From our archives
5 years ago
It is one of the most famous paintings in the world: a delicate depiction of a bird that is regarded as one of the art’s true masterpieces. The Goldfinch, pictured,painted in 1654 during the Golden Age of Dutch art, will be on loan to the Scottish National Gallery for six weeks, from November 4. Michael Clarke, gallery director, said: “We are delighted to present Carel Fabritius’s iconic The Goldfinch in Scotland for the first time.”
10 years ago
The records of one million early 20th-century merchant navy seamen go online for the first time today. Covering the period 1918 to 1941, the records also include rarely-seen photographs of mariners. One seaman, Henry Duncan Abbot from Dundee, was listed as having a Chinese deathhead tattoo on his right forearm with the inscription “Death is Glory”. The youngest in the records is Archie Kerr, 12, from Beith.
25 years ago
A nun floated hundreds of feet above the hills yesterday, in a stunt to raise money for a hospice. Sister Catherine, 50, who belongs to the Sisters of Charity, para-glided off the side of Tinto Hill, Lanarkshire. A small crowd of supporters watched Sister Catherine who had been sponsored by individuals and businesses in her effort to raise £5000 for St Andrew’s Hospice, Airdrie, which has to find £500,000 a year to care for its patients.
50 years ago
Four persons, including Lady Fleming, widow of Sir Alexander Fleming, have been arrested for allegedly plotting the escape of the would-be assassin of Mr George Papadopoulous, the Greek premier. A Greek Government official said Lady Fleming and an American student named John Skelton, together with a Greekamerican divorcee, Athina Psichoyiou, and a Greek, were arrested in connection with a plan to free Alexander Panagoulis.
100 years ago
The Queen and Princess Mary, accompanied by Lady Dawson and Miss Agnes Keyser, visited the Invercauld Industries, where the famous “Blighty” tweeds were woven by disabled soldiers and sailors. The party were met by Mr John Dawson, manager, and were shown over the saleroom, where Her Majesty made a number of substantial purchases, afterwards adjourning to the work room, where the Queen conversed with the disabled there.