Down Memory Lane

Discover the stories that made the Gazette headlines all those years ago.
Fun times... Carluke PS pupils Jamie McFarlane (5) and Keeley Bruce (6) with the new play equipmentFun times... Carluke PS pupils Jamie McFarlane (5) and Keeley Bruce (6) with the new play equipment
Fun times... Carluke PS pupils Jamie McFarlane (5) and Keeley Bruce (6) with the new play equipment

Ten years ago:

* THE 2003 Shoebox Appeal had been a roaring success with a record number of 2102 boxes being sent to Romania from Clydesdale. The total, which had surpassed the previous year’s final figure by over 500 shoeboxes, was the best since the appeal began in 1998.

* PUPILS from Carluke Primary School were pictured showing off some of their new play equipment after a donation of £1500 from the PTA.

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* A new service was set to bring advice and information on cancer to the doorsteps of people in rural Clydesdale. NHS Lanarkshire had been awarded £115,286 from the New Opportunities Fund to launch the initiative which would make use of the existing Catch-IT bus.

* PRIVATE James Lindsay of Lanark formally became a member of one of the British Army’s elite regiments. James, who had lived in Lanark most of his life, Passed Out with 684 Normandy Platoon of the Parachute Regiment at Catterick Garrison following his intensive training.

* CARLUKE’S Catherine Clacher, from St Luke’s Avenue, completed a bike ride through the Biblical Holy Land to raise over £4000 for a Nazareth hospital. The cycle started at the shores of the Dead Sea and passed Qumran, the site where the historic Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered. Catherine said: “This is both a physical and spiritual challenge over some of the roughest, toughest and most barren desert in the world.”

* LANARK’S Colin McRae marked his final world rally championship appearance for Citroen by finishing fourth in the Wales Rally GB.

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* FULl-time mum Caroline Parker, from Symington, had successfully completed the New York Marathon.

Twenty-five years ago:

* LANARKSHIRE Health Board was described as “verging on the brink of chaos” by a top union official following the issue of new gradings to nurses involved in a long-running pay dispute. Allan Wilson revealed that 2000 nursing members in Lanarkshire had been given guidelines on “working to grade” pending the outcome of what promised to be a flood of appeals from angry nurses.

* IT was revealed that rent collections in Clydesdale were to be phased out over the next five months. Tenants would instead be urged to make use of post offices or banks to make their rent payments. The move, which followed a wide-scale review of rent collection systems, had been approved at a recent behind-closed-doors meeting of Clydesdale District Council.

* THE traditional ringing of Lanark’s town bells had stopped – but few people had noticed. The big bell had formerly been rung manually for five minutes at 9am, 2pm and 8pm and more recently had been rung automatically at those times. But that had now stopped, Leonard Gray told the Royal Burgh of Lanark Community Council.

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* HER Majesty The Queen had ordered 24lbs of the Lanark Blue cheese brand made famous by local cheesemaker Humphrey Errington. It would be served at a Buckingham Palace banquet. Humphrey said: “It is very cheering – a great boost for everyone concerned with producing the cheese.”

* FORMER Scottish Schoolboys’ boxing champion Kevin Armstrong fought his first major senior bout when he was chosen to represent Scotland at a select challenge in Ireland. Kevin, one of six Scottish winners on the night, defeated M McQuillan in a unanimous decision.

* LESMAHAGOW Juniors remained top of Trophy Centre League Division One despite only drawing 1-1 at home to Port Glasgow. ’Gow stretched their unbeaten run to nine games thanks to a goal by Robin Lees. Lees’ goal followed a not so sweet piece of play by Port’s Ricky Cadbury, who made a mess of an attempted backpass to his goalkeeper.

* BIGGAR Rugby Club’s hopes of winning promotion from Division Three remained alive following a 6-6 home draw against Gordonians. Biggar’s points came via a Lavery penalty and a drop goal by Tucker.

* LANARK United drew 1-1 at Stonehouse Violet in a thrilling local derby in Trophy Centre League Division One. United’s goal was scored by Murtagh.