25 years ago

HUNDREDS of people turned out for a special delivery in Dunbar, as reported in the East Lothian Courier of December 15, 1995.

Dunbar is the first port in Scotland to receive one of the new Trent Class Lifeboats.

Nearly 400 people lined the harbourside on Sunday to watch the arrival of the £1.1 million ‘Sir Ronald Pechell Bt’ in what was described as a “great day” by the vessel’s captain, Ronald Greenlees.

“Morale was certainly high,” he added.

Local RNLI honorary secretary, Ivor McPhillips, said that it was an “historic occasion” for Dunbar Lifeboat Station, which opened in 1808.

“We expected a good show from the people and we certainly got it.”

The new boat will be officially named at a special ceremony next spring.

Mr McPhillips explained that Dunbar had always been regarded as a strategic point on the eastern coastline and performed over 40 rescue missions last year alone.

50 years ago

WORK started on Haddington’s new sports pavilion, reported The Haddingtonshire Courier on December 18, 1970.

Sports enthusiasts in Haddington will welcome the news that work has started this week on the new £5,600 sports pavilion at Millfield.

The building, which is being constructed by Elliots Ltd, of Macmerry, will incorporate four dressing rooms, a common room, kitchen facilities and showers.

The pavilion is being built next to the new football pitch which is at present being laid out opposite the existing pitch which is used by Haddington Athletic.

This is the result of an effort made by the Haddington Town Council to provide local football teams with adequate changing facilities.

100 years ago

RESIDENTS in Dunbar were outraged at the idea of stopping the 10pm bell ring, as reported in The Haddingtonshire Courier of December 17, 1920.

A correspondent writes: - The decision of the Town Council, at their meeting last week, to discontinue the ringing of the town bell at 10 P.M. has aroused the utmost indignation amongst the inhabitants, and expressions of regret, at the disappearance of the old custom, have also been received from various parts of the country.

The absolute lack of reason for interference with one of the town’s charming old traditions – for the bell has a history of two and a half centuries behind it – raised the ire of the lieges, and a protest against its discontinuance was set afoot without delay by prominent business men of the town, and has already been signed by hundreds of the rate-payers, a refusal almost unknown.