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

25 years ago...

A WEDDING linking Scotland with France made headlines in the East Lothian Courier on July 9, 1999.

The first twin-town wedding with a Haddington bride and a French groom recently took place in Aubigny-sur-Nere, when former Knox Academy pupil Frances Davidson married her fiancé, Jacques-Olivier Martin, in the historic Chateau des Stuarts.

The bride’s father, Peter, a decorator and popular Burns singer, and his wife, Betty, flew out for the big day, taking the wedding cake with them.

The cake had to be kept in the cockpit of the British Airways plane on their flight from Edinburgh airport to Charles De Gaulle airport in Paris.

Such is the rapport between the two towns that the couple had the rare honour of being married by the Mayor of Aubigny, Monsieur Yves Fromion, who conducted the service in both French and English.

Prior to the wedding, Frances met with the president of the Aubigny Twinning Association, Madame Catherine Baranger, who was able to help them with some of the official tasks.

50 years ago...

DOG owners were under fire in North Berwick, told the East Lothian Courier of July 12, 1974.

Bailie Naysmith spoke up during a discussion on how to tackle the ‘dirty dog’ problem in the burgh following a letter, headed “North Berwick’s Shame,” from an angry resident, who said he was “horrified and disgusted at the apparent indifference or inability of the local authority to tackle the health danger to which the population is subjected”.

Bailie said someone should be appointed for a short period to patrol the streets and fine anyone whose dog was seen fouling the pavements.

He claimed the money collected in fines would just about cover the wages of what he called the ‘dog prevention officer’.

Councillor D.M. Martin commented that one could be fined as much as £100 for the offence.

Bailie Naysmith added that he thought dogs should be exercised below the tide mark at the beach so that the sea could wash away the dog dirt.

100 years ago...

AN EPIDEMIC of measles forced the school in Pencaitland to close, reported The Haddingtonshire Courier on July 11, 1924.

Owing to an epidemic of measles, the school, here, has been closed, and will not be re-opened until after the summer holidays.

ALSO, in North Berwick, the lifeboat got a makeover.

The overhaul of the lifeboat has been completed, and the boat is again ready for service.