COFFEE HOUSE AND RECREATION ROOMS.
The new Coffee House and Recreation Rooms were opened on July
28th 1887. There was a very large attendance in the rooms.
Mr Mellis, addressing the audience, briefly said he was pleased
to see that among their amusements they had the very harmless
games of bagatelle, billiards, draughts, etc., and he hoped
they would soon have chess too. He very much regretted the
unavoidable absence of Lady Susan Grant Suttie, who had been
so unceasing in her efforts for the establishing of these
rooms, and in her name he declared the Coffee House and Recreation
Rooms open. Major Dawson, Colonel Cadell, Mr Hislop, and Dr
Struthers also addressed the audience. These rooms were started
as a limited liability company, capital .£300 in 1200
shares at 5s. each; but the venture was of short duration.
PUBLIC PARK AND BOWLING GREEN.
This other place of amusement and recreation was opened on
the 16th of August 1878. The green cost to put in order about
;£100; charge for membership, 2s. 6d. About forty members
were enrolled on the opening night. It was also of short duration.
THE OLD CHURCH CLOCK.
The year following, 1879, the heritors met and agreed to spend
£50 in putting the public or church clock in good repair.
It must have been sadly out of order.
CO-OPERATIVE STORE.
The Co-operative Society, when it opened on the 22nd January
1869, had a share capital of £114. First Manager, Mr
James Herbert; first President, Mr David Marr; first Secretary,
Mr Andrew Munro; and its first Treasurer, who still retains
office, Mr David Fraser. Mr Munro retiring towards the close
of 1869, Mr D. M'Cairn was appointed, and retains that office
still.
The drawings for the first half-year amounted to £961
from members, and from non-members £394. Last half-year
the drawings over all amounted to ,£11,780. The share
capital amounts at the present time to £2904, while
the loan
capital has gone up to £1804 ; reserve fund, £1709-
The society in 1883 purchased the old Parochial School, which
was used as business premises for a time : and about two years
ago, wishing a more central place of business, they became
proprietors of Beach House and Beach Cottage, which they converted
into a very spacious place of business at a cost of fully
£5000, while the old store they converted into dwelling-houses.
GASWORKS
Have been long established here. The management is good, and
they are in a highly flourishing condition.
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