January 1983
Worst Ever Jobs Blow For Dundee
Dundee was last night reeling under the shock news that Timex are to dismiss 1900 of their workers - virtually half the American-based company's entire workforce in the city.To complete Dundee's worst ever day on the employment front, Bett Brothers Ltd., announced that they are seeking 105 redundancies over the next 13 weeks.
The saddest day in Dundee's industrial history unfolded when Timex management revealed that not only are they to cease production of the Nimslo 3-D camera but have also decided virtually to bring to an end their traditional mechanical watch-making operations which made the company world famous. News that half the workforce are to lose their jobs, was accompanied by a grim warning that even the future of the surviving 2300 employees is at risk. In a plea to the workforce to accept the job losses Mr Barrie Lawson the company's director of UK manufacturing warned - "If conditions are not achieved without work disruptions then total closure could well result."
The Timex announcement that 1900 jobs are to go leaving "at best" 2300 is almost certainly the biggest single redundancy blow ever for Dundee. The city's previous darkest industrial hour was in 1971 when NCR announced they were to dismiss 1200 workers in a single closure.
Chemist Staff Locked Up By Drugs Raiders
Masked raiders struck at a Dundee chemist's shop just as it was closing last night, stripping the controlled and dangerous drugs cabinet of its contents. Staff of the shop in Beauly Avenue, Kirkton, were bundled into a toilet after being forced to hand over the keys of the drugs cabinet. They were threatened by a cosh-like baton as nearby shopkeepers carried on their business unaware of this drama.
Chemist Mr S.D. Ewan and two assistants were preparing to close for the night at their regular time of 5.20pm when the raiders struck. Four youths all said to be between 10 and 20, came into the shop wearing balaclava-type masks. After being made to hand over the keys to the drugs cabinet, the staff were locked inside the back of the shop. The raiders them emptied the drugs cabinet of its contents of controlled drugs before running away into the Kirkton scheme.
Mr Ewan and the two assistants remained locked in the toiler for a little time before a butcher from the shop next door noticed that something was amiss. Mr John Burn freed the captives and the alarm was raised. No one was injured in the incident. Staff at a nearby chip shop said last night there had been nothing to make them think that anything was wrong. Mr Ewan was said by his family to be resting after the shock of the incident.
Murderer Mone Killed in Prison
Dundee triple killer 56 year-old Robert Christopher Mone died in an incident at Craiginches Jail Aberdeen, yesterday. Mone, known as "Sonny", met his violet end in the cobbler's shop at the prison. Official sources were being tighted-lipped last night about the reported flare-up, but his only sister in Dundee confirmed she had been officially told that he had been killed. She told a reporter last night " I don't know what happened. I'm still waiting to hear details. But I've been told my brother is definitely dead. I was at work when the first news came. Later on the police also arrived at the house. It's a great shock".
Mone, whose address at the time was Glenprosen Terrace was sentenced to life imprisonment by Lord Robertson at the High Court in Dundee in June 1979 after being found guilty of murdering three women at a flat in Kinghorne Road, at the top of the Hilltown. Subsequently, he had his appeal to have the conviction set aside dismissed at the High Court in Edinburgh. Mone always boasted that he wanted to be a bigger man than his notorious killer son, also called Robert. His son committed to the state mental hospital at Carstairs from Dundee High Court in 1968 after being found insane and unfit to plead to an indictment alleging several assaults and the shotgun murder of a young teacher at St John's School, Dundee in 1967.
In June 1979, Robert Francis Mone and another prisoner broke out of Carstairs and went on the run in a bloodbath that left a nursing officer, patient and police constable dead before they were recaptured.
Grampian Detective Superintendent William Archibald was called in by the prison governor within minutes of yesterday's incident. Later several inmates were interviewed by a team of detectives. Last night a spokesman for Grampian Police said " We are investigating this death".
Tay Bridge Tolls to Remain
By our man at Westminster...
Scottish Minister Allan Stewart last night said no to the latest campaign for tolls to be abolished on the Tay Road Bridge. In a commons answer to Dundee West MP Ernie Ross said" The Government's policy is that tolls should continue to be charged on those estuary crossings which provide exceptional benefit to users. I see no casr for departing from this policy in the case of the Tay Road Bridge.
Season's Greetings
1983 George and Anne and all the staff at the "Pullman" would like to offer their best wishes to all their customers for the festive season.
Open as usual Monday January 3rd.
1, Ward Road Dundee. Telephone 27068.
Oatmeal Scones
I like these hot, buttered or cold with jam - Mrs E. Trimble, Brechin Road, Arbroath.
Take ¼lb fine oatmeal, 2oz medium oatmeal, 2oz flour, 2oz dripping, 1oz sugar, good pinch of salt, I heaped teaspoon of baking powder, 1 gill milk.
Beat dripping to a cream, mix with it the sugar them the flour, oatmeal and baking powder. Mix to a dough with the milk. Roll out, cut into cakes and bake on floured tins in a moderate oven.
Jacanoni's Ice-Cream Paradise
Keillor Centre, Dundee
Suppliers of ice-cream to wholesale trade also visit Cafe Jacques in the Wellgate Market Hall.
Airport Extension
An immediate start is to be made on work at Dundee Airport to its planned length of 1100 metres. The expenditure of £66,218 is to be considered a revenue item so that the work can be completed before the end of March. A report on the airport by Mr Neil Townsend, Tayside's Director of Transport said the operation of the new 36 seat aircraft purchased by Air Ecosse for the Dundee to London flight from March and the night mail flights required the lengthening of the runway.