From our archives
5 years ago
An exhibition displaying some of the “most beautiful books that man has ever made” has opened in Scotland. Book Beautiful, at the National Library of Scotland, Edinburgh, includes texts from the earliest days of print in the 15th and 16th centuries and explores their influence on small private presses active over the last 120 years. The display, which features a mixture of 10 early and later texts, is a celebration of books that “transcended their medium to become works of art”.
10 years ago
Walter Smith (pictured) has backed Scotland’s striking referees and says he is uncomfortable about having to work tomorrow during their industrial action at
Tannadice. There was a fresh twist to the strike drama last night when Portuguese officials who had agreed to take charge of the Hibs-st Johnstone and Motherwell-hearts games headed for a flight home soon after arriving at Glasgow Airport. Polish referees had changed their mind about coming at all earlier in the day.
25 years ago
Fireworks and rock stars entertained thousands of people who crowded into George Square last night for the switching-on of Glasgow’s Christmas lights. Smoke and blue lasers swept the darkening sky as crowds enjoyed a line-up of performers including The Night Crawlers, Love City Groove and Sean Mcguire. The event, jointly sponsored by Coca-cola and Glasgow City Council, also included a parade of weird and wonderful light sculptures and pipers and drummers.
50 years ago
About 20 patients from Killearn Hospital’s brain surgery unit will be transferred next week to a new £1.8 million neurosurgical centre at the Southern General Hospital, Glasgow. They will be moved into a building housing some of the most sophisticated equipment in the country for investigating, diagnosing, and treating head injuries and brain ailments. Brain surgeons who serve places as far apart as Stranraer and Stornoway will be concentrated in the new Institute of Neurological Sciences.
100 years ago
A special meeting of Edinburgh Town council as held yesterday – Lord Provost Chester presiding – for the purpose of considering a report recommending that the freedom of the city be conferred upon Mr Alexander Graham Bell, PHD, LLD, etc, who is a native of the Scottish capital. The report stated that the honour should be given in recognition of Mr Graham Bell’s great achievement in the solution of the problem of telephonic communication and of his brilliant career as a scientist.