WE TAKE a look at the stories making headlines in East Lothian 25, 50 and 100 years ago.
25 years ago
‘OLDEST twins in Britain too modest to stake claim in record books’ was a headline in the East Lothian Courier on April 16, 1999.
When Margaret and Helen Gordon were born in Loch Road, Tranent, on August 10, 1908, their family could never have imagined they would turn out to be record breakers, but the sisters, now aged 90, are believed to be the oldest surviving set of twins in Britain.
The discovery came to light following an article in a national newspaper, which named the oldest British twins as Ayrshire sisters Margaret Cloughton and Mary Cochrane, who were born on August 31, 1908.
The article stated the researchers had spent five months tracing the oldest twins – but had somehow overlooked Margaret and Helen Gordon.
Margaret’s daughter, Mary Irvine, who lives in Balfour Street, North Berwick, was sent a copy of the article by a friend of the family and, on checking with her mother, realised that the Tranent twins were indeed almost three weeks older than the Ayrshire set.
50 years ago
HOME success on the rugby pitch was proudly celebrated in the East Lothian Courier of April 19, 1974.
A large crowd saw Haddington win their own ‘Sevens’ tournament at Neilson Park on Saturday.
Haddington last won the Murray Cup in 1971 and have won it 12 times and been runners-up six times since its inception in 1926.
The host club defeated Leith Academicals 10-6 in an exciting final.
Haddington had an easy win over Preston Lodge in the first round while Leith ‘Accies’ made sure of Royal High School.
Haddington’s win was in the main due to the running of big John Golightly.
Gala YM, who many thought might get through to the final, offered little resistance to Haddington in the second round and went down 24-4.
Local skipper Dick Short played a fine game in this match, with Golightly again the ‘danger’ man.
100 years ago
A LORRY carrying potatoes – and driven by a county man – was involved in a serious crash, reported The Haddingtonshire Courier on April 18, 1924.
Considerable alarm was caused in Commercial Street, Leith, by a collision between an electric car and a motor lorry, belonging to Mr J. Stark, motor-hirer, St George Garage, Dunbar, and which was loaded with five tons of potatoes.
It was being driven by James M’Andish, westwards along Commercial Street, when the collision occurred between the lorry and an electric tramway car, which was proceeding in the same direction.
The lorry was jammed between the car and an electric standard in the centre of the street.
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