Unkans Issue 45 (461
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FREE Unkans AUGUST 2014 The newsletter of the Shetland Heritage and Culture Community Issue 45 The Oceanic Chair Sharing Shetland Unkans editorial team were Shetland loom weavers whom he Surname of the approached recently with some employed. At the time that Mr Bryce tantalising information about a took ownership of the chair, which Month chair which had been made out of his daughter believes would have Following the Ancestral Tourism wood from the wreckage of White been sometime during the 1940s, Event held at the Shetland Museum Star steam liner, RMS Oceanic. The he co-owned ‘Andrew Stuart’s & Archives in November 2013, ship was built as a transatlantic Woollen Mill’ which was based members of the Shetland Family passenger liner in 1899, but had at The Bridges in Edinburgh, in History Society met with Veronica been commissioned as an armed rooms belonging to the Scotsman Rocks of Busta House Hotel to merchant vessel on the outbreak newspaper. Hand loom weavers consider the possibility of creating of World War 1. She had been operated out of these rooms, but the a campaign to promote Ancestral Tourism. patrolling waters around Foula weaver who gifted Mr Bryce with the Shetland is well placed to offer when she floundered there on the chair worked from his own home in excellent service and information to 8th of September 1914. Shetland. both locals and visitors interested in investigating their family roots. In The chair had been gifted to Mr Bryce would visit Shetland order to maximise the opportunities Mr William E Bryce, a woollen once a year to visit the people that which could be generated from manufacturer, by one of the he employed, and it was presumably such visitors, it was thought during one of those visits that that Sharing Shetland Names the chair was presented to him. throughout the islands and beyond His daughter, Anne Tonkins, can would increase the awareness of remember the chair from her very Shetlanders as to what is on offer to early childhood, but sadly, she has our visitors in search of their roots. From June to September the no other information regarding the society will select a Shetland name chairs manufacture, or history prior to be featured each month. The to it coming to her family. The Bryce chosen name will be promoted in family moved to Galashiels after the various locations on the island and Second World War, where Mr Bryce on the internet. A short synopsis of started another big woollen mill and the name, its origins, frequency in lived for the rest of his life. the census and some famous folk will be printed. There will also be a This is the only information that display each month in the Society’s Anne has regarding the history premises at 6 Hillhead, Lerwick, of her chair. It remains in her and a talk or get together at a family home, and has been used suitable location. The four names chosen this year by herself, her children and now are: Gifford for June; Anderson for her grandchildren. If anyone has July with a lecture in the Museum information that might help us to on Patronyms; Inkster for August find out who made the chair, or who and Bolt for September, the latter the loom weaver was that gifted to reflect that the first Shetlander the chair to Mr Bryce, we would be killed in WW1 was Robert Bolt. delighted to hear from you. Please If this venture proves successful the Society hopes to feature more Chair gifted to Anne Tonkins (née Bryce) in contact Michele Deyell at michele@ names next summer. the 1940s. shetlandmuseumandarchives.org.uk Local Events Listings Visit For information on local events please visit www.shetland.org to view www.shetlandamenity.org/unkans listings. To add your own event to this site please call 01595 989898 or complete the online form at www.visit.shetland.org/submit-an-event to sign up for your electronic copy 2 Unkans bigg a seggie boat usin paint brush in hand. Da closin date fir da instructions Doreen da competition is da 15th October so Waugh an Laureen der plenty o time ta seek inspiration Johnson provided. fae da poems an create a picter. On July 15th, we wir Finally, wir film festival hoopin ta hae wir lang- Screenplay is supportin Da Year lippened celebration o o Shetland Dialect wi two films. Time for annidder scoit ahead an look da life o poet Rhoda Bulter in da Dis Quiet is been written by Bruce back as da Year o Shetland Dialect Vidlin Haal. Less a dule, hit wisna Eunson wi music by London John. passes da half wye mark. ta be. Da concert is been pitten on Bruce acts in da film alang wi Fae da last time I wrot fir Unkans, hold eenoo an aabody involved is Ria Moncrieff Bruce. Da rest o da Shetland ForWirds is launched a juist waitin in da wings fir a new production team is Andrew, Les an peerie book. Mirds o Wirds is been date. However Rhoda’s 85th birthday Robert Lowes. Da idder film is Nort published be da Shetland Times. didna slip by unnoticed. Dat wis da Atlantik Drift. It’s no juist a Shetland Hit’s most definitely not a dictionary day we launched da first o da annual film, it’s a Sandness film. Since it’s – ta get dat you’ll need ta look at competitions fir da Rhoda Bulter based on da poems Robert Alan mair serious volumes. Redder, hit’s Award. It’s a visual art competition Jamieson wrot inspired by growin a light-hearted introduction tae da dis time roond. Folk might winder up dere, hit’s onnly fittin at da first Midder Tongue an a glimpse o da why we sood hae dat theme for a screenin o Nort Atlantik Drift in Shetland we live in noo. A book ta competition in honour o a writer. Shetland will be in da Sandness Haal keep in your pooch, tae refer tae, tae Da answer is at Rhoda drew an on 29th August. hae a fun wi. Wi some fine photos painted aa da illustrations fir her So yun’s some o da unkans fae tae geng wi da wirds, hit’s a colourfil poetry books an da faimly haes fond Shetland ForWirds. I’ll hae mair news production. I winder if onyeen’ll memories o der Maam wi pencil or nixt time. Mary Blance Three exhibitions at the Shetland Wool Shetland Textile Museum Week 2014 This year’s lace exhibition at the Shetland worn in Shetland at that time. There are Textile Museum has been curated by children’s items, Fair Isle yokes, all-over Michele Deyell and tells the story of how Fair Isle gansies, scarves, mitts and caps the two World Wars saw big changes in – all displayed creatively to reflect the the Shetland hand-knitting industry, and effect, not always for the better, that the The fifth year of Shetland Wool explores some of the reasons why these emergence of a more affluent society in Week kicks off on Saturday 4th changes may have occurred. Four fine Shetland had on the knitting industry. lace shawls have been selected to be the Downstairs on the ground floor the October with the Flock Book at centre piece for this exhibition. There is a ‘Loom Room’ has a small exhibition Shetland Marts and the start of a beautiful traditional lace shawl from the called The Glove Compartment. This is a varied and exciting programme of late 1800s, knitted by Julia Sutherland delightful exhibition curated by the Textile classes, exhibitions and events. from Unst, and three exquisite fine lace Museum’s custodian, Brita Hövenmark. shawls knitted by a mother and two of her This small exhibition displays gloves and Held in locations all over daughters during the late 20th and early mittens from sub-arctic Northern Sweden, Shetland, from Sumburgh Head to 21st centuries. and Shetland; two Northern European Unst Heritage Centre, the events The ‘Arthur Anderson Room’ has areas which have harsh climates. The being held through the week the Fair Isle exhibition, which this year Glove Compartment shows the similarities interprets the oil boom era of the mid and the differences between the mittens attract hundreds of Shetland Wool 70s to the late 80s. Curated by Ella and gloves from these two areas. enthusiasts from all over the world Gordon, this exhibition shows some of The working ‘Adies’ loom at the Textile – and give local folk an opportunity the Fair Isle knitwear that may have been Museum has been set up by Brita this year to show off their skills or learn new to enable visitors to see weaving in action Have a go on the loom at the Textile – you can even have a shot! And feel free ones. Musuem. Image by Brita Hövenmark. to ‘tak dy sock’ and sit There are still spaces left for for a while in a relaxed several classes through the week, atmosphere with expert knitters and spinners including spinning classes at who are there most days Hoswick, learning to knit a modern demonstrating. Dutch Gansey and making your Housed at the Böd of own Shetland Teddy Bear. The Gremista, the Museum is open Tuesday to Opening Ceremony on Sunday 5th Saturday, from 12pm still has availability, and there are – 5pm and until 7pm many opportunities to drop-in to on Thursdays. www. open studios and demonstration shetlandtextilemuseum. com tel: 01595 694386, sessions throughout the week. and we are also on For full details and links for Facebook.