From our archives
5 years ago
A footbridge on one of Scotland’s most scenic walking routes will be closed for several months after experts warned it could collapse. The Pass of Killiecrankie “green footbridge” over the River Garry was built in the 1960s on the foundations of an old bridge built in 1770. Owner the National Trust for Scotland closed the crossing last week after parts of the older structure slipped into the river during Storm Desmond, leaving it in “a perilous state”.
10 years ago
The details of thousands of medieval Scots are being published online in a unique database of the country’s inhabitants in the Middle Ages. The archive contains information on everyone mentioned in more than 6,000 documents from Scotland between 1093 and 1286. Glasgow University researchers said it is the most comprehensive database of any European kingdom’s inhabitants at that time.
25 years ago
People drinking then driving on the treacherous icy roads in Scotland over the three-day Christmas period have been strongly criticised by top police officers, who said their actions “bordered on lunacy”. The comments from the Association of Chief Police Officers came as it was revealed the number of people who tested positively during this time had fallen to 30 compared to 69 last year. Seven people refused to take a test.
50 years ago
The appearance of the alleged “Stone of Destiny”, pictured, in Edinburgh was yesterday greeted as a rallying cry to rouse the people of Scotland in their
“winter of discontent” through high unemployment, bad housing, emigration and the delay in setting up an elected assembly for Scotland. The SNP and the 1320 Club forecast the happening was likely to be only the start of more “constructive gestures” to rouse the “feeling of nationhood”.
100 years ago
News of the death of Mr John Mackenzie, of Wairarapa, New Zealand, government interpreter of Maoriland, has reached his relatives in Ardnamurchan. Emigrating with his parents when about 10, he ingratiated himself with the Maoris on landing by a daring boyish act. Plucking the feather from the hair of a Maori, he transferred the feather from his own glengarry to the Maori’s hair and was ever after under their protection.
1694: Queen Mary II died from smallpox, leaving William to reign alone.
1734: Rob Roy, legendary clan chief immortalised in a novel by Sir Walter Scott, died.
1879: The Tay railway bridge collapsed when the Edinburgh to Dundee train was crossing. The engine and Carriages plummeted into the icy river below, killing 75 people.
1903: Jazz pianist Earl Hines, who developed the modern single-finger style, was born in Duquesne, Pennsylvania. 1918: Lloyd George’s coalition government was re-elected.
2009: At least 25 people were killed and dozens were injured in a suicide bombing on a Shia procession on the day of Ashura, in Karachi, Pakistan.
Birthdays
Lord (Roy) Hattersley, Labour politician, 87; Dame Maggie Smith, actress, 85; Denzel Washington, actor, 65; Nigel Kennedy, violinist, 63; Terry Butcher, manager and former footballer, 61; Ana Torroja, singer, 60; John Legend, musician, 41; Frank Turner, singer/songwriter, 38; Sienna Miller, actress, pictured left, 38.
Quotes of the day
“I actually think this deal can represent an enormously unifying moment for our country and bring people together after the divisions of the past few years” – Chancellor Rishi Sunak gives his views of the Brexit deal.
“We saw what was possible around homelessness during the pandemic, where people were able to get off the streets and were put into accommodation and given support that wasn’t there before. That has made a lot of people think. If that’s possible during a pandemic when people are really motivated, then why can’t it happen afterwards as well?” – Actor Michael Sheen thinks lessons learned during the pandemic can help tackle homelessness.