On this day in 1968, there was an extraordinary security operation at the High Court in Aberdeen – the biggest ever seen – when four prisoners went on trial; a new city clothes shop debuted a ‘living carpet’, and the provost was apoplectic over pub plans. Here are the headlines from 55 years ago.
Big dogs at High Court after Peterhead Prison riot
There were “extraordinary” scenes at the High Court in Aberdeen in July 1968 when police called in the big dogs – quite literally – to stand guard at Lodge Walk.
No chances could be taken when four dangerous prisoners from HMP Peterhead were appearing in the dock.
They were accused of rioting, assault, and even the attempted murder of one of the prison officers.
Police were stationed at strategic positions around the courtroom while the court heard how violence flared in the jail’s tailor’s workshop on May 27.
Three prison officers and a civilian tailor were injured in the scissor attacks, with officer Norman Ritchie, 23, so badly hurt he nearly died.
The court heard how Norman was stabbed in the back with a 14-inch pair of scissors, and received two pints of plasma in the ambulance en route to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary to save his life.
Nowadays, the former prison is a museum, and promises a “fun day out for all”.
Fashionable clothes and interesting interiors at new Aberdeen shop
It may have been July, but there’s never a guarantee of summer sunshine in Scotland.
Luckily for Aberdonians, the brand-new Kendall Shop had just opened on the corner of George Street and Schoolhill, sporting a fashionable range of raincoats.
“There’s no reason to stay indoors huddled over a fire; step out smartly in modern rainwear”, shoppers were told.
As well as groovy garments, the shop’s interior was on-trend too, featuring “an unusual design of wallpaper in orange and brown tones”.
It was the Swinging Sixties after all.
But forget the coats and walls, in what must have been a city first – and quite possibly last – the shop had a ‘living hair’ carpet.
The reporter said: “The entire shop is carpeted in brown, grey and blue squares and, although attractive, it appears to be carpeting. However appearances are, indeed, deceiving.
“Made in Germany, it is of goats’ “living” hair, which has to be watered frequently to prevent dehydration.”
One can only imagine how a soggy goat’s hair carpet smelled in summer…
But if you could bear the decor, you would have found fun raincoats for children, and the ‘Gangsters’ range of showerproof coats for style-conscious teens – tommy gun not included.
Pub plans prompted provost to storm out of meeting
There was drama at Aberdeen Town House when a planning application for a pub caused the Lord Provost to walk out of a meeting, enraged.
During the quiet summer months, the vacation sub-committee met to deal with some planning proposals – but one in particular riled the city’s figurehead.
Lord Provost Robert Lennox stormed out of the meeting during discussions about plans for a new pub in the city’s Logie Avenue.
He told the P&J: “I am absolutely and resolutely opposed to a public house on this site.
“It is against all the planning concepts the corporation have had with regard to development of this sort in the post-war years.”
He felt a pub wouldn’t be a welcome addition to the housing scheme.
Instead he backed the poor Logie Avenue resident who was being asked to give up 9-foot of his garden to turn into a car park for the pub.
Provost Lennox added: “This tenant has made a first-class job of his garden and it is a credit to any local authority tenant.”
He also thought it was “disgraceful” that a pub was being considered on a corner site which buses had difficulty in negotiating.
Girls for the lonely Gordons
Three young Gordon Highlanders stationed in Germany put out a desperate cri de couer in search of some gal pals.
Lonely lads Private Mike McNamara, 19, Private Jim Milne, 18, and Private John Gauld, 19, hoped girls of the north would answer their call for friendship …or maybe more.
Far from home, the young soldiers were in search of some female pen pals to brighten up their days.
With no internet or mobile phones, snail mail was still king when it came to communications.
There were no requests for a GSOH, the only stipulations set down by the trio was that the girls “should be aged between 17 and 20, live in the north-east, and they should send photographs of themselves”.
Did the boys find their forces sweethearts? Perhaps those precious letters are still tucked away in a drawer somewhere…
