Winter
July 2007
A Peerie wird fae da editor
Here is the winter edition of our newsletter. It surprises me that
there isn’t a Shetland word for winter when there are words for other seasons. The previous
newsletter strongly featured Shetland words. There are more words this time as John Smith continues telling
us about his father; a chance to further hone your skill at reading the Shetland dialect! Recently I discovered
a Shetland dictionary on-line www.shetlanddictionary.com a handy reference, so check it out.
At the end of May the new Shetland Museum and Archives
was opened. A special occasion made even more special by being opened by members of both the British
and Norwegian royal families, a clear recognition of Shetland’s dual heritage. I was interested
to note that when announcing the royal occasion The Shetland Times emphasised Prince Charles’ Scottish
rather than English connection.
Prince Charles, Duke of Rothesay and the Duchess of Rothesay will be joined by
Her Majesty Queen Sonja of Norway to perform the official opening of the new Shetland Museum and Archives at Hay’s Dock
on 31st May. Read more about
this new facility in the newsletter.
We have a new photo for the heading of our newsletter. It features this year’s
Jarl, Peter Glensor, and originally appeared in the DomPost on the morning of the Ball. Peter is
off to Shetland shortly with several members of his family.
As always there is Society news and trums and trusses. So settle down and
have a read.
Mary Wood
Shetland Museum & Archives
The long awaited new Shetland Museum and Archives opened at the end of May. The
complex, based at historic Hay’s Dock on Lerwick’s waterfront, cost over eleven and a half million pounds.
Museum and archive collections were previously housed in separate buildings but now they combine to showcase the story
of Shetland’s heritage and culture.
The Shetland Amenity Trust was responsible for the development of the new facility. The
Trust’s General Manager, Jimmy Moncrieff, explained what they wanted - the project team wanted to create a new modern building to provide a secure environment for the preservation of Shetland’s
museum and archive collections, efficient display and good accessibility. We sought a building of high
quality and craftsmanship using recyled material where appropriate.
Using recyled material not only demonstrates a commitment to environmental sustainability but some recycling involves
heritage conservation. Part of the keel of the 19th century German fishing boat found in the
dock by archaeologists was used to make the foyer desk. Oak and pine from old ships have been used for
flooring and display cabinets. Salvaged anchors and chains have been crafted into door handles, hinges
and handrails. And the foyer’s floor is made from flagstones which come from throughout the islands.
More than 3,000 artefacts are displayed in
the museum. Shetland News states A huge amount of imagination has gone into the presentation which takes the visitor on a journey
through time from the geological activity 580 million years ago which formed the archipelago, right through the period of
human habitation from around 3,000 to the present day. And The Scotsman
had this to say … a collection that tells Shetland’s
story from the earliest times to the present day. “a thrilling tale of sixareens, skekklers
and family feuds” as the publicity has it. Over two floors, the central exhibition takes us
from the stone tools of the first inhabitants to the arrival of the oil industry in the 1970’s, passing Fair Isle jumpers,
supernatural “trows” and a model of the extinct grice, an indigenous pig en route. It’s
a story of seafaring and crofting, of fiddles and fire festivals, of good times and hardship, all told through a wealth of
archaeological artefacts, reconstructions and fortuitous finds. There is also a three story high boat hall which traces the history of the Shetland boat and exhibits
five suspended boats including the last remaining sixareen.
Shetland’s substantial archives support and give detail to the museum displays.
It has written records going back to the 15th century and also photographic, oral and musical records.
There is a search room where on request visitors can study documents and books, listen to audio records and look at
the photographic collection. Archivist Brian Smith is keen to ensure that the collection is accessible
to all and not just the domain of researchers and academics.
The building has an exhibition space where local and international artists work will be displayed.
There are meeting rooms, a museum shop and Hay’s Dock Café Restaurant. The restaurant,
with views over the harbour, intends to serve ‘the best local produce and specialise in traditional good old Shetland
food, slightly updated.’
But the new museum and archives is more than the new building, Hays Dock is very much part of the facility.
Hay’s Dock is the last remaining part of Lerwick’s old waterfront. It was constructed
in the early 1800’s when William Hay and his brother-in-law formed the partnership Hay & Ogilvy.
They were involved in fishing, fish curing and whaling on a grand scale and the dock became one of the busiest parts
of Lerwick. In 1844 a new company was formed, Hay and Company and the firm expanded and diversified
into boat building, boat repairs, importing and supply of goods while continuing fishing interests. Hay
& Co became Shetland’s foremost business for many decades. The historic old stone pier
has been carefully restored to ensure the integrity of the structure was faithfully maintained. The pier
store, thought to be the only remaining example of this type of building, also received expert conservation while the boatsheds
were already in good condition as they had been re-clad in the 1970’s. The sheltered water of the
dock will enable boats to be moored for display and boatsheds will be the centre of much activity as a working display of
boat building and boat restoration using traditional techniques. Currently the sailing boat Loki,
build 103 years ago, is being fully restored in one of the sheds.
The new Shetland Museum and Archives has received rave reviews so if you are planning a trip to Shetland
make sure it is on your ‘must do’ list!
View www.shetland-museum.org.uk to find out more about the new Shetland Museum and Archives.
St Ninian’s Isle Treasure
Shetlanders have long held
strong views that the St Ninian’s Isles Treasure, found in 1958 by school boy Douglas Coutts, should be housed in Shetland.
With the opening of the new Museum and Archives many have lent their support to the campaign to have it returned from
the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh. Their efforts received a major boost recently when
the SNP’s national council unanimously voted to support the move to return the Pictish silver to the new Shetland Museum
for permanent display.
Let’s hope the red tape doesn’t stall the initiative and that the treasure is home in time for the
2010 Hamefarin!
Up, up an’
Awa’
Whilst Gibby Inkster had just
returned from a short holiday in Shetland (which included birthday celebrations for his brother) we know of other members
who are getting ready to depart. Our Jarl, Peter Glensor, leaves next month along with five of his
brothers and sisters, partners, an uncle and a niece on a trip which will include ten days in Shetland.
Besides being there for a family wedding, they have a long list of people to see and places to visit.
They have been warned – ten days will not be long enough!
Marie and Marc Warner, along with Marie’s parents, Lillian and Kenny MacKay also
leave next month on a trip that includes time in Shetland. Whilst they are there we are hopeful that,
on behalf of the Society, Marie will be able to make sure that each secondary school in Shetland receives a complimentary
copy of Chips Off the Auld Rock.
Visit Shetland, August 2008
A group tour is being organised by Lily Baker, who
is well-known as a genealogist, author and organiser as well as being President of the Shetland Society of Hawkes Bay and
a member of our Society. Lily has visited Shetland several times in the past and was co-leader of
the Millennium Hamefarin celebrations with Jim Coutts in 2000. She has also been co-leader with several
tours of genealogists.
For more information, or to register an interest in joining the tour (no obligation), write to Shetland Tour 2008,
Holiday Shoppe, PO Box 35-300, Browns Bay, Auckland with your contact details (fax 09 478-4693).
Hamefarin 2010
Plans are underway to organise a group to visit
Shetland for the 2010 Hamefarin. We have already had some enquiries and we know of several of our
members who are planning to join the group. Visit the Hamefarin website www.shetlandhamefarin.com for details of the celebrations and let us know if you think you might be interested
in joining a group from New Zealand.
Meetin wir
members
John Smith tells us more about his father’s working life.
Some o’ da vessels my faidder sailed on aroond da NZ coast wir da “Waipahi”,
“Tamahine“,“Paua“,“Holmlee“, “Holmburn” and I tink wan edder Holm Shipping
Co. vessel. He sailed as an AB (able-bodied seaman, not an All Black), but wi’ many years experience in and oot o’
numerous ports he haed da added responsibility o’ “mud pilot” on several coasters. Da term “mud pilot”
on da NZ coast referred tae a senior AB in da crew appointed by da 1st Officer, wha haed da responsibility ---
under da eye o’ da officer o’ da watch --- o’ bein’ at da helm whin da vessel went in and oot o’
da various ports on whichever cargo service dey wir opperatin’ on at da time. Many years efter dad sailed on her, da
“Waipahi” wis involved in a collision in Wellington harbour wi da “Taranaki”, a considerably larger
cargo vessel. Coincidently, in da mid ta late 50s, I spent my holidays wan year pushbikin’ roond da North Island and
whilst bikin’ trow Taranaki, spent a couple o’ days in New Plymouth. Afore dinner wan night I caaed intae da White
Hart Hotel in Devon street for a couple o’ beers and got speakin’ tae da man staandin’ next tae me. On learnin’
dat he had been a wharfie at da port for nearly 30 years I said --- “Oh, my faidder is a Shetlander and used tae sail
intae New Plymouth back in da 30s on da Waipahi“ It turned oot he knew my faidder well. Da man’s name wis Carl
Curran (can’t be sure o’ da spellin’), and whin I got back home, dad wis quite chuffed tae hear my story
and he did remember Carl. Wan o’ da Holms ships dat dad sailed on sank some years efter he wis on her and I tink wan
o’ da edders went on fire. Da “Paua” wis da Shell Oil Coys coastal tanker and dad sailed on her durin’
da 2nd World War. Dir wir a couple o’ incidents dat happened which dad very sensibly never mentioned tae
mum till long eftir da war wis finished. Occasionally da “Paua” had ta run a cargo o’ oil up tae da Pacific
Islands --- usually Suva in Fiji. On twa o. these trips a submarine had fired torpedoes at dem. Wan, apparently wis a very
close shave!!! Fortunately a very vigilant lookoot wi’ his binoculars, spotted da telltale trail o’ bubbles approachin’,
roared tae da skipper, who ordered da helm ‘hard-a-starboard’ and dey watched da trail o’ bubbles go past,
parallel tae da “Paua” and only aboot 30 or so yards away.
In 1945 whilst still on da “Paua” dad took ill at sea. Whin he came ashore, da Shell Coy’s
doctor ordered him intae hospital where he wis diagnosed wi fume poisoning. In those days, eftir discharging a
cargo, da crew wid hae ta clean oot da tanks afore a different oil or product could be loaded. Der wis no sophisticated gear
supplied ta do dis. Da men wir given thigh-waders, oilskins, brushes, squeegees and a high pressure hose and sent intae da
tanks ta clean dem oot. No breathin’ gear or filter masks. Dis wis da second time dad had fume poisoning and da doctor
strongly recommended he get a shore job, so
in 1945 or maybe early ‘46 he started wirk at da brewery in Murphy St., Thorndon, ---
a job organized for him by Willie Anderson frae Island Bay. Willie, a Shetlander who wis on da Shetland Society committee
at da time and for many years, MC o” da Society’s dances, wis head cooper (barrel-maker) at da brewery. Ten years
later in 1956 whin I wis only 16 and still at college, I wis asked tae take o’er da MC’s job frae Willie because
he wis haein serious trouble wi his legs.
Dad stayed at da brewery fir a year and dan took a job in Turnbull & Jones warehouse doon da back o’ Courtenay
Place, ---dis job offered tae him by Harold Jamieson, wir cousin, wha wis Branch Manager. Wan o’ dad’s first tasks
in his new job wis tae do something aboot a serious rat infestation dat da warehoose had. Laek most Shetland men, my faidder
was very resourceful, and set aboot designin’ and makin’ a foolproof rat trap, because da edder storeman dere
telt dad dat his predecessor had tried various conventional traps with very little success as da multitude o’ rats in
da area wir just o’er smart. So dad asked Willie Anderson if he could hae an old 18 gallon barrel, --provided it wis
watertight -- and Willie duly obliged. Dad cut da head oot o’ da barrel and trimmed it ta make it slightly less in diameter
dan da barrel itsell. He dan obtained a steel rod and cut aaf a piece which in length wis da width o’ da top o’
da barrel, cut a notch in da top o’ da barrel on each side so dat da steel rod wid fit intae da notches and lie across
da diameter o’ da barrel. He den fitted da steel rod across da middle (i.e., da diameter) o’ da head o’
da barrel. Noo whin he laid da rod in da notches cut in da top o’ da barrel wi da head o’ da barrel attached tae
it, da flat barrel head wid turn o’er if you pushed wan side o’ it. Dan he got twa pieces o’ bacon, and
nailed wan piece on top o’ da barrel head on da right hand side, turned da lid o’er and nailed da edder piece
o’ bacon on da reverse side and tae da left o’ center. Thus dir aye wis a piece o ‘bacon showin’ on
top o’ da barrel head. Dad placed da barrel in da proximity o’ several stacks o’ boxes o’ a similar
height tae da barrel and whin it wis time tae knock aaf, poured aboot 18 inches o’ waater intae da barrel, switched
aaf da lights, lockit up da store and went home. Next morning whin dad checked da barrel dere wir aboot 30 drooned rats in
it. Dey obviously smelt da bacon, jumped on da lid o’ da barrel which immediately spun o’er and dropped each successive
rat intae da waater. Dis wis repeated every night fir nearly twa weeks, by which time da number o’ rats had steadily
decreased each morning and eftir aboot a fortnight dere wis none. Dad reckoned he cleaned oot da whole street. No bad fir
an Unst midden slew!!!
Eftir
aboot a year wi T & Js he realized how much he wis missin’ da sea, da ships and his shipmates. Wan o’ dese
shipmates wis Jack Sinclair, a former sea cook wi a glass eye wha came frae South Shields i’ da northeast o’ England,
and had been a close friend o’ dad, and indeed, wir family for many years. He wis, in fact, dad’s “Best
Man” when he married my midder. Whin oot aside wis fir dinner aye Sunday he telt dad dat da Waterfront Industry Commission
wis aboot tae arrange da next intake o’ “wharfies” and wid dad laek ta get an application lodged, tae which
suggestion dad readily agreed. “Uncle” Jack, himsell already a wharfie, said he wid see tae it. Dad wis in da
next draft and started wirk on da wharf in (I tink) late 1946. So it wis, dat my faidder became, in 1951,
part o’ da NZ nationwide waterfront strike. A strongly committed Union man, he wis never goin’ tae back doon or
tak’ da easy way oot, so fir da next 5½ months he didna hae a job. Things got gradually tougher and money soon
became very tight. Had it no’ been fir da bit o’ money my midder brocht in repairin’ machine-damaged sox
fir da Jacquard Hosiery Mill, which wir dan sold as seconds, and a smaa private income she generated frae mendin’ ladders
in wimmens stocking’s and knittin’ Shetland shawls for various folks’ babies, I very much doubt if we wid
hae been able tae afford ta continue puttin’ decent meals on da table. Durin’ dis prolonged strike it wis deemed
an offence, punishable if caught, wi a jail sentence, for members o’ da Waterside Workers Union tae distribute any literature
pertainin’ tae da strike. Dis, however, did not deter my faidder fae doin’ a regular letterbox-drop o’ pamphlets
in wir Island Bay area. In spite o’ mum’s vetoin’ my participation, dad allowed me tae
accompany him in da dark o’ night on dese letterbox-drop missions. We never got caught and at 11 years o’, age
I tocht dis wis real cloak and dagger stuff. Whin da strike eventually ended, dad got his job back and things more or less
returned ta normal, but only fir a peerie while. Wan day, just a few months eftir da strike ended, dad unexpectedly arrived
home in da middle o’ da eftirnoon wi a great padded bandage on da peerie finger o’ his left hand. Dad wis hatchman
on da vessel dey wir discharging and whin dey knocked aaf fir lunch da foreman decided da hatch covers should be put on because
it lookit laek it might rain. As da heavy cover was lowered into place it caught dad’s left haand and crushed da end
o’ his peerie finger. Da doctor said it couldn’t be saved, so dey haed ta take aaf da end o’ his pinkie.
Dey stitched it up, gave him some painkillers and sent him home wi a letter fir waark advising dat dad wid be aaf waark fir
at least 3 weeks. It bein’ so soon eftir da strike dad said he couldn’t afford ta be aaf waark and just turned
up da next day. As you wid imagine da pain wis terrible and fir several nights dad spent hours pacin’ da floor. He gritted
it oot but, sadly, it severely curtailed his fiddle playing.
The final episode will appear in a future newsletter.
Twatree wirds du maybe dusna ken
Midden Slew
in the past many Shetland areas were also known by nicknames.
Midden Slew was the nickname for people
who came from Unst.
Planticrub
small dry-stone enclosure which provides shelter for cabbage seedlings
Poans
thin flake of turf used as initial covering of a roof before thatch is placed on
Sixareen/sixern large clinker built
6 oared boat used for offshore (haaf) fishing
from late 18th to early 20th century
Skekkler
guizer (person in disguise taking part in a festival) dressed in a
straw costume
Book Review
John Walker’s Shetland
By Wendy Gear
Reviewed by Geraldine Mason
The family story of her great-grandparents
eviction by the notorious Aberdonian John Walker and in particular the circumstances surrounding the whole affair, gave Wendy
Gear the determination to pursue that period in Shetland of the 1860’s and 1870’s. Ten
years later after intensive research, which followed his career to Australia, South Africa and of his settling in Bressay,
Wendy has produced a book of remarkable interest.
A snippet of the eviction from the Garth and Annesbrae Estate, Yell, on a bitter winter’s day in
1868 reads …The journey was made in a small open boat
from Basta Voe to Reafirth, Mid Yell on a chilly November day in 1868. They walked the mile from
their croft to the side of Basta Voe over the bleak, peaty hillside… With them was their first born, Jane Mary Spence, aged six weeks, cocooned in a leather bucket to protect
her from the salt spray. The little soul died shortly after and by a strange act of fate, John Walker’s
only son, after eight daughters died of measles not long after that.
John Walker was nicknamed ‘the Director General of Shetland’ and one of
the most devastating of the new regulations he introduced was forbidding the use of the scattald – common grazing on
the hills and shores, the cutting of peat for fuel. For hundreds of years the scattald had been used
for many essentials, and here I learned two new Shetland words such as ‘poans’ for use in thatching and ‘planticrubs’
for nurturing young cabbage plants. There is a picture in the book of a planticrub and it had me
baffled! What resourceful people we are descended from!
Wendy Gear is a graduate of Aberdeen University and
a retired school teacher who lives with her husband Andy (a photographer) in Gutcher, Yell.
This book is available from the Shetland Times Bookshop,
order on-line through www.shetlandtoday.co.uk/shop .
Footnote: Ron and I met Andy and Wendy at a dinner for a Shetland
tour group held on the wharf area in 1998. Wendy and I have corresponded ever since and I was able
to send her a picture of her grandmother and the other two Spence girls, from out ancient family album.
She in return sent me photos of my two Guthrie uncles one of whom was her grandmother’s youthful sweetheart still
kept in her grandmother’s album!
Shetlopedia.com
www.shetlopedia.com is an on-line Shetland encyclopaedia which is based on Wikipedia, a very popular
internet encyclopaedia. Shetlopedia encourages people to contribute information and articles, to
add to or edit existing material. The site started in July last year and has quickly taken off.
The on-line Shetland dictionary started as part of Shetlopedia but now has a separate web address.
If you want to find out something or you have information about Shetland that you would like to share with others,
give this web site a try.
Society News
Viking Ball, Saturday 19 May
Once again the Viking Ball was a great success.
Our family has been taking part for quite a while and we all need to pay tribute to the enormous work which is put
into this event – the hall was dressed beautifully with the galley and huge drawings of different parts of Shetland.
The meal was great. The music was varied.
This is our one chance each year to have a go at the old
dances – more please (and we approved of adding the Monte Carlo to the list)! Everyone enjoyed
getting tangled up in the Eightsome Reel and Strip the Willow. It’s great how – by the
end of the set – most people have sort of got it sorted! Even though some of our family went
to Ceroc lessons, we still don’t feel quite confident enough to strut our stuff during the more modern sets.
The Junior Vikings and Viking Squad are another
opportunity for us Shetlanders to remind ourselves and others of the rich and proud history we have brought to this country.
I’m involved in public life, but being asked to be the Jarl this year was one of the most nerve wracking things
I have ever done. For us, this ball is a chance to bring together a group of friends for a great
night out. We can catch up with some Shetland acquaintances and watch in awe the dancing skills of
the rock and roll/jive/ceroc guns. Thanks again to the Wellington Shetland Society committee for
your marvellous work over many years. You are keeping alive a tradition which is really valuable.
Peter Glensor, 2007 Jarl
