100 YEARS AGO

Town band concert - A concert was held in Portsoy Town Hall in aid of funds for the town band. There was a large audience, and the programme was in the hands of Mr Alex K. Darg, the society entertainer, with selections by the band under the leadership of bandmaster McDonald. From the introduction of Mr Darg by Provost Sutherland to the end of the programme, the audience were kept in a state of thorough good humour. The band gave several selections, which they played with taste and expression, and showed that they had worked hard during the winter and had come on well under the careful tuition of the bandmaster. Mr McDonald excelled in his cornet solo, 'The Death of Nelson', and had to respond to an enthusiastically demanded encore.

50 YEARS AGO

Bravery award - An 18-year-old Macduff youth has been awarded a Royal Humane Society testimonial on parchment for his heroic rescue of a schoolboy from drowning in Macduff Harbour last October. Hugh Gordon, of 60 Duff Street, an apprentice compositor with 'The Banffshire Journal', heard a few weeks before the rescue that he had passed tests for a bronze medallion and bronze cross for life-saving, and he proved his capabilities on October 4 when he saved nine-year-old William Anderson, Burnside, Longmanhill, from drowning. William was fishing from the pier at the foot of Duff Street when he lost his footing and plunged head-first into the water. An eyewitness to the rescue said that the boy owed his life to Hugh, who showed great presence of mind and averted what might have been a tragedy. Although William was shivering from his immersion, he was none the worse of his experience.

25 YEARS AGO

Toilet guards - The district council is hoping that the employment of toilet attendants in Banff this year will help cut down acts of vandalism. Vandalism at public toilets throughout Banff and Buchan has proved costly in past years, with large sums of money being spent on repairs. The facilities at Collie Road car park, Banff, will be the only ones where an attendant will be employed, and a decision on whether or not other toilets in the town will be closed during the evenings will be made after consultation with the town's district councillor, Mr James Reid. Should there be increased vandalism at the toilets which have no attendant, it may be decided to close the Castle Street, Market Inn Close and Greenbanks toilets each evening. This move would cause difficulties for disabled people, as the Castle Street toilets are the only ones adapted for their use. A decision will be made after the trial period, and in the light of any cut-back in vandalism, as to whether additional attendants should be employed for the other three toilets in Banff. The decision to employ attendants will also mean that anyone using the toilets will have to pay a 10p charge to cover the additional costs involved. Douglas Miller, director of environmental health, said that the trial period will allow the council to gauge the situation and decide on whether the employing of an attendant was beneficial in the light of past expenditure on the repair of vandalised toilets.