Permission granted to skate on loch
100 YEARS AGO
From the files of the Forres Gazette of November 13, 1912.
Skating on Blairs Loch – The council clerk read a letter from Mr Pearson, factor, Altyre, stating that Sir William Gordon Cumming had great pleasure in granting permission to the inhabitants of Forres to skate on the portion of Blair’s Loch set apart for the purpose during the ensuing winter.
On the suggestion of the Provost, the Clerk was instructed to write to Sir William thanking him for his kindness in continuing this valued privilege – applause.
Hockey in Roysvale Park – The Lands Committee also reported that they had granted permission to the Ladies’ Hockey Club to play on the part of Roysvale Park set aside for hockey in former years.
The report was approved of.
British Women’s Temperance Association – The Forres branch of this Society held their second monthly meeting here on Tuesday evening last week, Miss Hendrie, President, in the chair. Miss Hendrie read an essay by Miss K. Ross, Pilmuir, on the first meeting of the Rechabites. The notice of the new excise law for Ceylon, by which it is sought to increase the revenue by forcing more licensed houses on the subjects there, was a subject of criticism and deep regret and it was decided to send a resolution protesting against the same.
The meeting was enjoyable throughout.
50 YEARS AGO
From the files of the Forres Gazette of November 14, 1962.
Bottle throw cost man £2 – A breach of the Litter Act was created by a Burgie farm worker, Louis Mutch, Burgie Lodge Farm Cottages, when he threw a lemonade bottle on High Street, Forres (near the High Church) and on Wednesday he was given a strong reprimand in Forres Police Court by Bailie G.W. Rutherford.
Mutch pleaded guilty to the offence. Mr H.W. Leask, burgh prosecutor, said that the accused should have appeared in court on October 3 but failed to do so.
Mutch replied that he had understood that the court sat at 10.30am whereas it was in fact 10 o’clock and he had arrived to find the doors closed.
Saying that Mutch had caused a good deal of trouble by his failure to attend the previous court, Bailie Rutherford added: "I take a very serious view of litter louts who go around throwing paper and other litter in the streets. In your case you threw down a bottle and there can be no excuse for you doing this. I have no hesitation in fining you £2 with option of 20 days in prison."
Accused was granted seven days in which to pay the fine.
At the same court, Winston Sinclair Lawson, c/o 4 Robertson Place, was fined £1 for being drunk and incapable in Bogton Place.
25 YEARS AGO
From the files of the Forres Gazette of November 11, 1987.
Order from Hong Kong follows Royal commission – A young Forres man’s fly-tying skills are earning him and his employers a reputation worldwide.
Twenty-year-old Graeme Mackenzie, who works for the owners of the Forres Tackle Shop and their sister business J.A.J. Munro in Aberlour, has already proved his ability by dressing a fly for Princess Margaret which she told him was a gift for river fishing fan The Queen Mother.
Now his work is heading for one of he world’s leading hotels – the Hong Kong Hilton.
Mr Hamish Mitchell explained: "Some time ago, the manager of the hotel called into our Aberlour shop during a fishing trip on the Spey," he said.
"He saw examples of Graeme’s work and asked if we could produce three cases of fully-dressed flies – two for presentation purposes and a third to go on display in the Hilton."
Graeme, who lives at Anderson Crescent in Forres, accepted the challenge and already two cases have winged their way to Hong Kong. The third is due to be collected in early December.
Each case consists of 14 exquisitely-tied, fully-dressed flies – among them some of the best-known designs like Jock Scott, Green Highlander, Torrish and Thunder and Lightning.
The flies, complete with brass description plates, have been mounted in special display frames by Forres professional photographer Mr Les Hester, of Gordon Street.
"The cases and flies are quite remarkable," said Mr Mitchell. "Obviously we were delighted to handle the order. Graeme and Les have done a remarkable job."
10 YEARS AGO
From the files of the Forres Gazette of Wednesday, November 13, 2002.
NHS Trust rules out site bid – Hopes that the former Tesco supermarket could be unveiled as the site of the new Forres Health Centre suffered a set-back on Friday.
The closing date for the sale of the Gordon Street site passed with no direct bid from Grampian NHS.
GPs and staff at Forres Health Centre were left wondering about the supermarket’s future after the Grampian trust said they were currently unable to provide funding to secure it for the development of a new combined health centre and hospital for the town.
A meeting of the NHS Grampian Trust’s Capital Planning Committee ruled last week that any immediate decisions regarding funding for a new health centre wold have to be put on the back burner as the trust re-organised their spending priorities.
In addition, consultants called in by the trust to evaluate the six options put forward by the Local Health Care Co-operative (LHCC) recommended that Leanchoil Hospital was the most cost-effective option.
