Forres cab driver pleads guilty to being drunk in charge of a horse

100 YEARS AGO

From the files of ‘The Forres Gazette’ of Wednesday, February 21, 1912.

Forres cabman’s offence – A Forres cabman pleaded guilty in the Elgin Sheriff Court on Thursday – before Sheriff Gray Webster – to being drunk while in charge of a horse yoked in a cab in Forres on Monday, 29th January, and was fined £1, with the option of seven days in prison.

Rise in price of bread – The Forres bakers have decided to raise the price of the 4lb loaf from 6d-7d, the change coming into effect to-day (Wednesday). The Nairn bakers are to make a similar increase. In Elgin seven pence has been the price of the 4lb loaf for some time back.

50 YEARS AGO

From the files of ‘The Forres Gazette’ of Wednesday, February 21, 1962.

Bad weather returns – Winter came back with a bang last week and Friday proved to be one of the wildest days in many a year.

Winds touching almost 100 m.p.h (97 was the figure at Lossiemouth) swept across the country bringing with them blinding showers of snow and stinging hail.

At Forres several trees were down at Newbold Guest house and about a dozen Scots Pines on the town’s Muir.

A small wall collapsed in St Leonard’s Road, where fences and trellis work also caught the force of the wind.

Road and hotel signs were broken in several parts of the town.

A tree was blown across the Forres-Findhorn road, causing traffic to be diverted for a time. Another fell onto the main road at Brodie, and another at Dyke.

A considerable number of telephone lines were out of order in the Glenferness, Brodie and Dunphail areas, and several Forres subscribers were cut off. Some electricity consumers at Dunphail were also cut off.

25 YEARS AGO

From the files of ‘The Forres Gazette’ of Wednesday, February 18, 1987.

No Mercat repeat...but Christmas plan on the cards – Forres will not be hosting a follow-up to last year’s hugely successful Town Mercat fair this summer...but there is a suggestion from Forres Community Council’s chairman that a Christmas effort may be worth while.

Last year’s co-organiser, local businessman Mr John Mackenzie, told the ‘Gazette:’ “I made it clear that I would be involved for one year only. There is an awful lot of responsibility which goes with it, one of the biggest areas being the temporary closure of the A96.”

“It was a great night last summer but it is now up to someone else, if they are interested, to take the reins,” Mr Mackenzie said.

The 1986 summer carnival, the largest ever held in the town, attracted an estimated crowd of 9,000 from all over West Moray.

Lighting up at Findhorn – The possibility of providing private street lighting by Findhorn Pier was discussed by members of Findhorn and Kinloss Community Council at their last meeting.

Council chairman Mr Lambert Munro explained that the region would not provide lighting themselves and suggested that villagers could purchase a light fitting of the region could be persuaded to pay for the electricity.

The council agreed to ask Findhorn Resident’ Association for a contribution towards the cost.