Sudden death at Rafford

100 YEARS AGO

From the files of ‘The Forres Gazette’ of Wednesday, March 27, 1912.

Gifts to emigrants – Last week Mr John Simpson, Urquhart Street here, was presented by his companions with a handsome dressing case on the occasion of his leaving for Canada. Mr John Austin, who presided, made appropriate reference to the occasion, and Mr Robert Macpherson handed over the gift. Mr Simpson made an appreciative acknowledgement.

Sudden death at Rafford – On Thursday evening Mr Alex Wilson, shoemaker, Rafford, aged 82, who has been a familiar figure in the parich of Rafford for about half a century, died very suddenly. He had presided at a meeting in Rafford School shortly before his death.

50 YEARS AGO

From the files of ‘The Forres Gazette’ of Wednesday, March 28, 1962.

Good hunting – A total ‘bag’ of 450 hares was the result of a shoot organised by farmers and friends in the Alves district on four successive Saturdays.

The drive covered the area bordered by Brodieshill Cloves, Coltfield and Grange.

There has been an alarming increase in the number of hares which are very destructive to growing crops, particularly sugar beet, grown extensively in the area.

Forres speakers win cup – About 50 Young Unionists from the Highland Area Group, along with two friends from Edinburgh and two Young Conservatives from Somerset; attended a Week-end school at Drumnadrochit, Inverness-shire, on Saturday and Sunday.

The speaking competition, for the Mackintosh Cup, was won by the Forres team –Messrs Alistair Watson, Ian B. Sutherland and Michael Black – who were competing against teams from Buckie (represented by Messrs R. Rosswel, Douglas Duncan and Miss Anna Munro) and Inverness (Miss Jane McDonald, Messrs Robin Hancock and Iain Gordon).

25 YEARS AGO

From the files of ‘The Forres Gazette’ of Wednesday, March 25, 1987.

A proud moment for the Legion – Delighted Forres Royal British Legion Club members saw the culmination of many years planning and fund-raising on Sunday when Lord Lieutenant of Moray, Sir Ian Tennant, formally opened their £10,000 extension.

The club based in former church premises on St Leonard’s Road, are looking forward to using some of the best facilities available to any legion in the north.

Start on supermarket – Work will start on William Low’s new Forres supermarket on April 6.

A senior company official told the “Gazette” this week that they had been able to advance their start date by a month and hoped the £1.75 million project would be finished earlier than the original May, 1988, date.

He added that material may start arriving on the Gordon Street site this week.

Offensive odours – Moray District Council are looking into evil smells emanating from Sanquhar’s western hidden pond.

Following calls from community council member Mr John Beesley, the local authority are investigating the problem to decide how best it should be treated.

Police go all out for minibus funds – Forres police have pledged themselves to bridge the gap between the Osprey Minibus Trust’s current total and their £24,000 target.

Over the next two months the boys, and girls, in blue of the Forres sub-division are making a determined effort to raise between £5000 and £6000 towards the charity appeal.

And as sub-divisional senior officer Inspector John Barclay explained: “We have taken on quite a challenge but we are determined to succeed.”