50 YEARS AGO: Floating mine taken to Westport

35 years ago

July 27, 1972 – Rev. Dr. T.W. Hodgson was selected as Digby’s ‘Citizen of the Year’ at a special meeting of town council. Hodgson, who would receive the honor during Natal Day ceremonies, was minister of Grace United Church from 1934 to 1951, and then an active volunteer in many activities around town.

Susan Riley, 17-year-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Riley, was crowned queen of Bear River’s Cherry Carnival.

The Little Theatre was advertising a Natal Day midnight twin bill sure to scare some—‘Dracula’ and ‘Frankenstein Created Woman’.

50 years ago

July 25, 1957 – A mine found floating in St. Mary’s Bay was hauled into Westport by fisherman Raymond MacDormand. RCMP called the navy and the mine was identified as a dummy used for training purposes.

Roger Furlong was elected president of the Digby Ravens baseball club at the annual meeting, succeeding Vincent Snow. The meeting also decided to register with the Nova Scotia Amateur Baseball Association for playdowns.

Large numbers of striped bass were providing angling excitement at the mouth of Bear River. The report noted that a 20-pound bass had been caught by a Smith’s Cove man.

All Saints Church in Rossway marked its 140th anniversary in a special service. Guest speaker was Rev. W.J.B. Meloche of Toronto.

The Capitol Theatre was making a little history of its own, booking the movie ‘Giant’ for four days. The longest previous run of a movie was three days. Stars of ‘Giant’ were Elizabeth Taylor, Rock Hudson and James Dean.

60 years ago

July 24, 1947 – A formal inquiry into the sinking of the gypsum freighter ‘Novadoc’, with the loss of its crew, was opening in Digby, conducted by Justice W.F. Carroll of the Nova Scotia Supreme Court.

Maritime Telegraph and Telephone Company reported Digby phone subscribers were having difficulty adjusting to the town’s new phone system. The company urged callers not to hang up after asking operators to connect them to a local call.

At the Capitol, Dorothy Lamour and Ray Milland were starring in the film, ‘The Jungle Princess’.