Copyright shetlandtimes
10 YEARS AGO A spate of vandalism at the Clickimin Broch where spot lights were smashed has been described as “stupidity with a capital S” by the chairman of Lerwick Community Council. Jim Anderson has lamented recent activity which has seen half a dozen lights smashed over a five-month period, with weekends popular for vandals seeking to damage the ancient monument’s surroundings. The Shetland Times has been told by the broch’s caretaker that some of the vandalism has even taken place during broad daylight, when perpetrators risk being caught red-handed by passers-by who are out and about. A Hillswick crofter believes two of his lambs were stolen overnight - the latest in what he says is a string of “thefts” of sheep in the area in the past few years. Laurence Laird of Burnside said that he had been planning to put two Cheviot lambs to the marts on Friday but found both lambs missing from the hay park at the back of his house, although their mother was still there. The twins were among four Shetland lambs he was to send to the Lerwick mart along with four Cheviots and a few cast ewes. One of Shetland’s foremost poets, Stella Sutherland, died last Thursday at the age of 91. She was born in Bressay in 1924, then spent her childhood years in Sandwick and her teenage years in Foula. She is survived by her daughers Elizabeth and Linda. 25 YEARS AGO The recent spate of break-ins continued this week in north Lerwick. A large quantity of cash, estimated at between £1,500 and £2,000, was stolen from Sutherland’s Garage, Gremista, between 10.10pm on Monday and 7.25am on Tuesday. Thieves broke through two doors to gain access to the garage before breaking the back off a safe with a crowbar and chisel which were left on the premises. Teething troubles plaguing the £9 million waste to energy incinerator at Greenhead since April may have been resolved this week. The plant was shut down last Sunday due to problems drawing air from the furnace and fire and circulating it up through the main chimney. Principal officer at the incinerator, Jim Grant, said the problem was caused by the size of the main fan and steps had been taken to resolve the situation six months previously. The four-man crew of the Fraserburgh fishing vessel Golden Sceptre were rescued on Sunday when their vessel sank in waters 95 miles east-south-east of Sumburgh. The boat started taking on water at around 1.30pm following collision with a large object. Skipper Robert Tait (42) said: “I don’t know what it was. We heard a big bang and saw something long and black, like a log, in the water.” 50 YEARS AGO Nine lone females are living beside 232 males in the £5 million village for oil terminal construction workers at Firths Voe - due to accommodate 1,200 men by the autumn of next year. The girls work in the village, and the management are delighted to have them, claiming that their presence makes for better behaviour among the men. Said Mr Peter London, acting general manager of the complex: “Men act much better if there are women behind the counter. They tend to protect the girls - in fact, they are looking after my nine girls here very well, and I mean that nicely.” New chairman of Shetland Fishermen’s Association is Mr Josie Simpson, skipper of the Whalsay boat Azalea. He was elected chairman at the annual general meeting on Saturday, replacing Mr James Wiseman, chairman for the past two years. Vice-chairman is Mr R. Williamson, also a Whalsay man, representing the Unity. Prices at this year’s calf sales at Shetland Marts could have been higher in some cases if the animlas had not been horned, Mr W. Peterson, manager and auctioneer, said this week. Buyers were not favouring horned animals because of the widespread use of looseboxes in modern farming, he said - horned animals in looseboxes were likely to gore each other. 75 YEARS AGO “He is a liar, and is absolutely beyond his mother’s control; when she has tried to reason with him and chided him, he has, on more than one occasion, threatened her with violence.” A teenage Lerwick boy heard himself thus described in Lerwick Juvenile Court on Saturday, when he made his third appearance within a short time on a theft charge. Sheriff R. J. Wallace remanded him for one week, pending inquiries about sending him to an approved school. The boy admitted stealing from a house in the North Road a purse containing about £1 cash, tobacco relief coupons, and cash checks. 100 YEARS AGO Heroic Rescue by a Shetlander – The “Sharon, Penna., Daily Herald” has an account to the effect that, at the risk of his own life, Detective-Sergeant A.J. Hughson rescued a woman from in front of an Erie passenger train. The train was almost upon her when Detective Hughson rushed forward and dragged her to safety. She is said to be the fourth person whom Detective Hughson has rescued at the same crossing within a month. The account concludes – “Hughson is a world war veteran, having seen four years’ service with the Scottish Highlanders in France. Those who have seen his deed feel that he faced death on the crossing as surely as ever he did in the war.” Sad End of a Lunatic – Information came to hand on Friday last that Gilbert Cluness, an inmate of Montrose Lunatic Asylum, had met his death early that week under tragic circumstances. Cluness, who had been an inmate of Montrose Asylum for some years, had recently been suffering from a severe cold, but was getting better. On Sunday he was seen seated in the grounds, but was subsequently missed, and a search instituted failed to find any trace of him. On Monday a boat passing close to Montrose found the body of a man floating in the sea some miles south of the Asylum. The body was taken ashore, and recognised as that of Cluness, who had apparently left the grounds and gone for a walk along the seashore. It is conjectured that he must have slipped on the rocks and fallen into the sea at a point where he would have been unobserved from the roadway. An Adventuresome Pig – On Friday last week a young pig was put on board the s.s. St Fergus, to be conveyed to the North Isles. On reaching Symbister on the way north, the pig somehow or other, got out of the hurdles, and making for the side of the vessel, jumped overboard, and swam away on its own. It was impossible to rescue the pig at sea, so the ship was held on her course; but the pig was seen swimming for the shore. Later in the afternoon, a young man from Symbister had proceeded to the “craigs,” when he espied what he took to be a sheep lying close to the sea. He proceeded over, and found the pig, which on being touched got to its feet and proceeded up the beach, and duly arrived at a house, the inmates of which took charge of it and housed and fed it. It seems none the worse of its strange adventure. Do you want to respond to this article? If so, click here to submit your thoughts and they may be published in print.
