Ferry link in place between Cromarty and Invergordon

Can any of our eagle-eyed readers shed any light on this image, dug out from archives held by Groam House Museum on the Black Isle? There's a real sense of purpose about these women and some tantalising signage just visible on the side of the van behind them. The berets being worn by many of the women in the picture will doubtless provide a clue.

THE SS AILSA is now running between Cromarty Harbour and Invergordon.

Tain Curlers are proposing to make an artificial pond.

A new and up-to-date heating system has been installed in Alness Parish Church.

Miss Joey Robertson, daughter of Mr R Robertson, Schoolhouse, Logie, has been capped Master of Arts at Glasgow University.

The Rev Alexander MacDiarmid, Applecross, has been elected Minister of the United Free Church congregation of Kilmallie and Kilmonivaig.

Numerous women workers and hired fishermen have returned home to Avoch from Yarmouth where fish are not numerous, but prices were favourable.

Mr Robert MacInnes, younger son of the Rev Dr MacInnes, UF Church, Kirkliston, formerly of Conon Bridge, is Liberal Candidate for West Stirlingshire.

A native of Contin, Mr Roderick Munro, has been appointed by the Inter-Allied Disabled Sailors and Soldiers Workshop Industry to open and manage a distributing office in Glasgow.

The weather during the week has been very wintry. Some snow fell on ground which was more or less frost-bound. Deer are being driven down to low ground, and in some districts damage is being done to harvested crops.

In the North of Scotland Football League at Inverness, Dingwall Victoria United defeated Loco Rangers 3-2. In the semi-final of the Munro Cup at Dingwall, Alness Averon defeated Dingwall Hearts by six goals to nil.

A Shinty Club has been formed at Conon. It will take part in the Scottish Junior Cup and Strathdearn Cup competitions. Office-bearers are: President, Mr DG Munro; secretary / treasurer, Mr William Hutcheson; captain, Mr William Fraser.

Dingwall curlers had iced on the artificial pond on Saturday, when a rink was played with ex-Provost Henderson and Mr AH Duncan as skips, the former winning by 17 shots to 12. This was the first game played in Dingwall for three years.

Mr John Patience, late of Henrietta Street, Avoch and Irvine, and Mrs James Patience, High Street, Avoch, have sailed for Australia. Mrs Patience is to join her husband, who settled in Melbourne early in the summer.

Dingwall Parish Church Choir, under the conductorship of their organist, Mr David W Baxter, gave a concert in the public hall. Taking part were: Miss Heffernan, Mr Treasurer, Miss Murray, Mr Skinner, Miss Menzies, Mr Mackenzie, Miss Strachan, Messrs Stewart, Macdonald, Skinner, Leslie and Fraser.

The following have been appointed Officers of the "Fishermen's Rescue" Lodge of Good Templars, Balintore: CT, Bro A Vass; PCT, Sis Johnstone; VT, Bro Macintosh; SJT, Mrs Watt; C, Sis M Ross; Secretary, Sis H MacAngus; F Sec, Bro J Vass; Treasurer, Sis R Macdonald; M, Bro W Mackenzie; DM, Bro D MacNab; G, Bro D Skinner; S, Bro G Fraser.

There was very little excitement at the Local Veto Poll in Dingwall. The No Licence Party persistently canvassed all day and had out two motor cars, one belonging to the Rev Norman Campbell and the other to Messrs John Macrae and Son, The Garage, Hill Street.There was no organisation on the other side, although towards the closing hour a slight effort was made to bring No Change voters to the Poll. The counting of the votes took forty minutes. When Provost Crawford intimated the result the figures were received with a cheer by a gathering of about 200 people. The total electorate is 1,112; 689, or roughly 62 per cent, voted. The No Licence Party polled about 56 per cent of the total recorded. To have carried the No Licence 389 votes were required. It failed by nine votes, or roughly one per cent. Voting was: No Licence, 380; No Change: 299; Limitation: 5; Spoilt Papers: 5.

Friday, 30th November, 1923

OBITUARIES: At 39 Seabank Road, Nairn, Alexander Garrow, husband of Nancy, father of Morag Jean Cheeseman, Texas. Hughina F Macrae, wife of the late John Macdonald, 28 Logie Place, Conon Bridge, Frances Jessie Isabella, wife of the late Sebastian Rennie, 4 Chelswood Avenue, Weston-super- Mare, Somerset, formerly of Novar Gardens, Evanton. Harriet (Etta) Urquhart, 20 Balconie Street, Evanton, youngest daughter of the late Mr and Mrs Matthew Urquhart, 4 Livera Street, Evanton. At 1 Riverbank Drive, Beauly, Roderick Macleod, husband of Annie Urquhart. Margaret Ann Mackenzie, The Shore, Barbaraville.

Local authorities and representatives of the County Council have met to discuss the possibility of establishing a Swimming Pool in East Ross. It was decided to obtain details of the size, cost and running costs of pools already in existence. The possibility of providing an artificial Ski Slope at a School within the County is also being investigated by the Education Committee.

Enrolments at the Highland Hotel School in Strathpeffer, which is sponsored by Ross and Cromarty Education Committee have reached the highest number enrolled yet with 15 students in the Receptionist course, 24 on the Basic Catering Course; and seven in the newly instituted course on Waiting.

The first stage of a five-year plan to bring Automatic Telephone facilities to the Highlands and Islands has begun with the laying of a cable between Inverness and Gairloch at a cost of £750,000.

Mr Robert Fraser, who has retired as Stationmaster at Dingwall, joined the Railway Service in 1922 at Novar Station, Evanton, as a clerk. His duties at Dingwall have been taken over by an Area Manager. During his career, Mr Fraser served at Dingwall, London, Alness, Strathpeffer, Evanton, Achnasheen, Brora, Anstruther and finally at Dingwall since 1961. A native of Conon, he is spending his retirement in Dingwall. Mrs Fraser is a popular member of the Nursing staff at the Ross Memorial Hospital.

Mr Hamish F Jack, 10 Woodlands Road, Dingwall, Area Sales Engineer with the North of Scotland Hydro Electric Board at Dingwall, has been appointed the Board's Development Officer in Edinburgh. He joined the Board at Dingwall thirteen years ago as Agricultural Officer. As a result of his work in this capacity his services were recognised some seven years ago with the award of the MBE. Previous to his Dingwall appointment, Mr Jack, who is a native of Speyside, was employed by the GPO Telephones.

Ross County FC were fortunate to collect both points in their Highland League match with Lossiemouth at Dingwall. Only a last-minute scrambled goal by Don MacMillan gave them a 2-1 victory. Thom had scored the opening goal.

One of the best Shinty matches of the season was witnessed at Beauly, where Caberfeidh drew 2-2 with the local club in a MacGillivray League fixture. Ian Bartlett opened the scoring in he first minute. Beauly equalised from the throw-up with a great goal from M Maclean. However, Cabers were soon on the attack again and Bartlett got his second counter. Sandy Mackay equalised. Pressure on the Cabers' goal was intense in the second half, and keeper Scottie Sturtevant had another first-class game. In one period Beauly forced six corners. Outstanding players in the Cabers' line-up were Ian Macdonald, Robert Taylor and Ian Bartlett. Beauly were best served by Tilman, R Maciver,, M Maclean and Grant. In another Senior League fixture, Lochcarron defeated Strathglass 4-2.

The children of Castle Street Church Sunday School in Dingwall, held a successful Parents' Social Evening in the Lower Town Hall, where they entertained with songs, recitations, piano and recorder selections, Highland dancing, presenting a programme of great variety. Children taking part were: Elizabeth Wilson, Rae Mackenzie, Celia Swivelton, Catheine Barnie, Judy Stevenson, Rosemary Shaw, Moira Fraser, Wilma Sinclair, Deirdre Mackenzie, Jennifer Swivelton, Catherine Shanks, Linda Fraser, Susan Bethune, Moira Mackenzie, Shona Cran, Rona Sinclair, Janice Martin, Claire Innes, Elizabeth Macrae, Eilidh Morrison, James Allan, Alasdair MacNab, Keith Jones, David Cran and Graeme Jones.

Mr Donald Yule, who has retired after many years of service as Postmaster at Culbokie, was honoured by the residents of the district, who presented him with a well-filled wallet of Treasury notes. Mrs Eva Maclennan and Mr John Gordon, the two local Postmen, accompanied by Mr James Dingwall, called on Mr Yule at his home and made the presentation.

Mr WJ Ross, Fernlea, Culbokie, had a successful day with his exhibits at the Inverness Cage Bird Society Open Show. In the Champion Border Canary Section, his exhibits received the Second Best Champion award, a Diploma, four Firsts and three Fourths. Over 140 exhibitors from London, Carlisle and all parts of Scotland displayed over 800 birds at the Show.

Messrs A Morrison (Builders) Ltd, Tain, have started clearing the site for twenty houses to be built by Ross and Cromarty County Council on the Plock of Kyle.

Friday, 1st December, 1967

THE PROSPECT of the Ladies' Walk at Conon Bridge being given a new lease of life was raised at a meeting of the local Community Council. At present the Walk is in a very poor state. The matter was discussed as a result of the Highland Regional Council's offer of grants for special projects. It was generally agreed that the Walk, which winds through wooded terrain along the banks of the River Conon, offering a delightful stroll when in good order, was a moist deserving project. One snag, as the Chairman, Mr D Munro, pointed out, was that the community had several offers of a similar nature in the past, but nothing had come of them. However, he agreed the Council should have a go in this case, a view, which was endorsed by members. They agreed to make an application for a grant.

At a ceremony in the Poolewe House Hotel, Poolewe, the Imperial Cancer Research Fund received a cheque for £3,000 from the Great Wilderness Challenge 1989. At the same time, the local Mountain Rescue Team was presented with £1,000; and the Highland Hospice received a handsome cheque.

At the Scottish Schools Athletics Association Road Relay Championships in Grangemouth, pupils from Conon Bridge Primary School did exceptionally well. The girls came fourth in a field of 43 teams from all over Scotland, and the boys finished 10th in a field of 52. Conon's successful runners were: Gavin Hayden, Laura Mackenzie, Donnie Mackay, Debbie Campbell, Aileen Kerr, Kevin and Darren Campbell. In the Secondary School Championships, Leanne Cameron and Paula Young ran very well for Dingwall Academy.

Ullapool High School and Primary School have to b e congratulated on their excellent response to the election of their first School Board. A poll of 70 per cent of eligible voters was recorded. The following were appointed to the Board: William McCallum, Kenachrine Place; Mrs Jean Urquhart, West Lane; James Lavelle, Market Street; and Mrs Annette Mackay, Ladysmith Street. The Teachers' representative is Philip Ellis, Old Moss Road. The chairman is the Rector, Mr John Nicol, West Shore Street.

The proposed new Jetty at Lochcarron took another step forward when the engineers from Highland Regional Council came to survey the site. At low water they were able to examine the area in detail. Test holes were dug on the shore to determine the depth of the underlying rock. It is hoped the jetty will be built opposite the Lochcarron Hotel. The development is expected to give a boost to tourism as well as providing a useful facility to fishermen and leisure boating in the locality.

At Dingwall, Ross County and Fort William drew their TSB Highland League fixture 1-1.

Guest of Honour at the Ross-shire Roads Cycling Club and Minolta Black Isle AAC Dinner was Mr Billy MacBeath, formerly of Tulloch Gardens, a founder-member of the Cycling Club, and first chairman, now resident in Berwick-on-Tweed. Cycling Club member Sandy Ross, Dingwall, provided a number of photographs of the past and gave a resume of the Club's history over the past forty years.

On Friday, there was a surprise in store for two long-serving local journalists, when they were summoned into the machine room of the Ross-shire Journal to be confronted by management, production, administration, editorial and printing staffs of the local newspapers, for surprise presentations to mark their forty years' service with their respective newspapers. Both David Watt, Editor/Manager of the Ross-shire Journal, and Willie Wilson, Editor-in-Chief of the Highland News Group were taken completely unawares. On behalf of the Newspaper Company, Mr Roy Fox, managing director, paid tribute to their guests' long and devoted service, remarking that it was not a retiral gathering, but an occasion to mark forty years of faithful and dedicated service. Mr Fox presented David with a wristlet watch, and Willie received a video recorder. Handsomely inscribed Caithness Glass bowls were presented by Miss Mairi Lonnen to David; and by Mrs Iris Welsh to Willie. Afterwards the company was hospitably entertained.

Friday, 1st December, 1989