Macduff new drifter

100 YEARS AGO

Macduff new drifter – A finely modelled new drifter was launched on Friday from the yard of Mr Geo. Innes, West Harbourhead. The vessel, with its 86ft keel, 18ft 6in beam and 9ft 6in moulded depth, was built to the order of Mr John Watt, late of the drifter ‘Colonel’.

The boat took to the water amid the cheers of a large crowd of spectators. She was named ‘John Watt’ by Miss Barbara Watt, daughter of the owner. A cake and wine banquet was held afterwards, at which Colonel George presided.

He proposed in felicitous terms the health of the owner and success to the new boat. Provost Paterson replied on behalf of Mr Watt. Mr J. McMurtrie proposed the health of the builder, and Mr P.J. McPherson acknowledged for Mr Innes. Mr J.D. Paterson proposed the ladies and Miss Watt who named the vessel. Mr Innes presented Miss Watt with a gold brooch as a souvenir of the occasion. The vessel was towed to Aberdeen to be engined by Messrs John Lewis and Sons.

50 YEARS AGO

Whitehills against school plan – When a sub-committee of Banffshire Education Committee met parents of children attending Whitehills Secondary School on Friday, the parents were informed that it would be recommending to the education committee that only a primary school should be built meantime in the village, instead of the secondary and primary school which had been originally proposed.

The reason was the uncertainty regarding the possibility of maintaining a secondary department in the village. For some time to come, a secondary department would, however, be continued in the old building at Whitehills, but if at a later stage it was decided to discontinue the secondary department, the pupils would be accommodated at Banff Academy or Macduff High School, depending on the courses involved.

The views of the parents were invited, and from the discussion it was clear that the majority of those present were anxious to see the secondary department retained indefinitely at Whitehills.

25 YEARS AGO

Dangerous building – Motorists and the public in Banff will soon be able to breathe a sigh of relief, for a major traffic hazard in one of the town’s main streets will be removed shortly. Final approval has been given by the sheriff court for the district council to demolish the propped-up building in Carmelite Street.

Many months ago the council, due to the dangerous state of the building, which is subsiding, agreed that demolition would have to be carried out in the interests of public safety. But the owners of the property objected, and the matter then dragged on through legal discussions while the public in Banff, and especially motorists, complained bitterly about the hazard on the busy narrow street.

Equipment was brought in to shore up the sinking building, and this has been a worry – and an eyesore – for a long time. But this week the district council went into the final leg of the long-drawn-out plan for the demolition of the property, after being given the go-ahead by the court. Depute director of technical services, Mr Sandy Lorimer, told the ‘Banffshire Journal’ this week that the council’s engineers had prepared contracts and prices and the work had gone to tender. Once this was agreed by the council, work will start immediately in clearing the eyesore, and the successful contractor will be given 90 days to complete the job.

The premises formerly housed an insurance office, shops and houses, and all the occupiers had to be rapidly evacuated after it was found that the whole building was gradually subsiding. Ways and means of repairing the structure were considered, but it was finally decided that the only way in which the property could be made safe was demolition. Now, after lying for many months propped up with steel girders, the final move to demolish should go ahead in the very near future, and once again the traffic flow in Carmelite Street will be eased.