TEN YEARS AGO
Friday November 15 2013
Police admit defeat over late night noisy car exhausts
Noisy car exhausts will continue to drive Campbeltown residents around the bend
after police admitted defeat this week.
Inspector Tom Harper told the town’s community council on Monday: ‘We have done
as much as we can. We are struggling to find a way to stop this. We have spoken to the procurator fiscal to see if there is more we can do, but the cars are meeting all the legislation.’
Inspector Harper said just one person had been charged by the police in relation to
driver behaviour in the town centre.
Young drivers with modified car exhausts doing late evening circuits up and down Main Street have plagued Campbeltown residents for years. Police were called to take a tougher approach in the summer after warnings the town’s fragile tourism trade was being harmed.
The Courier reported complaints from sleep-deprived visitors staying at the Royal Hotel. Its owner, Southworth Development LLC, told of its concern over drivers destroying an otherwise ‘pleasant environment’ and hit out at the irresponsible actions of a few people who were detracting from the many efforts to improve Campbeltown.
In July, The Courier printed a letter from a hotel visitor from Helensburgh who said that drivers’ anti-social behaviour from 6pm to 4am had ‘caused great distress’ and
‘ruined’ her and her husband’s break.
At Campbeltown Community Council’s meeting, Inspector Harper also heard of other issues with young people on wheels – cyclists and skateboarders. Councillors told him of incidents of youngsters alarming pedestrians by cycling or using skateboards on town centre pavements.
‘It’s a disgrace,’ said Councillor Cathie Duncan. ‘A few weeks ago I watched skateboarders cutting across Main Street in front of traffic, forcing cars to slow down. They are treating the area like a skate park, but it is a real danger.’
The council also heard many cyclists were out in the dark without lights. A police spokesman told The Courier later: ‘We will be taking action regarding inappropriate behaviour by cyclists and skateboarders and would ask parents to be aware of what their children are doing.’
TWENTY FIVE YEARS AGO
Friday November 20 1998
A new ‘Jimmy’ for Callum and Southend
Southend parish has welcomed its newest resident – another Clydesdale horse called Jimmy.
Minister Callum O’Donnell has delighted locals by buying the strawberry-coloured horse several months after the tragic death of his previous Clydesdale, also known as
Jimmy.
Jimmy, younger and slightly smaller than the first Jimmy, is being kept busy trekking around the parish and making visits to the local primary school.
Reverend O’Donnell and his first horse became celebrities at local and national level after newspapers carried reports of the minister taking Jimmy on his church rounds. They were even featured on BBC’s Songs of Praise.
Jimmy died suddenly of cancer in June this year.
Southend residents reacted quickly to the terrible news and presented Reverend O’Donnell with an undisclosed sum of money to enable him to buy a new horse.
The ‘new’ Jimmy and Reverend O’Donnell recently visited Southend Primary School to allow the pupils to catch their first glimpse of the new Clydesdale in their lives. There is no doubt Jimmy will become just as popular with the school children as his predecessor.
FIFTY YEARS AGO
Thursday November 15 1973
Remembrance Day
On Sunday, a large parade of service personnel and youth organisations, led by the Pipe Band, attended the Civic Service of Remembrance at the town’s Cenotaph on the sea front.
A party of American Naval personnel from the nearby station at Machrihanish took part, headed by their national flag and banner. With the Americans, who paid homage to the dead of two world wars, was their Station Commander, Lieutenant Commander Hal Halenza.
The Remembrance Day service at the cenotaph was conducted by the town chaplain, the Reverend John H H Cormack BD, and praise was led by the Salvation Army Band.
Provost Archibald McCallum and members of Campbeltown Town Council were also present. The Provost laid the town’s poppy wreath tribute, followed by representatives of service personnel and other organisations.
These included: Red Cross, Mrs G B Lewis; Sea Cadets, Mr P Stewart; Army Cadet Force, Mr H King; Scouts, Venture Scout David Laing; Guides, Mrs Ronald; Salvation Army, A/YUSM Agnes McKerral; and RAF, Wing Commander J G Dillon.
The American wreath was laid by Lieutenant Commander Hal Halenza.
Town councillor George Halbert, the town’s Poppy Day convener, laid a wreath on behalf of the ex-servicemen and families laid private wreaths.
ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO
Saturday November 17 1923
Saddell dance
On Friday evening, a dance was held in Saddell Schoolroom.
Favoured with good weather, travelling to the place of assembly was made most pleasant for those attending. There was a good representative gathering and the
proceedings proved to be a sparkling success.
Hitherto in this district, the organisation of these functions has been in the hands of local gentlemen, who carried them through with varying success, and not a few times
for their best efforts they received more kicks than kisses; but being the possessors of
stout hearts they successfully withstood the most desperate onslaughts.
On this occasion, a company of local ladies were the promoters, viz Misses J Galbraith, M Morrison and C Campbell, and if initial success augurs well for the future, the party privileged to attend the ladies’ dance should indeed feel honoured.
Music was supplied by the following: pipers, Messrs William Galbraith and Campbell; violin, Mr L Galbraith; and melodeon Messrs Chas Reppke and H Crawford.
Cyclists
Now that darkness falls early, cyclists will require to pay strict attention to the lighting
regulations.
At a JP court last week, three devotees of the push bike residing in the landward part of the parish were fined in 7s 6d each for failing to have their lamps burning after lighting-up time. Offenders after this are promised an increase in the tariff.
Local Mod
Comunn Gaidhealach Ceannloch has decided to run a local Mod in Campbeltown on January 11.
The project deserves the support of everyone who has the qualifications necessary to enable them to take part and it is to be hoped bashfulness will not keep competitors from coming forward in numbers that will give the Campbeltown Mod a start that will send it on from success to success.
Featured image: 2013: There was a good turnout at Glenbarr War Memorial for a Remembrance Sunday blessed with warm sunny weather. The service was performed by the Reverend Chris Fulcher and the reading of the names was by Sergeant Robert Semple of the 7th Battalion Royal Regiment of Scotland. NO_CC46_FromOurFiles 01