THE ARCHIVES

100 years ago

The Board of Agriculture, with the consent of the Secretary for Scotland has issued a circular letter to the headmasters of secondary schools which gives a three or four weeks’ holiday at Easter inviting boys to volunteer for farm and forestry work during the holidays. April is a busy month on the land and it is stated that landowners, farmers and others in different districts will make arrangements for accommodation and suitable work for the boys. Masters have offered to supervise.

50 years ago

The latest type of automatic level crossing equipment is to go into service at Bow of Fife, near Cupar. New half-barriers are being installed at the crossing, where the Bow of Fife-Pitlessie road meets the main Dundee-Edinburgh railway line. The barrier consists of two red and white poles which extend only half-way across the road on the nearside at each end of the crossing. The barriers will normally be up, and when a train approaches they will be operated automatically.

25 years ago

To make her wedding special, a Dundee bride requested the ballad Everything I Do, sung by Canadian Bryan Adams, to be played for her progress up the aisle. The song was used as the theme tune to the film Prince of Thieves about Robin Hood. Somewhere between the request being made and being explained to the organist something went terribly wrong. And so she marched, blushing, up the aisle to the strains of Robin Hood, Robin Hood riding through the glen etc. It brought the house down!

One year ago

Police are hunting a beloved pet duck who was snatched from his home in Highland Perthshire, leaving his “wife” heartbroken. A reward has been issued for the safe return of Hamish McDuck, a valuable mandarin drake who vanished on Friday afternoon. He is believed to have been waddling around the grounds of his home at Guay Farm, in the Ballinluig area, when he was taken. Nearby workmen said they saw a suspicious car pull up outside the property just moments before he disappeared.