THE ARCHIVES

100 years ago

It is understood that Mr H. Watson, Anstruther, factor for Colonel Philip G. Anstruther, has just concluded negotiations on behalf of Colonel Anstruther, the proprietor, with the Board of Agriculture for Scotland, for the sale of the whole of the estate of Thirdpart and Barns to the Board. The estate consists of some of the best known farms of Thirdpart and Barns, Troustrie, Caiplie, East Pitcorthie, West Pitcorthie and miscellaneous subjects. It is understood the Board of Agriculture are to take possession of the farms.

50 years ago

More than 250 people from all over the world have applied for the position of director of the new Scottish Tourist Board, the chairman, Sir Hector Maclennan, said after the board’s first meeting in Edinburgh yesterday. The standard was so high that the board had decided to draw up a long leet for interview. A consultative council is to be set up on which all organisations with an interest in tourism will be represented. The board is to make an early start to introduce the hotel incentive scheme.

25 years ago

Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussain blinked yesterday in his last confrontation with the West as Iraq said it was pulling its troops from the border with Kuwait. The apparent climbdown came as battle-ready US forces flew into Kuwait and US ships arrived off the coast to counter the mass Iraqi troop build-up. Saddam’s foreign affairs minister Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf said troops had been in the area for training. “It has been decided to transfer them to other sites to complete their training,” he said.

One year ago

Fife is a frontrunner in the race to secure up to 1,000 new jobs thanks to the creation of a new train manufacturing plant, The Courier understands. Spanish firm Talgo has pinpointed the former power station at Longannet as one of six potential UK sites for a new £40 million factory from which to build high-speed trains. Hunterston in Ayrshire, Mostyn in north Wales, and Chesterfield, St Helens and Leeds are also in the running, but the existing skills base in Fife has put the kingdom in a strong position.