Bygone News - All News
April 1912
Dundee Spring Holiday
Seldom have the streets of Dundee been so busy on Good Friday as they were yesterday. Not only were the Banks, Government and other offices and schools closed but in consequence of the lockout thousands of workers were in enforced idleness, and the number of people moving about was abnormally large. The weather was good in spite of a brisk westerly breeze. Read more......
March 1912
Dundee Labour Exchange – Windows Smashed
Overgate was on Thursday the scene of a startling incident which created some excitement. About nine o’clock those in the lower part on the thoroughfare had their attention arrested by the crash of breaking glass, followed almost immediately afterwards by another noise of the same character. Read more......
February 1912
Improvements at the Howff
A special committee of the town council considered the question of restoration and improvement of the Howff Burying Ground. Bailie Foggie presided. Read more......
January 1912
Union Carters’ Threat
Further trouble is threatened amongst Dundee transport workers. Carters who are members of the North of Scotland Horse and Motormen’s Association are keenly averse to working alongside non-Union employees who have accepted the increase of wages which the Union men secured for them, and still remain outwith the Union. Read more......
December 1911
Labour Upheaval
A great labour upheaval is in progress in Dundee. Large bodies of transport workers are on strike; the mob is practically ruling the city, and a detachment of soldiers and large drafts of outside police have been called in to preserve a semblance of order. Stirring and sensational hours are being lived by residents in the city on the Tay. Read more......
November 1911
Folk-lore Section for the Museum
An interesting department has just been introduced in the Dundee Museum in the shape of a section devoted to folk-lore.
The objects are placed in one of the cases in the south room of the Museum, Albert Square. They show how superstitions of a very early time have survived. Allusion may be made to a few special examples. There is, for instance, the hyoid bone of a sheep, which is worn by fisherman on the Yorkshire coast as a charm against drowning. Cures for toothache are supplied by the digging feet of a mole and a by a water worn pebble. Cramp was supposed to be averted or cured by carrying a fossil tooth, a nut of the Daldinia Conceuticra, known as “cramp nut” and by digging feet of the mole. Rheumatism was cured by fragment of crude amber, or by an astragalus bone. To ensure luck in fishing the Lancashire fishermen carried a spider shell; while for luck generally it was usual in Wiltshire to wear a perforated copper coin. Flint arrow heads, boiled in water, which was given to the cows to drink, was sovereign cure for “grup”, while a holed stone – usually a pre-historic whorl – tied to the horn of a cow prevented the pixies from stealing the milk. There are two familiar specimens of brass work frequently seen on horse harness, though few know their significance. These are the “lunar type” and the “solar-and-heart type”, which are worn by horses to avert the effects of the evil eye. Read more......
October 1911
Entertainments
Her Majesty’s Theatre
Managing Director – Mr Robert Arthur
Monday, Oct 9th, for six nights
‘Through Death Valley’,
Or
‘The Mormon Peril’
Box Office (Messrs Paterson), 10 to 5. Tel. 795. Read more......
September 1911
Flower Show Success
The luck of the Dundee Horticultural Society changed on Saturday. Indifferent weather conditions on the first two days of the show were followed by a period of brilliant sunshine, and the fete closed under most happy and successful auspices. It was estimated that between 15,000 and 20,000 spectators visited Magdalen Green on Saturday and consequently the somewhat serious loss resulting from last years exhibition will be considerably reduced, if not entirely wiped out. Read more......
August 1911
The Strike in Force - 200,000, Men Out
Though the men's leaders and the Labour MP's accepted the appointment of the Commission, as intimated by Mr Lloyd George, and acquiesced in delaying the strike, the orders that had gone forth on Thursday night were all over the country obeyed by the men, and on Friday morning it was estimated that some 200,000 railwaymen had struck work.Passenger traffic throughout the day on the English lines was almost at a standstill and goods traffic likewise suffered severely. The N.B. and the Caley in booking travellers for south of Carlisle are issuing a warning that at that town the danger zone is entered and no guarantee can be given for the further stages of their journey. At Carlisle on Thursday night the only railmen on duty was the Stationmaster. Other important stations in England are depleted to almost as great an extent. Read more......
July 1911
Addition to Museum
Some time ago enthusiastic Aberdeen naturalist (Mr Wm. Dow) visited the museum in Dundee, and noticed particularly that the collection was rather deficient in the matter of British sea shell and crustacea. As he had a very extensive collection of specimens, precisely of the kind that were lacking, he most generously sent his treasures as a free gift to Dundee and these, from their extend and variety, must be of considerable value. Read more......