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

25 years ago

THE success of a ‘little drummer boy’ made headlines in the East Lothian Courier on November 5, 1999.

A young Tranent drummer is beating a path to the door of a well-known competitive pipe band after winning two trophies and passing an exam he sat alongside musicians more than twice his age.

Despite wearing two hearing aids, 11-year-old David Murray, of Kennedy Crescent in Tranent, has a keen ear for music and will join the Newtongrange Pipe Band next week.

David will be the youngest member of the band, which has been hailed as one of the up-and-coming pipe bands in the Lothians.

He has been playing the drums since he was eight years old and, after being crowned the Lothian and Borders 15 and under champion in December last year, he went on to win the 10 and under title in April.

50 years ago

A WAR-TIME mine was caught in a fisherman’s net, told the East Lothian Courier of November 8, 1974.

Most fishermen tell the tale of ‘the one that got away’ but Mr Tom Scott, of 16 Cedar Street, Dunbar – skipper of the Misty Isle – had a most unwelcome catch in the form of a war-time mine thought to weigh about 500lb.

And the ‘catch’ turned out to be the one that ‘got away’.

The drama began on Monday night when the Misty Isle picked up the mine in her nets. Because of the darkness, the crew decided to ‘buoy it off’ for the night two-and-a-half miles offshore and in 20 fathoms of water.

Next morning, the bomb disposal unit having been alerted, the crew of the Misty Isle attempted to lift the mine before towing it into shallower water for the unit to work on it.

But while it was being lifted the mine slipped from the nets and was lost.

Meanwhile, the bomb disposal unit had rushed to Dunbar to deal with the emergency but had to return to base ‘empty-handed’.

100 years ago

A CEREMONY marked the opening of the Co-operative Society’s new creamery, reported The Haddingtonshire Courier on November 7, 1924.

The opening ceremony in connection with the Tranent Co-operative Society’s new creamery took place on Thursday afternoon last in presence of members of the Society’s Board, Town Council, and invited guests representing various societies interested in the venture.

Ex-Provost Wilson, Cockenzie, handed over to ex-Provost Ormiston, the Society’s president, a silver key to the building, as a memento to remind him of the auspicious occasion.

Ex-Provost Ormiston said he felt it a great honour to be present at such a function. He thought that, as members of the co-operative movement, they should show a lead in the matter of a clean milk supply.

Ex-Provost Ormiston acknowledged the present of the key, and declared the creamery open.