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

25 years ago

‘RESIDENTS’ bid to end stigma of Coalgate’ was the headline in the East Lothian Courier on October 2, 1998.

Thirty eight residents of Coalgate Road, Tranent, have signed a petition calling for the change of street name, claiming they are stigmatised because of the bad reputation the area has acquired because of rowdy youngsters and drug problems.

The petition, started by Myra Thomson, was taken to East Lothian Councillor Tom Ferguson, who admitted: “There is a stigma attached to Coalgate, people do denigrate the area and if those living there want to change the name, I don’t see any reason to object to that.”

He said that Mrs Thomson’s positive attitude when she visited his surgery had given him a lift, adding: “When people come to a councillor’s surgery, it means they have a concern and it’s not always a very pleasant time.

“But just talking to this lady gave me a lift.”

50 years ago

A FIRE ripped through an East Linton sawmill, reported the East Lothian Courier on October 5, 1973.

Fire swept through the machine room at an East Linton sawmill on Friday, causing damage estimated at thousands of pounds.

The blaze, at the joinery firm of R. McArthur and Son, engulfed the machine room at the mill destroying expensive sawing equipment and other machinery each costing hundreds of pounds.

Mr Ian Craik, the sole partner in the firm, which has been established in East Linton since before the First World War, said the machine room was a write-off. But he could not say exactly what the cost of the damage was. “It runs into thousands of pounds anyway,” he said.

This was the second fire at the mill this year, although the first fire was confined to a small area in the machine room.

100 years ago

A SALTOUN bull fetched a massive £2,000 at a sale in Falkirk, told The Haddingtonshire Courier on October 5, 1923.

The yearling shorthorn bull “Saltoun Gold Dust” was put up for sale on Friday, in the offices of Messers Gair & Gibson, solicitors, Falkirk, to dissolve a partnership.

This young bull, bred by Captain A. M. Talbot Fletcher of Saltoun, is a red roan by “Naemoor Druid.” At the Perth spring sales he was reserve champion, and was taken out of the ring at 920 guineas, and became the joint property of Messers J. Barid, Bantaskin, Falkirk, and Messers Jones, Dunmore Park, Larbert.

At the sale, on Friday, bidding began at £1,400, and the bull became the absolute property of Messers Jones, Dunmore, at £2,000.