Down Memory Lane

See what was making the headlines all those years ago
Young stars...of Leadhills Gala in 2004Young stars...of Leadhills Gala in 2004
Young stars...of Leadhills Gala in 2004

TEN YEARS AGO

*The Airborne Initiative formally closed its door. The scheme for young offenders, based at Braidwood House, ceased operating in January after the Scottish Executive withdrew its £600,000 funding package.

* Youngsters were going to be given the chance to show off their skills as a skating and biking competition was due to be held at a Carluke skatepark. Organisers were hoping as many youngsters as possible would take part.

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* Forth Community Flat Breast Cancer Care Group handed over a cheque for £2,000 to Lanarkshire Cancer Care Trust. Since the organisation started in September 2001, the group – headed by chairperson Jessie Griffin and secretary Elizabeth Watson – had raised more than £20,000 for good causes.

* tHE fLINTSTONES, bumble bees and dogs were just some of the costumes at the 2004 Leadhills Gala Day. The Gala Queen was Jennifer Cameron.

* Carnwath’s Agricultural Show was declared one of the best ever by organisers. The good weather saw many more members of the public going along and stock entries were up on the previous year.

* Carluke Golf Club captain Peter Nevans and ladies vice-captain Sandra Hyslop presented a cheque for £1500 to the British Heart Foundation. The large sum was raised at the club’s recent charity mixed open competition.

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* Anne Hill was awarded Biggar Rotary Club’s Citizen of the Year award. Anne, from Symington, received her award from past-president Leonard Gray.

* Biggar Rugby Club was all set for life in Scotland’s top league. Club president Ian Notman couldn’t wait for the league to begin.

TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO

* THE death was announced of former Lanark Gazette editor Alex Currie the age of 73. Alex had joined the Gazette in 1973.

*Undergrowth around Braidwood was to be looked at by Strathclyde Regional Council’s roads department. The move followed complaints from residents of the village about the state of some of its walkways.

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* A Carluke pensioner told the Gazette she was in agony after falling on uneven stones in the town’s precinct. Sixty-year-old Esther Odger said she was going to complain to the regional council whose roads department had responsibility for the precinct.

* District Councillor Robert French decided to find out what life was like as a wheelchair user in Clydesdale when he joined Mary Nelson as she travelled out for a day. Councillor French couldn’t believe some of the difficulties facing wheelchair users and vowed to improve disabled access in a number of public buildings.

* Members of Lanark Round Table handed over a cheque for £2,000 to Law Hospital’s Defibrillator Fund. The aim was to buy a number of defibrillators for the Scottish Ambulance Service.

* Biggar Sports Centre’s Playscheme sessions throughout the summer were going very well with gymnastics, badminton, outdoor activities and taekwon-do among the favourite sports.

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* Skirling haulage contractor David Clarkson won a major trophy and cash prize at the recent Benson & Hedges Concours in Falkirk. Thousands of Scottish car lovers saw David receive the runner-up in the car made before World War Two category which aimed to find vehicles that had the best possible presentation and condition.

* Lesmahagow and District YFC held a grand charity auction in aid of motor neurone disease research at Nether Skellyhill Farm. Meanwhile, Biggar YFC held a successful barbecue and disco at the end of its sports tournament.

* Lanark Golf Club received an unexpected slice of publicity when a number of golf-mad Japanese tourists came to the club. One of them, renowned Japanese photographer Koji Aoki, had already photographed the likes of St Andrews and Carnoustie before arriving in Lanark.

* Former Lesmahagow centre half Willie Dobbin was returning to the Craighead Park side following the departure of defender Tommy Devine.

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