A front-page story in the 7 Nov. 1973 Cayman Compass cryptically noted it was ‘Fact, Not Rumour’, above the headline, ‘Beach Club Sold’. However, the article never explained why it needed to emphasise this was a ‘fact’, only detailing what was known about the transaction. One of the oldest hotels in Cayman, the Beach Club had been sold to a local corporation, Roselle Ltd., on 31 Oct. Original owners John and Andy Hatch had bought the land in 1957, “with nothing but coco plums on it”.
A photo on page 2 alerting readers that Christmas was ‘not far off’ showed manager Herminio Arronte with a display of jewellery from Mariculture. He said 12 women were making three times the usual amount of jewellery, with one new item a Christmas postcard made with a turtle shell.
The newspaper also included a Kirk Motors ad for the 1974 Chevrolet Impala, which was definitely longer than recent models and described as having, among other features, an “Impressive New Grille [and] New Nylon Cut Pil [sic] Carpeting”. On a later page was the article, ‘World’s New Car Device To Be Available in Cayman’, about that car dealership bringing in the “Service Interval Computer, [an] application of space-age circuitry” that can signal to a driver when the vehicle needs such things as an oil change.
Finally, we include a story about the late Consuelo Ebanks, who was the manager of the cinema. She originally applied to be the projectionist, which surprised people, whom she said “were really tickled” about a woman taking the job, to which she was attracted due to an interest in photography. She did not get that job, instead starting as a cashier, but was soon approached to train to be assistant manager and, eventually, manager. The reporter wrote, “It is to Consuelo’s credit that she was approached to fill this exacting and responsible position.”
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