THE ARCHIVES

100 years ago

Dundee authorities have lately had under consideration the question of purchasing Scotscraig estate, and today a definite recommendation may be made on the subject through the Development Committee of Town Council, which has been summoned. It is pointed out that Scotscraig estate would be a valuable asset to the community in view of the opportunities it would afford for the industrial development of the foreshore. The estate belonged to the late Commander Maitland Dougall.

50 years ago

A Peer, who asked in the Lords yesterday if there were any regulations against the combination of musical notes in the sounds made by motor horns, was told that “twotone” horns were permitted only on fire engines, ambulances and police vehicles and other service vehicles. Lord Leatherland said: “A few days ago a car emitted a noise which I immediately identified as the opening bars of that stirring military march ‘Colonel Bogey’. He was told there was no regulation against playing the tune.

25 years ago

Hundreds of residents and children in Linlathen and Mid Craigie turned out for a gala day to mark the official opening of a new £43,000 play park in Mossgiel Crescent on Saturday. Dundee District parks convener Pat Barr was joined by St Vincent’s pupils Dawn Innes (8) and Gillian Fraser (11) as she unveiled a plaque, cut the ribbon on the park gates and planted a tree. Dawn and Gillian were winners of a competition, open to the scheme’s three primary schools, to name the new park – Swingtime.

One year ago

The birthplace of the human race may be Mediterranean Europe and not Africa, a new discovery suggests. Scientists base the claim on an analysis of two very ancient fossils unearthed in Bulgaria and Greece. Evidence indicates that the ape-like creature they belonged to was the oldest pre-human known, dating back as far as 7.2million years. Graecopithecus freybergi is said to be several hundred thousand years older than the most ancient potential human ancestor discovered in Africa.