and agreed to foot top-rate bills on their income from the start of the new tax year in April. They will fall into the 40% tax bracket on nearly all their personal income but will not be taxed on money used for official duties. The historic announcement by Prime Minister John Major in the Commons won a broad welcome from all but Labour’s hard left. Exact details of the amounts both will pay are being kept secret.

One year ago

Angus Council is taking a “greater risk” approach to its insurance cover in a bid to save £350,000 a year. The council will raise the excess it pays on its offices, libraries, museums and leisure centres 100-fold, from £5,000 to £500,000 a claim. The excess on housing properties will rise from £5,000 to £100,000 a claim and from £500 to £25,000 on motor insurance. Council leader Iain Gaul said the move would result in more funds to protect frontline services.