News Archive - July 2001
[June 2001] [August 2001]
31st July 2001
Around
the Baby Show In Wick Gala Week
Assembly Rooms, Wick was extremely busy for the Baby Show this
year. Wonder if the threat to maternity services has brought
out the crowds? No votes here for any government reducing
services.
A
Group Of Classic Car Enthusiasts At John O'Groats
A group of friends with an interest in classic cars at John
O'Groats. The group are touring the Highlands and when we
caught up with them were planning to go over to Orkney for the day
before heading back south. They even have their own web site
so you can find out all about their cars.
John O'Groat Harbour Day - Always Something Happening
Model Fishing Boat Sails From Stroma to John O'Groats
Yet More Wick Gala Pics 81 - 90
Next
Gala Pics 91 - 100
And we are still working on them so more to come.
Yet
More Wick Gala Pics 81 - 90
And still more later.
Library
Kids Lead This Section of Gala Pics 71 - 80
This group of children had been getting ready and learning to
put together the costumes and other gear for the gala at the library
over a few days.
Hi Florida - More From That Jacksonville Crew
Singing, Dancing and havin fun - that was Gala
Night.
30th July 2001
Lifeboats
At John O'Groats Harbour Day
First of a series of pictures on John O'Groats Harbour
Day. More tomorrow. More Gala pictures later tonight.
Gala
Queen & Attendants Pictures
What does a Gala Queen do? Chosen by the pupils at the
school they attend a whole range of activities, present prizes,
dances, golf prize giving and almost everyday are in action from the
Baby Show to bonfire night when they usually start the fireworks
display on Saturday night at the end of this week to end the Gala
Week.
Jacksonville
Group Gala Party In Blackstairs
Lots of people in town for Gala Week. This group in from
Jacksonville to see relatives and friends seemed to be enjoying the
night.
Gala
Pics 61 - 70
Another batch and we are hardly half way through yet. Plenty more still
to come.
29th July 2001
More
Views OF Wick Gala 51 - 60
This float had the council as part of its target but it was
only the tail end of Scorrie Busters.
Halkirk
Highland Games First Pictures
Halkirk Games this year had a very large crowd and the
weather stayed fine. Commencing with the March to the field we
will bring you pictures over the next couple of days.
Thurso Pipe Band Playing In Halkirk Before March To Field
First
20 Wick Gala Pictures
First batch of pictures from Wick Gala last night. At
least a hundred more pictures to come over the next day or two but
we are off to John O'Groats Harbour Day right now. Back
tonight with many more of the gala. 1-
10, 11-
20
Class
73 Reunion Group Picture
This group picture sent in by John Baikie,
Photographer. A much higher quality picture is available from
John who can be contact at JGB
Photography.
28th July 2001
New Web Sites Still Coming On In Caithness
A personal web site this time from Brandy
Miller with a variety of pictures of her family and
Wick. This has been added to our listing of Personal
Web Sites. If you would like a link to your
personal web site whether your based in Caithness or elsewhere let
us know. Just tell us the address and what the Caithness
connection is. Another one today is a reminder of the web site
for
Caithness Diving Club who have changed their name from
Thurso Sub-Aqua Club. We will be adding it to the new sports
pages coming soon on Caithness.Org
Class 73 Wick High
Reunion
Class of 73 Wick High School Reunion was very well attended with
people coming from many parts of the UK and from abroad.
Furthest travelled we could find was Jacksonville, Florida. A few
more pictures next week its Gala and Highland Games today in Wick
and Halkirk and we are off to both. See some of you there.
27th July 2001
OK Who Will Be Next With A Web Site?
Wick
Harbour Trust Launches Web Site - Sorry guys couldn't resist
it!
Wick
Gala - Preparations Already In Full Swing
Here we go with the first Wick Gala pictures even before it begins
showing you just a little of the preparations under way for the
decorated floats on Saturday night. Teams of people all over
the town are preparing floats, costumes and other necessities for
the night that Wick has very enthusiastically gone into for many
years. Topical events often feature in the floats and
political gaffs or mistakes by any public body are likely to be a
target for satirical and straight forward humour on the night.
Slander and libel lawyers stay home or you might just end up on next
years float. Politicians are a favourite but anything that
happened in the last 12 months is likely to get another airing in
glorious Technicolor and a pot of paint.
The
Facts On Beach Particles From UKAEA
In order
to bring the facts back into focus after much media speculation,
letters to the press and debate UKAEA has issued a statement on what
has been found to date.
Requests for Advice by
Email - Do Not Open Them
A plague of
viruses is spreading on the pretext of asking your advice.
They vary but usually ask you to open a file - Do
not do this or you are in trouble. Only
if you know the source of the email should you check the file
attached but even then it may have come unwittingly from a friends
computer. Check by phone first if they really want advice
about their divorce, pregnancy or on almost any other topic
currently doing the rounds. Get your virus protection software
updating regularly from today if you have not already done so.
We really mean it. Delay will cost you - act now before you
get caught with the next one.
A Question for Mowatts In Family History
26th July 2001
Wick
Thursday
All quiet in Bridge Street this morning where hundreds of people
will line up to see the parade of floats on Saturday evening for the
start of Wick Gala
Week.
Sword
Dance At Dunbeath Last Week
If you
missed Dunbeath Sword Dancing you still have other chances at the Highland Games still to come at Mey and John O'Groats. But the
first one is on Saturday with the biggest games of all at Halkirk.
Highland Dancing competitions, heavy field events, tossing the
caber, tug-o-war, athletics, cycle races, pipe bands, piping
competitions, clan gatherings. Soak in the atmosphere as the
participants march to the field with the pipes ringing in your ears
at 12.15pm.
Aye! We'll be there. Why not spend the day at the games
and head back to Wick for the big Gala
Night parade. Always
fun and spot that wicked Weeker humour on the slogans and poems on
the floats. Head for riverside about 7.00pm
Badryrie
- Abandoned Crofting Community In Latheron
One of the most isolated parts of Caithness
once a thriving community was the topic examined in April 1985 by
David B Miller. His detailed article still as accurate as the
day it was written.
25th July 2001
Pulteneytown
Academy 1961 - Yet Another Class
And still you are rummaging and finding more pictures in the
49 - 51 reunion age group in Wick. We will soon have the whole
set.
East
End Boys Football New Pictures
Under 12 Teams
From 1976 and 1977
Thanks to
coach Ronnie McKain for sending these pictures in to add to the
growing section on East End Boys Football Club.
Reunions
Keep Those Old Pictures Coming In
Another
Class from 1962 now set for the 49-51
age group reunion next week (3 August) in Mackays
Hotel. No tickets - well its a sellout but you can mingle in
the bars. With 180 tickets sold and a heap more people heading
to Mackays for "e crack" its gonna be busy.
Gala Week In Wick
Starts Saturday
Caithness is going to be very
busy from Friday with Wick Gala week, Halkirk
Highland Games on Saturday and a range of concerts not to
mention a range of reunions taking
place from Friday this week.
Looking Down On Market Square Pipers
24th July 2001
Mairi
Nicolson In Antarctica
One of the most spectacular responses to our Where
They Went sections. Mairi is working as a Terrestrial
Field Assistant and will be there for 2.5 years.
Where
They Went Hears From Joe Fitzpatrick
Joe went to North School, Wick
- check out his home web site Goerie.com
in USA. He found himself in the 1962
North School picture sent in for the 49-
51 reunion that happens on 3 August in Wick.
Lord
Of The Rings & J R R Tolkien Links Page
The
Links pages continue to grow even though we may not announce
every addition on the front page. this latest listing is in
preparation for the new film to be released in December the first of
three in a series on the famous fantasy. All links were
checked today.
The
Caber Tossing At Dunbeath
Try this
after a lot of practice and you still won't make it do a
summersault like these guys. Still a unique feature of
Highland Games and it does take a lot of skill as well
as pure brute strength to turn these telegraph poles over
full length.
23rd July 2001
Holiday
Letting In Caithness
If you are letting holiday
accommodation in Caithness and want to get more coverage then send
us your details for the new section in the Caithness Business
Pages. Its cheaper to have a web site from Scorrie
Internet than advertising in a magazine or newspapers over the year.
Wick
Gala Week Programme
Here is the whole Gala Week Programme from Wick Town
Improvements Group. In addition many of the local pubs, hotels
and clubs will be having their own entertainment to add to a busy
week.
North
School 1962
Another
class from this year in our
School
Days section. The
picture has been sent in as another in the build up to the
49
- 51 Wick High Reunion.
Countdown for several
reunions is now on. so could everyone contact to pick
up and pay for their tickets to ease the burden on the
various committees as soon as possible.
22nd July 2001
Pictures still rolling in for the 49- 51 Wick High Reunion in Mackays on 3 August.
Halkirk Highland Games - Biggest In The North
Saturday 28 July,
£12500 of Prize Money,
A Great Day Out To Meet All your Friends Remember
last years games
21st July 2001
Stirling Castle
This is the latest castle from Andrew Spratt's range of
reconstructions. for the full castle section
Click Here. For the full list
of Non Caithness reconstructions
Click Here. For all the Caithness reconstructions
Click Here.
Dunbeath
Highland Games Pictures
Yesterday was overcast but this did not stop everyone enjoying the
day.
Dunbeath Games Baby Show & Cycle Races
Patients
Council - Caithness
Most of you may not have heard of this
group now meeting in Caithness but now you can see what they talk about
on the web site. We will be publishing the minutes and any other
information they produce for everyone to see. Now if you have some
thing to say about the hospital services in Caithness you have another
group actually in the county to contact with your views. Remember
however that they do not replace the Health
Council who are based in Alness.
20th July 2001
Reflections
On E Kirk
More from the pen of Jenny Stewart in
Caithness dialect transcribed by Isabelle Thurley.
Dancing
In The Gym
Recollections from Janis Paterson in the Reunion pages but which will
strike a chord with many others. And on the reunion theme -
can anyone who is attending any reunion please pick up their tickets as
early as possible to save the organisers having to contact you all by
phone. Some of the reunions are big now and that's a big job so
get round and pick up your tickets PLEASE.
August
East Coast Walks Calendar
Here are the East Coast Ranger Walks
planned for August. A great way to see Caithness with someone who
knows the area well. Here are a couple of pictures from recent
walks with the rangers -
FINDING
OUT WEEK!
Tuesday 24 July 2.00 - 5.00pm
Caithness General Hospital, Conference Room
A chance to get your views over about how the health service in the Highlands
should change.
North
Stroma From The Air
Another view of Stroma.
19th July 2001
Duncansby
Stroll
A few more pictures from a stroll round Seabird City at
Duncansby Head this week. This picture shows the Skerries
Lighthouse in the Pentland Firth between the cliffs.
Berriedale
Castle
Not much happening on the castle section as we are busy on other
things in the summer months at present. However here is a drawing
of Berriedale from Cordiner's Castles to keep you castle fans going.
18th July 2001
Management
of Nuclear Fuel At Dounreay
Mr Brian Wilson, Minister of State for Industry, Energy and Environment, made
the announcement today following a public consultation exercise last year about
the options for management of spent nuclear fuel at Dounreay.
17th July 2001
Crowds In Stevens at Scrabster On Saturday
16th July 2001
Thurso
Gala Programme
4 - 9 August 2001
Another Gala - this time in Thurso as they gear up for the
annual event the programme is now here. This years pictures will
be indexed from the Thurso
Gala Page
Scorrie
Internet Services
We have our own business web site up and
running now. Scorrie
Internet Services is able to offer a range of services and these
are already being extended. Keep an eye on Scorrie for future
announcements. Building not only web sites but solutions to
problems. Businesses can take advantage of being linked to
the fast growing banner system and cross promotion now on offer.
Birch
Beithe, Betula
An exhibition on the theme of Highland Birch by artists from the
Highlands In Wick till end of July and then in Thurso till 1 September.
Caithness
and Sutherland Enterprise June Report
Reports on current falling unemployment, grant payments and so on.
Young
Enterprise - New Funding
A programme which has already allowed thousands of high school pupils in the
Highlands and Islands to gain valuable business experience is set to be
expanded.
Pipe Band Week Fancy Dress Parade Pictures
A Few Crowd Scenes From Saturday
15th July 2001
Holidays Can Be Fishing Days For Boys In Wick
A Wick Fire Engine On display In Market Square
NATIONAL
MIGRATION STUDIES CENTRE
Skye is to be the base for a new Migration Studies Centre looking at where the
people of Scotland have gone over the centuries.
14th July 2001
Wick
High Scottish Country Dance Team 1967
Wick High School Reunion 49 - 51 Group has only three weeks to
go and here is a picture of some of them in the country dancing team
1967.
Ham
Harbour
A recent Field Club outing to Ham provided an opportunity to get
plenty of pictures. A few in now and more to come later.
Stroma
School 1910
This
picture sent from Canada by one of the descendants from the
island. We are looking for a clearer version if anyone has one to
lend us. It would appear to be taken from an old book.
Ham
Farmhouse
Another
house in our Country Houses section. This 18th century farmhouse
sits in an excellent spot near Ham harbour and an old 18th century
warehouse that became a mill in the 19th century.
13th July 2001
St Fergus Guides - Camp Orkney 1947
12th July 2001
Impromptu
Piping In Wick Today
All
week the Wick RBLS Pipe Band have been performing at functions and
putting on displays and yet some of them are still finding time to do
some extra playing in the Market Square in the mornings
George
By Request
George's
fan mail continues to grow and we think she will be signing autographs
soon at this rate.
11th July 2001
Deja
Vu In The Blackstairs Lounge Recently
Deja vu
one of the most popular bands in Caithness played recently in the
Blackstairs as part of the Musical Madness weekend in Wick.
Sir
John Usher
"Who
Is he?" I hear many of you say. Well if it had not been
for him donating the ground there might not have been a library in Wick
standing where it is with money supplied by Andrew Carnegie who funded
many of Scotland's libraries.
Dunnet
Caravan & Camping Park
Pushing
on with the Dunnet pictures this one introduces a new section for
pictures of Caravan & Camping sites in Caithness. We will
gradually add to the pages but if you would like your caravan site
featured in the section just send in a picture with full details.
Miller
Academy 1981 Primary 7 - 2
Hot
on the heels of Primary 7 - 1 G s Johnson has sent in this picture of
the other class in the year in 1981. If you would like to have
your school picture included just forward a copy to bill@caithness.org
to add to the growing School Days
section.
Back
In The Air Over Castlehill
Another
aerial view of Castlehill
Pictures
Of Stroma
Pictures of the first house from our Stroma trip are for a house
whose people went to Canada. We are in touch with a lady whose
father lived in the house. If any of you have information on each
house as we add it over coming months we will add it to the pages if you
email it to us.
10th July 2001
The
Ranger Station & Visitor Centre at Dunnet Bay
This centre has a small but varied collection of items on Flora
and Fauna of the area and is the place where the ranges don that side of
the county operate from. they will tell you where to find many
plants, animals and birds. They also lead many FREE
walks around the county every week in summer.
Everyone Is On The Other Beaches
Face it. This is the north of Scotland and hardly
sunbathing territory - or is it. On the days that are warm the
beaches around the coast are glorious. But of course that clear
blue water is still ....well freezing. Consolation is you get one
great view after another with hardly any people. Turn around and
you get this other crowded view of Dunnet Head.
Of course you can shelter in fantastic sand dunes and watch the
bird life.
A
Visit To Stroma With Caithness.Org
Caithness Field Club organised the boats to take people over to
Stroma and Bill joined them for Caithness.Org. Over coming weeks
you will see many of the pictures taken on a very misty and damp
day. See the lighthouse, school and many of the houses and check
the map to see exactly where each building is located as it is added
with a number to let you find it over the next few weeks.
Tina
Irvine On Dunnet Head
Tina lets you know what you can find at Dunnet.
Amongst the huge numbers of birds around the Caithness coast the Puffin
is one of the most distinctive and found in great numbers at Dunnet.
Check out the pictures of Frank Garnet a regular visitor to the area.
Puffins feed on sand eels and can be seen in the nesting season
bringing home their catch to feed young in burrows on the cliffs.
Reunions
Ticket Sales Booming
Wick High Class 73 have sold 164 tickets
and others are seeing unprecedented sales. Make sure you get yours
if you have been thinking about attending an event. And send your
money in soon for those happening in July and August. Check
out the different arrangements for getting tickets depending on venues.
9th July 2001
Miller
Academy 1981 - Primary 7 - 1
Photo forwarded by Allan Lannon and supplied by Karen
Anderson (nee Murdoch). Bet you never thought you would see these
signatures from the cover of the photo again folks.
E
Two-Forty Five At Hempriggs
Another Caithness
dialect poem from Jenny Stewart prepared by Isabelle Thurley.
8th July 2001
Scarfskerry
Harbour
Another beautiful little harbour on the northern coast of
Caithness. An unusual feature here is the rock at either side of
the harbour points up in opposite directions as if the whole lot was
folded here when it was first formed.
7th July 2001
Pipe Band Week Sets Off In the
Rain
The rain was persistent but so was the Wick Pipe band as they
and a fairly large crowd turned out to get the next few days
going. Then is was off tot the Celeidh in Mackays hotel.
Knackabrick
Looking For A Singer
Now is your chance to get involved with a
new band. Got it all together and booted their web site on to the
web. They are looking for a singer to come and practice with
them. So if you are in Caithness looking to get a start in a band
then this could be you chance. Give the guys a call for try out.
6th July 2001
Scrabster Harbour Development Progress
The biggest harbour development in Caithness and the far north
of Scotland for many years is now well underway at Scrabster. With
several hundred lorry trips per week having filled in the new road
bottom and the extent of it now becoming very visible.
New
Pier Road Goes All The Way To Holborn Head Lighthouse
Suddenly the Holborn Light is coming much nearer and sits almost
above where the new Ferry will be coming in next year.
New
Thurso Lifeboat Premises Under Construction At Scrabster
The old lifeboat shed and office has been demolished to make way for the
new road and pier development. The new premises offered as part of
the deal is now well underway.
Thurso
Lifeboat Leaving Harbour
A Sunday training session for the volunteer crew of the Thurso
lifeboat.
Old
Custom House, Scrabster
Traditional style harbour customs office now used as offices by a
fishing company.
Pipe Band Week Starts Saturday 7 July
4th July 2001
Moving
Further Up Brown Place
More houses, a shop, a church, old buildings and new still to
come as we progress up one side and down the other over coming days.
Thurso
From Above - To The Beach
Another part of Thurso from the air showing the town next to the
beach on the Pentland Firth. to make things easier we have now
created a Thurso
Aerial Index Page where we will add future aerial views.
For other parts of Caithness - See the Aerial
Views Index in the A - Z.
Northlands
Festival Preview
This years festival that each year brings
together Scottish and Nordic arts and culture will take place between 21
and 26 September in Caithness. With events happening at both sides
of the county and covering Music, Visual Arts, Writing in an eclectic
mix of community groups and performers with International
reputations. Spend a few pleasant days in Caithness during the
festival and see the north in Autumn.
You
Can Walk Latheronwheel This Sunday
Free Ranger led walks take place throughout the summer in
Caithness. The Latheronwheel walk is a regular one and you can
join it this Sunday 8 July. Meet at Latheronwheel Harbour at
2.00pm For details of all the walks Click
Here.
Police
- Drugs Raid in Stornoway
43 police officers from the Western Isles
and the Northern Constabulary Drugs Squad Raided houses in Stornoway and
arrested four people for possession of Class A and B drugs.
Caithness.Org
Goes To Philadelphia For 4 July
American Independence Day seems a good
opportunity for us to to go to America and bring you some links for
those of you who need to know more about how it all came about. A
few links and some fun for the kids.
100
Places To Stay In Caithness
We now have 100 places to stay listed in the Caithness
Business Pages. A FREE entry in the
Caithness Business Pages takes only a minute to complete the Submission
Form. In fact any Caithness Business can get in FREE. We are
now adding a small picture to all the entries. Want it in sooner - then
send one in to us and see your FREE page get even better.
Buy
a Banner
Get your business web site noticed from all over our web
sites. A years advertising for your web site for only £100.
3rd July 2001
Sarclet
- A Bigger Set Of New Pictures
A hidden cove where an old herring curing station still watches for
the boats that will never come again.
Gaelic
Virtual Village Project Gets £900,000 Award
The Highland Council
is to lead an Internet project aimed at preserving Gaelic culture by
making it accessible both to the small and scattered communities of the
Highlands and Islands and to virtual visitors across the globe.
Highland
Council Launch Green Office Guide
A new small publication encourages businesses and other organisations to save
money and also lessen their environmental footprint.
Summer
Holiday Activities In Caithness
Football, Touch Rugby and Basketball
all on offer so check it out for a few days of fun at Wick and Thurso
High Schools.
Another
Aerial View of Castletown
Another view showing the road in from
the wick direction at the bottom
Right
To buy Land Flawed Says Highland Council
The successful recent community land
purchases at Assynt in Sutherland and Eigg and Knoydart in the West Highlands
would not have met the Governments criteria for approval if the communities
involved had been faced with the provisions contained in the Scottish
Executives Draft Land Reform Bill.
June Figures Break The Records Again
Hits 1,651,620 in June
Since 12 August 2000 the total hits are 8,190,390
Thanks for all your support
2nd July 2001
Brown
Place, Wick
A new section for Brown Place, Wick as we set out to show every
house in the street over the next few days. One side has the older
houses and the other the more recent mainly council houses with a few
detached houses that may surprise you if you left Wick a while
ago. All the pictures were taken today to be a snapshot of the
whole street on 2 July 2001.
Thurso
College Area From The Air
Another part of Thurso from above. Aerial
Views of Caithness Index.
Singers
at Thrumster Gala
Taking turns at thumping out well known tunes at the
Thrumster Gala.
Walk
With The Rangers In Caithness
Here are some of the places you can see on walks organised by the
Rangers in Caithness. All walks are FREE and there are lots in
July. Check out the Main
List or check out some Walks
On The East Coast. Check out other groups in the Walking
Pages.
A
New Whaligoe Page Begins
Summertime and a brighter picture of Whaligoe.
Sometimes you can see swans swimming on the pond which is stacked by the
householder with fish. This is a private house and not open to the
public but it sits on the main road and you cannot miss it on the way to
Wick.
1st July 2001
Thrumster Page Ten - Even More Piping Pictures
Thrumster Page Nine More Piping
Thrumster
Page Eight
Caithness Junior
Pipe Band in fantastic form on Saturday at Thrumster Gala.
Thrumster Gala - More Majorettes
Thrumster
Gala Page Four
More from the gala. More later.
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