SERVICE ABOVE SELF


Further crushing, washing and sorting took place ready for the material to be loaded on to massive ships for transport to sites, mainly across Europe. The company owns three of its own bulk carrying 100,000 tonne vessels. The quarry employs over 200 people and has hotel-style accommodation on site for many of the workers. Others have a daily commute on boats to the quarry. The granite mountain is 1800 feet high and is quarried from within leaving a massive crater 1.5 miles wide but virtually unseen from the surrounding scenic area meaning the whole


JULY 2017: ISSUE 100


operation being in harmony with the environment. Looking to the future, David said the quarry has about 75-100 years of reserves. The company is now part of the LafargeHolcim group following a £60bn mega merger and it exports to over 90 countries. He points out that large multinationals do not operate sites for sentimental reasons and he has concerns about viability if there are tariffs post-Brexit. Iain MacKinnon introduced David and John Spittal gave the vote of thanks.


submitted by Angus Peters


100 Years’ War The Hundred Years’ War (1337-1453) actually lasted 116 years and didn’t acquire its popular name until 1874. It was a series of skirmishes fought between two French families, one of whom claimed the French throne (Valois), while the other claimed both France and England (Plantagenet). The eventual victory of the Valois came at a high price – France’s population was reduced by two-thirds over the period and England was left isolated from the rest of Europe, speaking English rather than French.


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