It was to change so much that many historians see it as bringing the curtain down on the 19th century 14 years late, with the 20th only really starting in the mud of France.

So, quite rightly, commemorative events were held across Scotland this week to mark the centenary of the outbreak of World War One.

Many reflected on the words of Sir Edward Grey, the foreign secretary. He had just returned from telling parliament that war was inevitable, and was talking in his office with his friend John Spender, the editor of the Westminster Gazette, when he said: "The lamps are going out all over Europe; we shall not see them lit again in our lifetime."

The words were central to a moving late night vigil in St Magnus Cathedral in Orkney. It ended at 11pm - the exact time Britain declared itself at war with Germany on August 4, 1914.

At that moment the last of 52 candles was extinguished, leaving the Cathedral in virtual darkness before the Last Post was sounded. There was one candle for each of the congregation members who lost their lives as a result of the war

The media joined in the commemoration with TV, radio and newspapers producing thought-provoking work.

Some of the papers reproduced their editions from Wednesday August 5 1914 which covered the official outbreak of hostilities.

The lead story in The Manchester Guardian, as it then was, had five headlines before the opening sentence. The first heading interestingly enough was "England Declares War on Germany".

The second read "Decision Taken Late at Night" followed by "Demand for Respect of Belgian Neutrality Refused." Then there was "Navies waiting in the North Sea" and "British Mine-laying Vessel Sunk by German Warships."

Quite exhausted, the reader finally got to the introductory sentence which was clarity itself: "Great Britain declared War on Germany at 11 o'clock last night."

It was either by newspapers, or more likely word of mouth, that most in the land learnt of the war. There were no radio broadcasts. The British Broadcasting Company Ltd., forebear of today's BBC, was only established in 1922.

So one would assume that those with access to newspapers would have read them intently to better understand what was happening to their country. But it is difficult to know quite what the readers would have made of some of the stories.

One in the Manchester Guardian told of reports of a steamer pilot who had sighted the French and German fleets engaged in conflict off Flamborough Head on the Yorkshire coast. But it continued:

"A later account made the fight to be off the North of Scotland. The wounded had been landed at Cromarty, and Aberdeen doctors who had been summoned to attend them left during the afternoon."

But then the next paragraph said "The Admiralty announced last night, that there was absolutely no truth in the report of the landing of wounded at Cromarty, and the following message from our correspondents dispose of the other stories:- ABERDEEN TUESDAY NIGHT There is no confirmation here of the report of a battle off the North of Scotland. No Aberdeen doctors, so far as is known, have been summoned to Cromarty to attend the wounded."

So that's cleared that up then.

Meanwhile the Inverness Courier also republished its August 5 1914 which made for equally fascinating reading.

The first left hand column of the front page, the effective start of the paper, is topped by two adverts. One from a firm of general merchants and the other from coal merchants, both apologising that their supplies might be in short supply given the extraordinary times.

The third item in that column is an advert from Aberdeen University on "Emergency Service in the Army."

It says "The Army Council has requested the University of Aberdeen Authorities to furnish a List of Candidates who would be prepared to accept Commissions in His Majesty's Forces..."

But the Army Council was clear not everyone would be acceptable. "All Candidates must be Graduates or Undergraduates of the University, and must be British Subjects of pure European Descent... Candidates must be between the ages of 17- 30..."

So as long as they were white and undertook a spot of training first, students would be put in charge of men at war at the same age they would be having their first driving lesson today.

The 19th century had indeed yet to end, but research has shown that the "pure European descent" requirement was to continue for long after the war ended.

There was another advert before the war officially started in the Inverness Courier. It was for a book 'The Scottish War of Indepedence. A critical Study.' It was by E.M. Barron, whose family owned the paper and he was to become its editor after the war was over. Page two was all about the war, apart from one whole column. This was carried nice comments about another work of Mr Barron's "Prince Charlie's Pilot. A Record of Loyalty and Devotion to Prince Charlie."

The Jacobites were still exciting interest.

But there was room for one genuine news story that wasn't war-related in the paper. Under the heading "Newtonmore Hotel Case" readers were told:

"At a Justice of the Peace Court in Inverness on Saturday, George Main, Newtonmore Hotel, was charged with having allowed William Mackintosh, labourer, to remain the bar of the hotel and to be supplied with intoxicating liquor while he was already intoxicated."

Apparently Mackintosh had been found "lying on the side of the Fort William road in a dazed condition and injured." He had fallen from a cart, and he remarked to witness that it was his own fault as he had too much to drink.

Main's lawyer explained that Mackintosh had fallen out of the cart as it was going up a steep brae.

Main was found not guilty and awarded two guineas in expenses.

It must have all made for a good night in Newtonmore that Saturday, but three days later the lamps would start going out and the 20th century would dawn.