råâ~åë FREE The newsletter of the Shetland Museum and Archives September 2009 and the Shetland heritage community Issue 16 Gunnister Man returns to Shetland Clothing and tools from the wood, and horn implements. The Gunnister Man find, on loan from tools are being replicated by craft National Museums Scotland, will specialists in Norway, coordinated be exhibited in Shetland for the by Ian Tait and Amy Lightfoot. first time since their discovery in A conference will be held 18th- 1951. The displays are based on 19th September, beginning with a the mysterious burial, which keynote address by T. C. Smout, occurred probably in the first Historiographer Royal in Scotland. decades of the 18th century, near Specialists will discuss the period Gunnister, in Northmavine. in which he lived, bog body finds The exhibition includes a in Scotland, the Gunnister finds reconstruction of the garments and the reconstruction project. and implements, which will be The loan of the Gunnister Man displayed permanently in the artefacts, and the detailed study Shetland Museum and Archives. undertaken on them for the agreement between Shetland The reconstruction project began reconstruction, has been made Amenity Trust and National in 2007 when the original possible through a partnership Museums Scotland. garments were studied in the Textile Conservation Dept. at the National Museum of Scotland by What’s On Guide Curator Carol Christiansen and September start to finish, learn how to lay warp, weave, two textile specialists from correct mistakes, and finish woven piece. TBC 12th to 1st Nov: Gunnister Man: a life 13th: Gunnister Jewellery Workshop [for children], reconstructed, exhibition, Da Gadderie. Sweden, weaver Lena make felted jewellery inspired by the Gunnister Hammarlund and tailor Martin 18th to 18th Oct: Shutters open, showcase of Man’s buttons. TBC photographs from Shetland Doors Open, upper 15th: Papermaking, make your own paper and try foyer. Ciszuk. Carol returned to writing with a quill, P1-3, Time: TBC, £3, booking Edinburgh, along with Curator Ian 18th: The Economy and Society of Scotland and essential. Northern Europe, 1680-1720, lecture by Professor 15th: The Textiles of the Gunnister Man find and T.C. Smout, Historiographer Royal in Scotland, Tait, to study some of the smaller reconstruction, illustrated talk by Dr Carol 7:45pm. FULLY BOOKED. Christiansen, 7:30pm, free, but booking essential. pieces of textiles and the bone, 19th: Gunnister Man: a life reconstructed, 18th: KitKnit: knit some simple swatches to help conference, 9am-5pm. FULLY BOOKED. design our new knitting kits. Suitable for all ages 27th: Gunnister jewellery workshop [for adults]; and abilities, free, drop-in. Opening Hours make felted jewellery inspired by the Gunnister 20th: Scary Spiders, make a felted spider for Man’s buttons. TBC Museum Halloween, P3-5, 10am-12noon, or 2-4pm, £4, 28th to 9th Oct: See Me, exhibition of pictures and booking essential. Monday-Saturday 10am-5pm; thoughts about mental health and wellbeing, 21st: Knitted scarves, a workshop for children auditorium corridor. Sunday 12pm-5pm inspired by the Gunnister Man, P6-S2, 10am-4pm, Archives £8, booking essential. October 22nd: Gunnister felted smucks, create your own Monday-Friday 10am-4.30pm; Saturday slippers inspired by the Gunnister Man, P6-S2, 2nd: G-Man contemporary craft project, 10am-4pm, £8, booking essential. 10am-1pm; Sunday closed illustrated talk led by Deirdre Nelson, 7:30pm, free, drop-in. 24th: Gunnister Man day, try writing with quills, Hay’s Dock Café Restaurant weaving, quiz the curators and see 17th century Daytime Monday-Saturday 10.30am-4pm; 9th: John Graham memorial lecture, Professor documents in the Archives, 10am-3pm, free, drop-in. Sunday 12-5pm; Michael Schmidt of Glasgow University explores All events are held at the Shetland Museum and the poetry of Hugh MacDiarmid, 7:30pm, free but Archives and are free, unless otherwise stated. To Evenings Thursday-Saturday 7-9pm, booking essential. book call 01595 695057. No booking is necessary To book, phone 01595 741569 10th & 11th: A beginner’s weaving course from for drop-in events. O råâ~åë Steven and the beastie Victorian tourist snap Visitor Services Assistant Steven Christie found a colourful insect Many tourists found their way to once characteristic of Shetland, but relaxing in the Boat Shed recently. The Shetland a hundred years ago, and its are now lost forever. Alas, we don’t bug has been identified as a type of fortunate that quite a few took always know where such pictures longhorn beetle (plagionotus photographs during their stay. Often were taken, and here is one such: a arcuatus). They are wood-boring and things caught an outsider’s eye that bridge over a steam, with mill at the lay their eggs beneath the bark of local people with cameras would not roadside. Farmsteads and arable deciduous trees. Longhorn beetles are think of picturing. These pioneers fields are in the distance. It was taken particularly partial to oak forests were the first to depict the now- around 1880, but where? One thing is throughout Europe. The bug is just ubiquitous Sumburgh Head, Broch of likely, the road will be much wider one of many long-distance visitors Mousa, Dore Holm, and so on. Most and both bridge and mill will be gone. enjoying the Museum and Archives this visitors had an antiquarian interest, If you know where this is, please summer! and they captured activities that were contact [email protected] John Graham Memorial Lecture Every year the Museum and several books, including Lives of Archives hold a memorial lecture in the Poets and The Story of Poetry honour of a deceased Shetland and, like John Graham, has been scholar. This year the lecture will the editor of a literary magazine, celebrate the late John Graham. PN Review, for decades. He is also The speaker will be Professor managing director of Carcanet Michael Schmidt of Glasgow Press, who have recently University. He will investigate the republished many of MacDiarmid’s work of poet Hugh MacDiarmid, works. Professor Schimdt said who lived in Whalsay from 1933- about coming to Shetland that ‘even 1942. more than the Northern Lights I John Graham made an enormous want to hear the language of contribution to Shetland’s culture. people rooted there, and maybe He was instrumental in the creation catch a glimpse of the northern of local archives and museum sunlycht an shedow.’ services and was an inspirational The lecture will take place on teacher of English, introducing John Graham 1921-2008 Thursday, 9th October, at 7.30pm. generations of children to the and was an accomplished writer, Tickets are free but should be delights of literature. Along with producing two novels and a detailed reserved at the Museum and brother Lollie, he was editor of the account of education in Shetland. Archives Reception Desk or by New Shetlander for over 40 years Professor Schmidt is the author of phoning 01595 695057. råâ~åë P COMMUNITY Wool labels donated to archives HERITAGE NEWS An unusual set of records, which give a labels tell us who sent the packages and glimpse into the Shetland knitting when they were sent, most dating from SHA Website industry of the 20th century, has recently the 1950s. In some cases the weight of The Shetland Heritage been donated to the Archives. With no the wool, often just a few pounds, has Association’s website local mill available, hundreds of people been written on the label at the mill. draws near to sent their wool south for spinning. Fiona Originally salvaged for the stamps, the completion! The initial Cumming of Stromness, granddaughter of wool labels show us how seemingly Inverness mill owner James Pringle, mundane records can give us a unique concept was to prepare donated a large number of labels which perspective on a small scale industry a booklet to advertise were attached to packages of wool sent which helped support hundreds of the membership and from houses all over Shetland. These households in Shetland. their activities. But to make it easier and cheaper to update each year, it was decided to make the booklet into a website. Funding was gained from Awards For All and the site is now almost ready. Incorporated into the layout is the SHA logo designed by Mike McDonnell. There will be printable pages about each organisation, which can be made into a booklet or used as leaflets for display. For further information contact Pat Christie on 01950477372 or Barbara Anderson on 01595 820368. Training opportunities Museums Galleries Scotland has announced their winter training programme. They cover Housekeeping for Museums, Collections Care Planning, An unexpected find Introduction to Oral History, Environmental Six-year-old Dougie common during the Monitoring, and Creating Smith was delighted to 19th century from E-Learning Resources. find a clay pipe whilst around 1825. This pipe Travel bursaries are in search of fossils and dates from the 1860’s available. For more dinosaur bones earlier or 1870’s and is a this summer. The welcome addition to information, contact young palaeontologist the Museum’s MGS at 0131 550 4131 or and his father David collection. www.museumsgalleries were walking through a scotland.org.uk. recently ploughed field However, if there is beside their house in enough demand locally, Levenwick when they we will sponsor a course uncovered the pipe. Amazingly, it still had here – contact Carol soot in it! Decorative Christiansen at 01595 pipes like this were 741560. Q råâ~åë Rough justice On the west side of Fetlar We can only guess there is a hill, 100 metres exactly what went on at high. It’s called the Gallow the Fetlar site, but it was Hill. On the crest of it is something formal.