WE TAKE a look at the stories making headlines in East Lothian 25, 50 and 100 years ago.

25 years ago...

ROYAL words of encouragement were passed on to a county athlete, said the East Lothian Courier on September 25, 1998.

The Queen has issued some welcome encouragement to defeated Commonwealth bowler Willie Wood, and told him: “You could still make it to the games in four years’ time.”

Willie’s attempt to regain a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games in Malaysia ended at the weekend when he came fourth and, at 60, it looked like the end of a glittering Commonwealth career.

In a conversation with the Queen during a meal last weekend, the Gifford bowler admitted that the Malaysian games might be his last.

But the Queen gave him a rallying call and a challenge to be in the Scotland team again in 2002 at Manchester.

His wife Morag has been upbeat about his defeat and joked: “While Willie was out having dinner with the Queen on Saturday, I was stuck in a café with my daughter, eating hamburgers!”

East Lothian Courier: Haddington West Church is a familiar sight. Copyright Richard Webb and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.Haddington West Church is a familiar sight. Copyright Richard Webb and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence. (Image: Copyright Richard Webb and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.)

50 years ago...

“OLD church to come down”, reported the East Lothian Courier on September 28, 1973. The Old West Church [Haddington] is to be be demolished.

Meeting this week, the County Planning Committee heard that a survey had shown that the building was in a very poor state and that reinstatement would be a “considerable undertaking”.

A local firm of architects had been asked to undertake a survey of the property.

Although they thought the building should come down they saw the tower as one of the familiar features of the townscape and recommended that it be retained.

County Planning Officer, Mr F. P. Tindall, said that he thought the tower could be integrated to perform any one of several functions and he did not think that it would be expensive to retain.

Keeping the tower would be “part of the general preservation story of Haddington”.

Members agreed that the tower, which is seen off Court Street, immediately west of the Post Office, should be retained.

and 100 years ago...

A TEENAGER who ran away from school on three occasions found himself in court, told the Haddingtonshire Courier on September 28, 1923.

A 14-year-old boy, named Thomas Cameron, who was sent to St Joseph’s Industrial School in 1919, on a charge of theft, was brought before Sheriff Donald, at Edinburgh Sheriff Court, on Thursday, charged with having run away from the school on three occasions, the last being on 20th April of this year.

He pleaded guilty and was ordered to be sent to a reformatory school until he attains the age of 18.