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jii^^; Sib Folh flews 5 R 09 5 3 2. S. t* | a cu 01 8 he Earl of Wessex leaving alter the Official Opening of the Orkney Library Tand Archive on Tuesday 2nd September 2003. In this lovely building Orkney Family history Society is to have its new office. J Contents:- V 2 From the Chair. Future Events 8 Rev. Alexander Smith 3 From the Editor. Deadlines. 10 Website information September meeting 11 Working on the Gardens' 4 The Long Road T)ome. Directory 12 Photographic history o! Flotta 5 Official opening of Orkney Library 13 October meeting & Archive 15 ftiuiualTHeal 6 Booh Review 16 Research via the Internet Quiz 19 Robert Snhster r From the Chair Seven years later my successor has been found! At the moment I am enjoying reading yet another new Orkney Book that has ap- At the last committee meeting Anne Ren- peared in time for Christmas. It is "'The dall was appointed Vice-Chairman and Shore' and roond aboot" written by the accepted the post with the knowledge that retired Orkney Librarian, David Tinch. she would soon be Chairman. This is a In it he describes growing up in Kirk- popular appointment Anne has taken an wall in the thirties and forties and all in active part in the running of the society a very humorous style. It contains in- from the early days. Among other things teresting photographs including school she has transcribed censuses, is working groups and a major bonus is the forty- on the Old Parish Registers and looks three prints of his stunning oil paint- after the office most Saturday afternoons. ings and some of his cartoons. The paintings I had admired in exhibitions Through the week she is a banker and in the past but couldn't buy them all! I regularly visits outer islands on business will treasure this book for several rea- on Loganair planes. She knows a lot of sons. people because of her work and is well known. She lives in Kirkwall but the fam- It will be recorded elsewhere in the ily home owned by her parents is Holland magazine that George and I had the House in Papa Westray. As a working girl honour of meeting the Earl of Wessex her spare time will be a bit more limited in the new library when he visited our but with youth on her side and with her stand at the opening in September. He enthusiasm she will be well able to fill the was very easy to talk to. i gave him a position. sample of our pedigree charts made out for himself with two of the Queen I certainly could not have remained in the Mother's ancestors missing. He ac- post for so long without the support that I cepted it with the remark, 'This will be have had especially from the committee, my homework." I hope he hadn't rec- including the Hon President, the willing- ognised the voice of a retired school- ness of volunteers and the enthusiasm of teacher! In view of the imminent birth those attending meetings and speaking at of their child we took the opportunity them. It has been busy at times but really of wishing him and the Countess all the very enjoyable. I'm sure that Anne can best for their future as a family. depend on you for the same qualities and kindness and that the society will go from As promised in the June magazine I am strength to strength. about to vacate the chair, so this will be the last that 1 will write in this capacity. In the minutes of the first meeting of the Steering Committee, dated 21st Oc- tober 1996 it says, "Mrs Nan Scott Future Events:- agreed to chair these meetings, includ- ing the inaugural meeting." Then a few In December there will be no meeting. lines down, "A chairman to succeed It is proposed to hold an Open Night in the Nan Scott is to be actively sought." new premises on the 8th January 2004. 3ssue no 28 D From The Editor Open meeting on Thursday 1 Ith Sep- tember 2003 in the Lecture Theatre, Some members have suggested that I Orkney College at 7.30pm. should publish the names and titles plus the prices of the books that are sometimes pre- Chairperson, Mrs Nan Scott, welcomed viewed in this magazine. I consulted the everyone to the meeting. Thirty nine peo- committee on this subject and the answer ple attended including members Mr and was, Yes, in the meantime print the main Mrs Robertson from Glasgow and Rev and shops aod perhaps other shops in Orkney Mrs Harry Telfer from Edinburgh and visi- which sell 'Orkney' books would forward tors Mrs May Mooney from Nairn and Mrs their names, etc also. Mabel Grimes from Forres. There is THE LEONARDS, 1 Albert Since the last meeting, the AGM, the soci- Street, Kirkwall, Orkney. Tel. 01856 ety had a very enjoyable trip to Papa 872014. Fax 01856 876198. E-mail- Westray for its annual outing. There has leonardsorkney@compuserve. coin been a lot of interest in the 1901 census, noticeably from 'Old Folk's Homes'. Ian & THE ORCADIAN BOOK SHOP, 50 Al- Betty Cameron and Nan responded to a bert Street, Kirkwall, Orkney. KW15 1HQ. request from the Deerness Senior Citizens Tel. 01856 878888. Fax. 01856 878001. for a talk from the society. One gentleman E-mail [email protected]. at the meeting, Mr Groat, had driven up Order on line at www.orcadian.co.uk through Scotland from Dumfries and cele- brated his ninety second birthday the next STROMNESS BOOKS AND PRINTS. 1 day. He was from a family of fourteen bom Graham Place, Stromness, Orkney. Tel. on the island of Copinsay. and Fax. 01856 850565. Nan had received a letter of thanks from 1 rely on the articles that are so kindly Bobby Leslie, manager of the library, for delivered to me here at the office, and via the part we played in the official opening of e-mail, without which 1 would not be able the new library and archive by HRH Prince to produce this newsletter and I am most Edward, Earl of Wessex, and thanked all grateful for your contributions. those who had conveyed equipment, books etc. and set up the display. It's a year gone once more, seems such a short time since the last Christmas. The Treasurer, George Gray, reported that our weather this winter is again very mild, so one thousandth member had joined a cou- far, so on this good note I think I would like ple of weeks ago. It was Keith Scott who to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and lives in Plymouth. It has been decided to a Happy New Year. send him Gregor Lamb's latest edition of Oty the Surnames of Orkney. Secretary, Gillian Mooney, read a letter from Len Bamett informing us of his web- Newsletter deadlines are :- site which might be of particular interest to anyone researching 'British Merchant Mar- 7th February 2004. iners of the 19th and 20th Centuries'. The 7th May 2004. web-site address is> http:// w w w. bamettresearch. freeserve. co.uk e Rewsletter the Qrhney EamBsrhistory Society 3 Some Norwegian magazines had been re- the rust red coloured cave at the Brough of ceived and were in the office but they are Deem ess, twisted layers of rock, the 'Altar' written in Norwegian. which looks like a hand in South Ronald- say, and thai there are archaeological 'digs' Alan Clouston reported that the new Li- uncovering buildings to learn more about brary & Archive is expected to be finished the way of life hundreds of years ago, the in November. It is hoped to hold Open site often being covered up again once the Days on the 18th and 19th and then be open archaeologists have finished their investi- for business on Thursday the 20th. gation. There were also reminders of busy times building hay stacks at harvest time. Nan then introduced Mr Ian Heddle who The yellow fields of oats was a common had been invited to speak at the meeting. sight in Orkney in Autumn forty or fifty Ian called his talk 'Pure Nostalgia' and years ago (now mostly replaced by the showed slides of Orkney taken between more bronze barley). 1950 and 1980. David Oddie proposed a vote of thanks Ian had captured the essence of Orkney remarking that he had heard lan lecture in with photos of the sea in all its guises and the Arts Theatre thirty years ago and the places now lost forever like the natural arch quality and presentation of his slides really of rock at Yesnaby which later fell, a stone sets a standard. lying, precariously it seemed, on a rocky ledge, photographed still there thirty five The slides had brought back memories to us years later, until a climber thought it dan- all and Nan once again thanked everyone gerous and knocked it off. Orkney is for coming on such a wet night. blessed with some very interesting cliff Teas were then available from the college scenes. There's the Hole o' Rowe in Birsay, cafeteria. (fdUo* The Long Road Home! Dave Higgins, our webmaster is taking a His route will include:- the South West break in the New Year. In April he plans to Coastal Path, Offas Dyke, the Pennine walk from Lands End to John o' Groats. Way, the Central Scottish Way and the He will take the footpaths which will make Cairngorm mountains.