THE ARCHIVES

100 years ago

There were fresh developments yesterday in connection with the party of over 200 Gordon Highlanders at Invergordon, who refuse to join the Camerons and proceed to India. The men stayed at Invergordon overnight and, at an early hour yesterday morning, took the road along the shores of the Cromarty Firth for Dingwall, en route for Aberdeen. In the early afternoon, having passed through Alness and Evanton, maintaining good military formation and discipline they were resting at Waterloo.

50 years ago

Defending the Government’s decision to sell Chieftain tanks to Libya, the Foreign Secretary declared in the Commons last night that every country in the Middle East had a right to defend itself. Winding up an emergency debate, Mr Michael Stewart said that when it was remembered Libya was at present the only major Middle East country that did not possess tanks, the Government were justified in this transaction. “We do not impose against any country a general embargo or refusal,” he said.

25 years ago

Pupils taking exams were sprayed with a “giant fireball” yesterday after a man armed with an improvised flame thrower burst into a top grammar school. More than 30 teenagers sitting their final year exams at Sullivan Upper School in Holywood, Co. Down, scattered in fear during the attack in the assembly hall. Six boys were burned, three of them seriously, as flames lashed the stunned children. They were in hospital last night but none had life-threatening injuries. During the incident some pupils fled with their clothes alight.

One year ago

Council buildings across Angus will need more than £20 million spent on them to bring them up to scratch – including £13 million for schools alone. Arbroath sports centre is in need of more than £590,000 worth of maintenance, while Montrose Academy needs £2 million. Forfar’s Town and County building, which is currently for sale after plans to turn it into a pub and restaurant fell through, will require £376,000 for maintenance, raising concerns the landmark will soon cost more to repair than it is worth.