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

25 years ago

‘WE’RE no hippies’ was a claim in the East Lothian Courier on November 12, 1999.

Revolutionary communal housing may be built on a secret site in the county.

For members of Cohousing 2000 are looking for an area of land to build houses for up to 25 families – with a common kitchen, playroom, garden and social area.

Five sites in Edinburgh have been looked at by the Capital-based group and one undisclosed location in East Lothian is under consideration.

The development has been designed with pedestrians and children in mind so parking will only be permitted on the periphery and no cars will be allowed within the housing project.

Chairman Sarah Campbell said: “This is not a hippy lifestyle at all, you couldn’t class anyone from our group as being of that ilk.”

AND ‘vigilante threat at Prestonpans’ was the front page headline in the same edition.

Angry Prestonpans residents have threatened vigilante action following a spate of vandalism, threats and intimidation from local youngsters that has left parts of the town in a state of fear.

But Inspector Willie Wills appealed for calm. “We have to operate within the structures of criminal law and we move outside these structures at our peril,” he said.

50 years ago

THE opening of Macmerry Village Hall was recorded in the East Lothian Courier on November 15, 1974.

Macmerry’s new village hall, which cost around £50,000, was officially opened on Tuesday evening by County Councillor Mr Tommy Wilson.

Councillor Wilson said he was very pleased and proud to be given the opportunity to open such a fine building.

He remembered when he first went to school in Macmerry and the only facilities in the village then were the Miner’s Institute, the Gala Day and ‘Hogmanay’ dances, the occasional kirn and a whist drive.

When Macmerry had been developed quickly in the 1950s, and more than 300 houses built, amenity had never been considered.

100 years ago

COUNTY locals headed to Australia, one of them a woman with an interesting collection of pebbles, reported The Haddingtonshire Courier on November 14, 1924.

A considerable number of local people have recently emigrated to Australia, and more are preparing to follow.

Among those are Mr and Mrs William Orr, who have already sons in the colony.

Mrs Orr is well known in the Cockenzie district as an energetic worker in the Parish Church.

She possesses an interesting collection of minerals, Scottish pearls, pebbles, and crystals.

Many of those have already landed in the colony and have made the acquaintance of the descendants of former settlers from this district, some of whom went out to the Murray River Colony over sixty years ago.