Wick to get electric lights, Hotel sale mooted for council offices and Teddy Bear campaign helps kids

LOOKING BACK: News from the John O’Groat Journal of yesteryear

Electric lighting scheme for Wick

From the Groat of February 6, 1925

A scheme to provide electric street lighting in Wick had taken a “definite step forward at last”.

The town council had agreed to adopt a plan put forward by consulting engineer Mr Arnot at a cost of £8300, plus the provision of accumulators (storage batteries) of up to £1600.

The decision came following reports from Provost Green and Treasurer McGhan on visits they had made to Inverness and Elgin to see similar schemes in action and to find out the costs involved.

Mr Green explained that Elgin was “the safest parallel” to Wick. It had installed electric lighting in August 1922 at a cost of £20,000.

The Wick project would cost less because there was only 11 miles of street to cover, compared with 17 miles in Elgin. Also, Wick had water power available while Elgin had to use oil engines.

In Mr McGhan’s report he stated: “It must be borne in mind that in Elgin the works are run by a private company. In Wick we propose running the scheme for the benefit of the town.

“This is a progressive scheme, an attempt to bring the town into line with other towns of similar size, an attempt to give businessmen and private houses a first-class and convenient lighting system combined with an easy and simple method of introducing motors for power where required to increase the prosperity of the town.”

Hotel option for council offices

From the Groat of February 7, 1975

The owner of a hotel in Wick had offered to sell his premises to the local authority for office accommodation.

Edwin Carter had told Caithness district councillors that he was prepared to negotiate with them for the sale of the Station Hotel and, it was reported, “while neither party can commit themselves at present, the district council believe that the hotel might, after conversion, ‘provide sufficient and more suitable and convenient office accommodation’ for their council and any departments of the regional council which might be based in Wick”.

To offset the cost of buying and converting the property, the sale of existing county offices “would probably take place”.

Meanwhile, the 60-year-old Wick town clock, which was being replaced by a £2000 all-electric timepiece, was to be given free into the care of the Wick Society.

The old clock had originally been advertised for sale and two offers had been submitted – one from the society, which had tendered a nominal £1, as opposed to a £40 bid from the other interested party.

Councillors decided that, in the hands of the society, the clock’s future would be safeguarded and it would remain in the burgh.

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Knitters offer comfort for kids

From the Groat of February 11, 2000

Wick High School had sent more than 300 knitted teddy bears, complete with “sleeping bags”, to the Teddies for Tragedies campaign.

The teddies were set to find their way to children in countries hit by natural disasters or strife where it was hoped they would bring some much-needed comfort.

Maths teacher Ella Lawrence had started the ball rolling by bringing a teddy pattern to the school. With the help of clerical staff Frances Thain and Lorna Mackenzie, and teacher Cath Nicolson, the campaign had taken off.

Support had been overwhelming, with staff, friends, pupils, WRI members and craft groups all taking part. Teddies were arriving from as far afield as Strathy and Edinburgh.

Elsewhere, a public meeting was to be held in Halkirk to canvass support among villagers for a new children’s play area costing £50,000.

A site at Recreation Park had been identified by a subcommittee of the community council and design ideas had come from schoolchildren who had taken part in a competition.

Now the group wanted to present proposals to a public meeting and launch a fundraising appeal.

The community council’s decision to develop its own play area came after the cultural and leisure services department of Highland Council said it had no money to upgrade the existing playpark.

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