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A LOCAL woman who recently celebrated her 100th birthday spent most of her life at the very heart of Dunoon’s newspaper industry.
Elizabth Anderson, affectionately known as Betty, celebrated her milestone birthday earlier this month. Born and raised locally, Betty left Dunoon Grammar School at 15 and joined the family-run Dunoon Observer and Argyllshire Standard in 1939.
She remained with the paper for 47 years, witnessing the transformation of printing from linotype typesetting to digital technology.Betty recalls when her youth and expertise on the linotype machine made waves. Longtime editor Mr. Willie Inglis, father of Marion Carmichael, once wrote that the Observer could claim to have the oldest editor and the youngest linotype operator in the UK.
Throughout her career, Betty took on many responsibilities beyond the linotype. She remembers being asked to report on a high-profile funeral, documenting the presence of the town’s key dignitaries, including the Provost, Burgh Chamberlain, and Burgh Surveyor. Weekly trips to the courthouse on George Street were also part of her role, as she gathered court reports to bring back to the office. These early assignments gave Betty a unique view of Dunoon’s civic life and brought her into contact with all corners of the community.
One of Betty’s fondest memories is the centennial celebration of the Dunoon Observer and Argyllshire Standard, marking 100 years under the stewardship of the same family. The event drew attention from STV, who sent presenter Bill Tennant to produce a documentary, bringing a moment of fame to the small-town paper.
