25093 Newsletter 20/05/2008 10:33 am Page 1 råâ~åë FREE The newsletter of the Shetland Museum and Archives May 2008 and the Shetland heritage community Issue 8 St. Ninian’s Isle treasure returns The original St. NinianÕs Isle and cultural importance will treasure will return to Shetland take place 4-6th July, to this summer, commemorating coincide with the opening of the the 50th anniversary of its exhibition. The 3-day event will discovery. The silver objects, of begin with a buffet, and public Pictish design, will be displayed lecture by Jane Carmichael, at the Shetland Museum and Director of Collections at the Archives between 4th July and National Museums of Scotland. 5th October. The treasureÕs A day of lectures by return is part of a new historians and archaeologists partnership agreement between will follow on Saturday, the 5th, the National Museums of with a visit to St. NinianÕs Isle Scotland and Shetland Amenity and a play by Shetland Arts on Trust. Sunday, 6th July. For a full During the exhibition period, conference programme and to a number of events relating to book, please phone 01595 the treasure will be held at 695057. Bookings must be Shetland Museum and Archives. completed by 12th June. Other A conference exploring the events will be announced in the treasureÕs artistic, historical next issue of Unkans. Archaeologists excavating at St. Ninian’s Isle in the 1950s. What’s On Guide We’re through! May June Until 24th July: Focus Display: The Shetland Museum and Throughout June: Focus Display: Archives have made it onto the ‘Handwriting through the ages’. ‘1913 Douglas Motorcycle’. Archives display case. SMAA foyer. shortlist for the 2008 Art Fund Until 18th Dec.: Focus Display: Prize. There is still time to ‘Fishermen’s Mission: 100 years Throughout June: Film: ‘Shetland: support our nomination, just follow the links from of service’. Upper Gallery a few aspects, 1934-1956’ by www.shetlandmuseumandarchives.org.uk Access to the site is Theo Kay. Free, drop-in. Until 19th: Exhibition: ‘7 Minutes available in the Archives, or you can pick up a comments card of Explosion’ by Barbara Ridland Until 20th Nov.: Focus Display: at reception. The Art Fund Prize will be awarded on 22nd May. and Jeannette Sendler. ’60 Years of NHS Scotland’. We were also one of five winning museums, from 800 Da Gadderie. Upper Gallery. nominees, at this yearÕs Guardian Family Friendly Museum 7th: Illustrated talk: ‘Postcards 16th: Two talks: ‘The Historical Award. This was the first time in the awardÕs history a from Port Lockroy, Antarctica’, by and archaeological evidence for Rachel Hazell. Scottish museum was nominated. We would like to thank all the Norse “stofa” at the Biggins’, 7:30pm, free, drop-in. the families who nominated us. The outright winner, by Dr. Barbara Crawford, and ‘The 10th: Illustrated talk: ‘7 Minutes Reconstruction of a medieval announced on 30th April, was the Weston Park Museum in of Explosion’, by Barbara Ridland. Norse stofa at Papa Stour: Sheffield. 3pm, free, drop-in. preserving traditional crafts, practical implementation and 15th: Workshop: ‘Going Potty’, Summer Hours 11-11:30am, or 2-2:30pm, 3-4 methods’, by Atle Ove Martinussen, 2:30pm. years old (but with adult), Museum opening times: free, but booking essential. Free, drop-in. Monday 10am-5pm, Tuesday-Thursday 10am-6pm 17th: Workshop: ‘Getting Started: 19th: Talk. ‘John Walker and his Friday 10am-7pm Saturday 10am-5pm ideas for fiction come from the clearances’, by Wendy Gear. most unlikely places’, led by Ann 7pm in the Archives Sunday 12pm-5pm Cleeves, author, 2-4pm, free but booking essential. 21st June-Jan. 09: Focus Display: Archives opening times: ‘The Hanseatic League’. Monday-Saturday 10-4.30pm Sunday closed 24th May-29th June: Exhibition: Lower Gallery. ‘Along the Edges’, group show by Hay’s Dock Restaurant Café opening times: Wendy Sutherland, Norman All events are held at the Daytime: Monday 10:30am-5pm, Tuesday-Friday 10:30am- Gibson, Sam MacDonald and Ruth Shetland Museum and Archives, Da Gadderie. 5:30pm, Saturday 10:30am-5pm, Brownlee. unless otherwise stated. There Sunday 12pm-5pm 29th: Films: ‘Shetland in film: the may be a charge for some events. 1950s’, introduced by Brian Smith, For more information, phone Evenings: Tuesday-Saturday 6:30pm-11pm. 7-8:45pm, free, drop-in. 01595 695057 or just pop in. To book, phone 01595 741569 25093 Newsletter 20/05/2008 10:33 am Page 2 O råâ~åë Summer of The Victorian box “We think the Victorian box is splendid. When the first box went we were motoring devastated. But when the Victorian box came, we were ecstatic! The box was a good idea because it can help people understand what the Victorians might have looked like. displays Some of the clothes are a bit too big but we still really like to dress up. We think you should go see the box to learn what they Between May and July, a 1913 Douglas might have looked like and there are also model R motorcycle will be displayed, on pictures you can look at. WE HOPE YOU loan from the National Motor Museum, LOVE IT THE SAME AS US OR EVEN Beaulieu. It is the same model that Lerwick MORE!” man, James Herculson, bought new and Niamh Coffey, age 9 and Eilidh Blance, age 9 drove throughout Shetland and Orkney in his job as a commission agent. Editor’s note: The idea of creating our own During the Classic Motor Show weekend, play kist occurred following a travelling 6-9th June, there will be a special exhibition exhibit in Da Gadderie last year, which of car mascots belonging to Edward included a Gutter Girl’s kist. We have Sutherland of Caithness. The rare and fashioned our first kist on a Victorian valuable collection of mascots was recently theme, to contrast the lifestyles of the seen on the Antiques Roadshow. wealthy and their servants, and encourage Sòley Inkster, Eilidh Blance, and Niamh role play and exploration of the period. Coffey exploring the Victorian box. Recent museum donations: The Robbie Young photo collection The Museum’s Photographic Archive continues to grow. The latest addition is a collection of slides taken by the late Robbie Young of Lerwick. Robbie worked for the Hydro and was well known all over Shetland. The collection reflects Robbie’s interests in people, cars, stone dykes, and change in Shetland, especially Lerwick shops. His fascinating collection can be seen online at http://photos.shetland-museum.org.uk Airport case select ‘Young, R’ from the list of Photographers in Subjects. We are grateful to Robbie’s family, in particular his wife Jemima, for the donation. takes off A large display case with exhibits from many of Shetland’s museums will be installed at Sumburgh Airport this month. The case Give us a clue! brings together artefacts and their stories Can you tell us where this from the collections of seven registered photo was taken? It came to museums. us amongst other photos of Participating museums are Unst Nesting, but we aren’t Heritage Centre, Unst Boat Haven, Tangwick certain this photo was taken Haa Museum, Fetlar Interpretive Centre, the there. It was snapped about Old Haa at Burravoe, Yell, the George 1920 and shows two men Waterston Memorial Centre in Fair Isle, and cutting wood using a pit saw. Shetland Museum and Archives. Registered The man below is wearing museums are nationally recognised in goggles and a cap with brim maintaining best practice in museum to keep the sawdust out of standards, and Shetland is exceptional in his eyes. It is not possible to having so many community museums make out the registration achieve this mark. number of the boat, nor do The case contains a lively array of we know the names of the objects, reflecting the diversity of cultural men. If you have any and natural heritage throughout Shetland. information, please contact The displays will be changed on an annual Ian Tait at the museum. basis, with the hope that they will encourage locals and visitors to explore the many To browse the 71,192 other images in our photographic archive, go to http://photos.shetland- museums in our community. museum.org.uk/index.php or come in and use the access points in the museum and archives. 25093 Newsletter 20/05/2008 10:34 am Page 3 råâ~åë P Recent archive donations: COMMUNITY The Robert Manson papers HERITAGE NEWS Archives staff were delighted recently to receive a New Skills Building course collection of papers A new, free, Skills Building course has been added to from Capt. Bob this spring’s programme. ‘An Introduction to Effective Manson. They are the personal papers Visual Merchandising and Display’ will be held in of his father, Lerwick on 16th May, from 10-4. Contact Hazel Bews Robert Manson, at 01463 715225 or www.heritage-skills.co.uk to book. who signed up for the Royal Navy Unst replica lace during the First World War – at the Unst is justly proud of its lace knitting heritage and a age of 15! Robert new project by Unst Heritage Centre aims to keep (on the left) and his this tradition alive while preserving its collection. In twin brother Hugh joined up on the 1979, builders at the old Westside shop in Uyeasound same day, and found a collection of lace garments, dating from claimed that they about 1880. Many were in very poor condition. Unst were three years Heritage Centre decided to make replicas so they older. After the war could be studied and displayed instead of the fragile Robert went to sea, originals.