From the archives of the Ayrshire Post

25 YEARS AGO

The annual Tam O’Shanter ride could have ended in disaster, claims one of the organisers.

Billy Walker, of Ayr- Con, Green Street, Ayr, said: “More than 800 people turned up and there was rubble all over the High Street and the barriers were only guidance barriers. We could not get down to the Inn, but had to form up in Kyle Street. The whole starting ceremony was spoiled.”

West Sound presenter Lou Grant played Tam for the fifth time saying: “With all those bumps, I felt I was going over the jumps.”

50 YEARS AGO

A £ 6000 intensive care unit will be opened at Hansel Village, Symington. The ceremony will be performed by Mr James Hastie, 50, an accountant who works at the Glasgow headquarters of British Rail.

He has been a voluntary worker for many years with the Spastic League Club which donated the money through the Semble Trust. He contacted Mrs Isobel Murdoch, founder of the village, who said she would like an intensive care unit. The unit is wooden structure built on Scandinavian lines.

100 YEARS AGO

John McGowan, miner, 18 Stepends Row, and David Hastie, miner, Shore Row, Gonnel Park, pleaded guilty to having taken from the Black Bull, Cumnock, two bottles of beer for consumption off the premises. The two had been informed they could not carry out by the barman, who had removed the corks to prevent it.

When his back was turned, the pair then replaced the corks and walked out.

Sheriff Substitute Broun at Ayr fined them each £ 1.