Down Memory Lane

TEN YEARS AGO

* EX-school friends Craig Carlyle and Allan Cross came forward in a bid to save Carluke Gala Day. Hopes of a gala day in the town in 2004 had been dashed by the recent resignation of the gala committee.

* BRAIDWOOD-based persistent offenders programme the Airborne Initiative looked certain to end after its single biggest funding source pulled the plug on its operations. The Scottish Executive announced that it would be stopping its Airborne Initiative funding in March.

* objectors to the proposed Castlehill supermarket in Carluke had vowed to fight the plan every step of the way. Catherine Mackay, of Airdrie Road, Carluke, was one of 30 residents who had pledged to oppose the plan for a 4000 square metre retail store for the Esso garage site and the fields behind it.

* SOUTH of Scotland MSP David Mundell was formally adopted as the Prospective Conservative Candidate for the newly created constituency of Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale.

* FORTH Wanderers qualified for the last 16 of the Scottish Junior Cup with a 2-0 home fourth round replay victory over Dunipace. Goals from Kris Jarvie and Vinny Weightman did the damage, much to the delight of Forth manager John Clifford. He said: “Attitude, commitment and enthusiasm were the keys to our victory. I asked the players for a wee bit extra effort for the town and the club and they gave me that.”

* BIGGAR Rugby Club kept alive their promotion hopes with a 19-3 Premier 2 win at Kirkcaldy, the Hartreemill side’s first ever victory at Beveridge Park. Tries were scored by Fraser Campbell (2) and Warren Dalley.

TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO

* a major eyesore in Braidwood was being landscaped at a cost of £70,000. A large piece of land used as a yard for old cars and other vehicles was being cleared and trees, shrubs and grass planted. The land – between Lanark Road and the railway line – was bought from Clydesdale District Council by the Scottish Development Agency.

* Local hairdresser Liam Thomson was delighted when he was called upon to be a bit scissor-happy. Liam cut almost 20 inches of hair from Mrs Ann Lambert in a sponsored challenge which raised £70 for Crawforddyke West Residents’ Association.

* THE takeaways were taking over! That was the fear of Lanark’s district councillors who had voiced their anxiety about the number of hot food carry-outs setting up shop in the town. Independent member Jan Westworth claimed that many Lanarkians were becoming increasingly concerned about the disturbance, noise and litter emanating from the takeaways and restaurants.

* gazette photographer Jimmy Muncie was given a fond farewell at a special retiral dinner in his honour. Making the presentation of a decanter and glasses on behalf of friends and colleagues was managing editor Morris Bell. Jimmy’s wife, Emily, was presented with a bouquet of flowers.

* a cleghorn man was at odds with Clydesdale’s planning chiefs over the proposed colour of the roof of his new home. Mr J Speedie, who was building a house at 9 Hagholm Road, Cleghorn, wanted to top the job with unique red roof tiles. But planners said this would look out of place in the village and were insisting on grey or brown instead.

* lesmahagow Juniors manager John Stewart believed his troops could upset bookies’ odds by winning a Scottish Junior Cup fourth round clash at Whitburn the following day. Whitburn, semi-finalists the previous season, were listed at 8/13 to topple ’Gow, who were 4/1 underdogs. “My players are really geared up for this one,” Stewart said. “They know they will have to be at their very best to get a result but they are confident they can do it.”

* more than 350 boys from throughout Clydesdale took part in the local sports council’s annual five-a-side football tournament at Lesmahagow High School. Respective winners of the under-nine, under-11 and under-13 sections were Law Hearts, Carluke EU ‘A’ and Carluke Thistle. Organisers were delighted at the high turnout of teams.