Topic: 50 years ago
50 years ago: US vault-heist suspects; local press left in dark
The 7 Nov. 1974 edition of The Caymanian Compass told the story of three Americans, suspected of being part of a heist of US$4.3 million from a Chicago Armoured Express vault, who had flown to Cayman after the crime.
50 years ago: Largest loan ever; golf course planned
The main story in the 31 Oct. 1974 edition of The Caymanian Compass was about the ‘Largest Loan Ever For Government’, of up to US$3,750,000, to build the government’s administrative headquarters and improve highways.
50 years ago: Electricity and telephone rates; hit by lightning
The increase in rates for electricity and telephone service caused much debate in the Legislative Assembly as reported in the 24 Oct. 1974 edition of The Caymanian Compass.
50 years ago: Development and Planning Law; cows on the road
The 17 Oct. 1974 edition of The Caymanian Compass covered the intense debate in the Legislative Assembly over amendments to the Development and Planning Law.
50 years ago: Crew and vessel return home; Sir Turtle Award
The 10 Oct. 1974 edition of The Caymanian Compass told the dramatic tale of Capt. Cheslie Parsons, whose vessel had been detained in Cuba for almost a month.
50 years ago: Hurricane Fifi survivor; new traffic island
Following last week’s front-page story about Cayman helping the Honduran victims of Hurricane Fifi, the 3 Oct. 1974 edition of The Caymanian Compass featured an interview with one of the people who had travelled to Cayman after the storm had passed.
50 years ago: Honduran hurricane victims; goats in a car
The top story of the 26 Sept. 1974 edition of The Caymanian Compass was about Cayman helping victims of a devastating hurricane in Honduras, some of whom made it to Grand Cayman.
50 years ago: Liquidation for Interbank; removing junk cars
The front page of the 19 Sept.1974 edition of The Caymanian Compass was dominated by news of the voluntary liquidation of Interbank.
50 years ago: Miss Jamaica visits; cinema turns 2 years old
The 13 Sept. 1974 edition of The Caymanian Compass was full of good news on its front page, including the second anniversary of the cinema and 11 Caymanians graduating from Police Training School.
50 years ago: CUC offered generator; Lobster Pot review
The 5 Sept. 1974 edition of The Caymanian Compass once again had a front-page story on the 'electrical crisis', noting a US company had offered to lease a generator to CUC.
50 years ago: New governor arrives; burglaries in George Town
The front page of the 29 Aug. 1974 issue of The Caymanian Compass announced the arrival of Thomas Russell ahead of being sworn in as governor of the Cayman Islands.
50 years ago: ‘Electrical crisis’; tourism numbers increase
A front-page story of the 22 Aug. 1974 edition of The Caymanian Compass pointed to a potential ‘electrical crisis’ of concern to the Chamber of Commerce.
50 years ago: New post for Linford Pierson; CUC to expand
On the front page of the 15 Aug. 1974 Cayman Compass was the story of Linford Pierson being named Cayman’s deputy financial secretary, the first holder of that post.
50 years ago: Fishermen rescued; police make fast arrest
The front page of the 9 Aug. 1974 edition of The Caymanian Compass contained a story of a dramatic rescue of three men fishing in the North Sound.
50 years ago: US airline aims for Cayman; diving helmet discovery
The main story on the front page of the 1 Aug. 1974 Cayman Compass told of an application from US carrier Southern Airways for permission to fly between Miami and Grand Cayman.
50 years ago: Governor on oil terminal; law degrees for 2 Caymanians
In the 25 July 1974 edition of The Caymanian Compass, outgoing Governor Roy Crook offered his thoughts on a proposed oil terminal on Little Cayman.
50 years ago: Students fly to Mexico; parking in George Town
A front-page photo in the 18 July 1974 edition of The Caymanian Compass showed 49 students and teachers in front of a plane, representing the largest group from Cayman ever to fly on Cayman Airways.
50 years ago: Governor Crook leaving; Queen’s Birthday honours
The front page of the 20 June 1974 edition of The Caymanian Compass ran a story on the imminent departure of Governor Roy Crook.
50 years ago: Spoiled cargo; new version of Compass
A tale of spoiled produce was the top story of the 12 June 1974 Cayman Compass, when a series of events delayed a cargo ship sailing from Spanish Honduras.
50 years ago: Cayman Pilot returns; new bus service
Thee 5 June 1974 Cayman Compass contained the news that the Cayman Pilot turtle boat finally made it home after more than two months in Mexico where it had been taken after being stolen.
50 years ago: Diving centre for Western Hemisphere; netball association
In the 29 May 1974 Cayman Compass, a visiting marine publisher said Cayman's beautiful reefs should make it the diving centre of the Western Hemisphere.
50 years ago: Modernising the hospital; recruiting prison head
The major news in the 22 May 1974 issue of the Cayman Compass was the announcement of the government’s plan to modernise the George Town Hospital.
50 years ago: Dorothy McCoy named Miss Cayman; drunken sailor
The main story of the 15 May 1974 Cayman Compass announced Dorothy McCoy had been crowned Miss Cayman to 'tumultuous applause'.
50 years ago: Fundraising for the hospital; filming ICCI students
In a front-page story in the 8 May 1974 Cayman Compass, Executive Council member for health Benson Ebanks recognised the Cayman Rugby Club for organising a fundraiser to benefit the Grand Cayman Hospital.
50 years ago: Mexico trial for accused boat thieves; BA looks to Cayman
The two men accused of stealing the turtle boat Cayman Pilot were going to be tried in Mexico and not returned to Cayman, according to a front-page story in the 1 May 1974 Cayman Compass.
50 years ago: New governor appointed; Everglo Drive-In
The 24 April 1974 edition of the Cayman Compass announced the appointment of Thomas Russell as the new governor of the Cayman Islands.
50 years ago: CID heads to Mexico; gov’t looks at TV for Cayman
The front page of the 17 April 1974 Cayman Compass carried a report on two detectives heading to Mexico City in relation to the investigation into the stolen turtle boat, the Cayman Pilot.
50 years ago: Accused mutineer; Caymanians want TV
A story of a mutiny earned top spot on the front page of the 10 April 1974 Cayman Compass, with a man on a lobster boat accused of the crime.
50 years ago: Costa Rica for $125; scholarship for hotel careers
The 3 April 1974 edition of the Cayman Compass contained an ad that starkly shows how much prices have changed from 50 years ago.
50 years ago: Movie star visits; Cayman Pilot found
Film star Calvin Lockhart made the front page of the 27 March 1974 Cayman Compass, as he briefly stopped here on his way to New York to promote his new movie.
50 years ago: US visitor drowns; cleaning up the waterfront
A front-page article about a visitor who died in a diving accident was, unfortunately, the top story of the 20 March 1974 Cayman Compass.
50 years ago: Cayman Pilot missing; ‘back woods’ singer entertains
The 13 March 1974 Cayman Compass featured a story on an apparently stolen oceangoing vessel that had been used as a turtle boat.
50 years ago: Cuban jet fighters; reckless drivers
The 6 March 1974 issue of the Cayman Compass included the story of Cuban jet fighters apparently trying to force a private plane flying from Grand Cayman to Fort Lauderdale to land in Cuba.
50 years ago: Cayman’s worst accident; Ag Show success
A dramatic photo accompanied a front-page story in the 28 Feb. 1974 Cayman Compass on three people killed in the worst accident in Cayman's history.
50 years ago: Legally protecting the environment; career training
In the 20 Feb. 1974 Cayman Compass, the Conservation Association called for enacting three laws that could safeguard Cayman's marine environment for future generations.
50 years ago: Shrimp boat rescue; life in prison with hard labour
The 12 Feb. 1974 Cayman Compass included a story on the rescue of the crew of a shrimp boat that developed engine trouble about 25 miles east of Cayman.
50 years ago: Trinidadian dancer dies; Mexican officials visit MRCU
The front page for the 6 Feb. 1974 Cayman Compass featured a photo of a Trinidadian dancer who had just died at age 38....
50 years ago: Cayman-US dollar link; Cayman National Bank opens
Across the front page of the 30 Jan. 1974 Cayman Compass was the story, ‘Cayman Dollar Now Tied To U.S. Currency’, which noted that the local currency has “now broken away from the traditional link with sterling”.
50 years ago: Improved turtle production; Victoria House opens
Mariculture once again was front-page news in the 23 Jan. 1974 edition of the Cayman Compass. The story this time was how the company...
50 years ago: Excellent tax haven; diving trophy
The editorial in the 16 Jan. 1974 edition of the Compass noted that Cayman was holding both a tax seminar and Keswick religious convention....
50 years ago: Prisoner escapes again; calling out truancy
The 9 Jan. 1974 Cayman Compass contained a story on a man who escaped for the third time from George Town Prison, but was once again caught.
50 years ago: New Year honours; Sybil McLaughlin advice
The New Year brought news of ‘Two Caymanians Honoured By The Queen’, with a front-page story in the 2 Jan. 1974 edition of the Cayman Compass.
50 years ago: Tornados in Cayman; Santa visits
Front-page news in the 19 Dec. 1973 edition of the Cayman Compass was of tornados touching down in George Town.
50 years ago: No gas on Sundays; baby turtles delay plane
The top story of the 5 Dec. 1973 issue of the Cayman Compass was about distributors shutting off their gas pumps on Sundays.
50 years ago: $11M government budget; post office renovated
The front page of the 28 Nov. 1973 Cayman Compass carried a headline that shows how much things have changed from 50 years ago: ‘Cayman Budget Goes Over $11 Million’.
50 years ago: Fuel and financial crisis; protect black coral
The major news in the 21 Nov. 1973 Cayman Compass was ‘Government Seeking Solution To Fuel And Financial Crises’, with Cayman Airways running low on jet fuel.
50 years ago: Fire season; Playgirl Boutique opens
A front page story in the 14 Nov. 1973 edition of the Cayman Compass warns: ‘Beware! Fire Season Is Upon Us’.
It noted that several...
50 years ago: Beach Club sold; turtle shell postcards
The 7 Nov. 1973 issue of the Cayman Compass announced that the Beach Club Colony, one of the oldest hotels on the island, had been sold.
50 years ago: Olive Miller performs; new radio tower
Olive Miller was a star at the International Evening marking the 28th anniversary of the United Nations, and reported in the 31 Oct. 1973 Cayman Compass.
50 years ago: Marine study; Middle East war
The 24 Oct. 1973 Cayman Compass included a story of a team of US and UK scientists and professors planning to conduct a study of Cayman’s marine natural resources.
50 years ago: First Japanese bank; Dax Foster hauls breadfruit
News of the Bank of Tokyo becoming the first Japanese bank to open in Cayman made the front page of the 17 Oct. 1973 Cayman Compass.
50 years ago: Filming in Cayman; Middle East war
Taking pride of place on the front page of the 10 Oct. 1973 edition of the Cayman Compass was ‘Two Film Productions Now Being Made In Cayman’.
50 years ago: 8-foot-long blue marlin; Elmslie Church hall
A photo of a freshly caught 8-foot-long blue marlin graced the front page of the 3 Oct. 1973 edition of the Cayman Compass along with a story of the cornerstone being laid for the Elmslie Church hall.
50 years ago: High school crisis averted; turtle sculpture damaged
The front page of the 26 Sept. 1973 Cayman Compass carried a very dramatic headline: ‘High School Crisis Averted’.
50 years ago: Four seamen rescued; package takes slow boat to Cayman
The front page of the 19 Sept. 1973 Cayman Compass told of the rescue of two seamen by the Kirk B, near Swan Island.
50 years ago: Compass marks 1st year; shares in Governor’s Harbour
The Cayman Compass marked its first anniversary in its 12 Sept. 1973 issue, which included a special message from the governor.
50 years ago: Governor’s Harbour sold; turtling boat
The front page of the 5 Sept. 1973 Cayman Compass announced the “largest real estate transaction in the history of the Cayman Islands”, which...
50 years ago: Turtle farm to expand; strange creature found
The expansion of the turtle farm and the discovery of a 'strange creature' made the front page of the 29 Aug. 1973 Cayman Compass.
50 years ago: Cayman Airways improves; 98th birthday party
Cayman Airways's plan to modernise its aircraft featured on the front page of the 22 Aug. 1973 Cayman Compass.
50 years ago: US scientists; derelict cars
The visit of US scientists to research the reefs and the waters of Cayman was featured in the 15 Aug. 1973 Cayman Compass.
50 years ago: More Cubans arrive; major road work
The 9 Aug. 1973 Cayman Compass reported that 38 Cubans arrived in George Town on a boat that was hijacked from Havana.
50 years ago: Off to training in England; turning cars into reefs
The front page of the 2 Aug. 1973 Cayman Compass showed two Caymanians – Rudy Ebanks, who sadly passed away last month, and Timmy Adam – as they headed off island for training overseas before taking up jobs at Cable & Wireless, first at Cornwall Technical College to study the “theory and practice of Electronics”.
50 years ago: Escaped prisoner; US servicemen
The prison break of Robert Trevoir, 44, “an operator in organised crime”, prompted “the biggest ever manhunt in the history” of the Cayman Islands.
50 years ago: Prince Charles visits; a girl and her pumpkins
The visit of then Prince Charles dominated the 19 July 1973 edition of the Cayman Compass.
50 years ago: Burglary at bakery, enormous watermelon
The 12 July 1973 edition of the newspaper contained the story, ‘Fire And Burglary At George Town Bakery’ about an attempt to break an iron safe at the Wholesome Bakery on North Church Street.
50 years ago: Public Order Law, protecting birds
The big news announced on the front page of the 5 July 1973 Cayman Compass was the passage of the Public Order Law, to preserve order at public meetings, marches and processions.
50 years ago: New harbour plan, rising prices
Fifty years ago, one of the front page stories in the 28 June 1973 edition of the Cayman Compass was headlined ‘New Harbour Plan’, which involved extending the 100-foot shoreline into the sea by filing it to 536 feet.
50 years ago: Yellow fever, mosquito resistance to insecticide
A well-known species of mosquito dominated the front page of the 21 June 1973 Cayman Compass: the “dreaded" yellow fever mosquito Aedes aegypti.
50 years ago: Pilot saves the day, teen rescues her sister
There were some dramatic front-page stories in the 7 June 1973 edition of the Cayman Compass, from a pilot saving the day to a teenager rescuing her sister..
50 years ago: Cayman hot topic in UK press; police deal with speeding
The main story of the 31 May 1973 edition of the Cayman Compass, was ‘Cayman Islands Become Hot Topic in U.K. Press’.
50 years ago: Captive turtles bred in Cayman, MRCU helicopter arrives
Turtles were front and centre in the 24 May 1973 edition of the Cayman Compass, with the story ‘Captive Turtles Are Bred Here For First Time’.
50 years ago: Truck rolls into harbour, experts alarmed by Cayman’s growth
A photo on the front page of the 17 May 1973 Cayman Compass, ‘Unexpected Bath’, depicted the unfortunate owner of a pick-up truck standing in George Town Harbour next to his waterlogged vehicle.
