LOOKING BACK: Dog bites politician, 'filthy Fortrose' and spinsters dance in Strathpeffer
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February 26, 1999
Independent candidate Douglas Briggs became the first casualty of the Scottish Parliamentary election trail after two separate run-ins with a dog and a deer.
The most recent calamity for Mr Briggs, the hopeful for the Ross, Skye and Inverness West seat, happened when a dog bit him on the hand as he delivered election leaflets through letterboxes in Dingwall.
He lost his fingernail and needed treatment at the Ross Memorial in Dingwall. Dog lover Mr Briggs joked: “It was one of those dogs that doesn’t bark first.”
His misfortune was the subject of mirth at a Highland Council headquarters meeting when convener Peter Peacock, on top of Labour’s top-up list of candidates for the Scottish Parliament, relayed the incident to members.
But there was a bigger laugh for Mr Briggs who replied: “I’d like to thank all members who had a whip round for the dog that bit me.
“And I’d like to thank Mr Peacock for his good wishes, especially as this is an injury he is very unlikely to incur in the Labour election campaign since he is a list candidate and will not have to do any electioneering.”
The convener’s selection for Labour’s top-up list, which means he is almost assured of a seat, has caused controversy in north political circles.
A few days earlier while travelling home from a hustings meeting in Portree organised by SKAT, Mr Briggs had a narrow escape after a stag almost came through his windscreen. His elderly Audi was a write-off.
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February 24, 1984
An open letter headed ‘Filthy Fortrose’, was addressed to those who attend school in the town ‘and some others’.
It said: ‘It can neither be alleged nor proved that the pupils of the local Academy are wholly responsible for the mess of sweetie papers, crisp bags, chocolate wrappings and other debris which foul our streets; but it is self-evident that the sheer quantity of it increases very considerably when the Academy is in session, Q.E.D!
We hope therefore that young people of good nature will use the waste bins provided on the streets even if they have to take extra steps to do so (and – who knows – they might even pick up bits now and then) thereby demonstrating - in part - their awareness of the privilege they enjoy in using Fortrose as the host town for their learning and for which the residents (and others) pay rates and then have to suffer the untidy inconvenience of your presence.”
The missive was included in the Ross-shire Journal of 40 years ago this week under ‘Name and address supplied’.
Fred Fraser of Sunnybank, North Kessock, meanwhile was also in touch by letter to the paper voicing his surprise and delight to see a pair of goldfinch in his garden.
He wrote: “As these lovely birds are rare in north Scotland, I wonder if any other person has observed them. They were feeding on thistles and I had a close-up view through a window for fully five minutes unobserved by my visitors.
“Along with the tits feeding on the hanging bag of nuts it gave me pleasure also to see siskins which I understand are regularly observed in the Black Isle.”
February22, 1924
The Tarradale Hotel, Muir of Ord, has been sold privately.
The Dockers’ strike was settled early yesterday morning, the paper reported a century ago.
On Wednesday next, the Strathpeffer spinsters are to give a dance in the Victoria Hall, Strathpeffer.
The matron of Ross Memorial Hospital in Dingwall wishes to acknowledge with many thanks fresh eggs from Miss C. Warrand, Ryefield; magazines from Mrs Wilson, The Parsonage.
