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

25 years ago

A FAMOUS face gave a helping hand to a new tourist attraction, reported the East Lothian Courier on August 20, 1999.

TV personality and well known ornithologist Bill Oddie had his handprint immortalised in a paving stone last week when he visited North Berwick.

The stone, on which Mr Oddie left his mark on Wednesday morning, is set to become part of a celebrity ‘hall of fame’ outside the Scottish Seabird Centre when it opens early next year.

Mr Oddie has been a big fan of the millennium funded project since the idea took off in 1997. He recently became an honorary member of the £2.9 million centre and last week visited the harbour-side site for the first time.

“This is quite simply a terrific project, not just of national but of international significance,” he said.

“It’s great to see local companies lending their support in such a major way to help bring this unique project to fruition.”

50 years ago

A POTENTIAL loss of more than 200 jobs was front page news in the East Lothian Courier of August 23, 1974.

Assurances that everything possible was being done to try and avert the closure of the Lothian Structure Developments pylon factory near Gladsmuir and save as many of the 260 jobs as possible were given on Tuesday at a public meeting attended by top union official Mr Ernie Leslie and Mr John P. Mackintosh, Prospective Labour Parliamentary Candidate for Berwickshire and East Lothian.

But on Wednesday efforts to keep the factory going received a serious setback when the management of the parent company, Ayrshire Metal Products, said that they would not allow L.S.D to take further orders which would prolong its life thus allowing more time to find a buyer.

This means that those negotiating the sale of the factory will only have a five to six week period in which to try and find a purchaser instead of a few months as had been hoped.

100 years ago

A ‘SOMEWHAT serious accident’ occurred in Haddington, told The Haddingtonshire Courier on August 22, 1924.

On Friday afternoon, an alarming and somewhat serious accident occurred in Sidegate. On the west side of the road, in the vicinity of the churchyard entrance, a Dunbar char-a-banc was standing, awaiting the return of passengers who were visiting the “Lamp of Lothian”.

The Gifford motor bus was on its way home, and a large motor car, belonging to Mr Jennings, at present resident in Yester House, was proceeding towards Haddington.

Approaching from the direction of the Waterloo Bridge, the view down Sidegate is obstructed by the end of the high wall surrounding Maitlandfield House.

The bus and the Yester car, which was keeping clear of the char-a-banc, collided near the corner, and the car sustained such damage, principally to the body work, that it was taken to Messrs Kennedy & Co’s for repair.

Fortunately, none of the occupants of the several vehicles was injured.