'Isolation and Desolation'

 No, it’s not a description of how we are all feeling as we plough on through the seventy third day of January, but a headline from the front page of the Orkney Herald of 18^th January 1955.

It’s a wild day here today as the tail end of Storm Éowyn arrived last night; some staff have commented that matchsticks might be needed to keep eyes open after a restless night worrying about roof tiles and being woken by actual real scaredy cats (and dogs!).  We are very lucky here though to be north of the worst of this ‘once in a generation storm’ and spare a thought for our friends ‘sooth’ who have borne the brunt of it. 

In our current archive display we turned our minds back to some other extreme winter weather.  Being so far north, many expect Orkney to be cold and snowy in winter, but our maritime climate and the impact of the gulf stream means that we don’t often get our sledges out.  The toboggans would have been well used seventy years ago though when Orkney was paralysed by wintry storms.  A blizzard in mid-January 1955, followed by another a month later, trapped the county beneath snow which drifted to ten feet deep.  The islands were brought to a standstill for ten days on each occasion.

On Wednesday January 12^th heavy snow fell all day, driven by 70mph winds.  By early afternoon, almost every road was blocked, cars were abandoned in deep drifts and over 100 schoolchildren were trapped at schools across the county.  The The Orkney Herald on Tuesday 18^th January 1955 painted a bleak picture:

“The general picture is one of isolation; town and country are separated from each other by deep drifts of frozen snow, and hundreds of farms have become completely detached units…

The paper reported that six snow-ploughs and 150 men struggled in vain to open the mainland roads.  The Stromness to Kirkwall road was cleared for one hour on Saturday 15^th January allowing stranded schoolchildren to return home, before being filled again with drifts. 

“First contact between Kirkwall and Stromness in two days was established by two men on Friday who foot-slogged it through the deep snow. They set out from Stromness on Thursday afternoon and reached Kirkwall 24 hours later…

…They walked right over one van without at first realising it was there.  The snow rang strangely hollow beneath their feet and on investigating they found they were on top of a Post Office van…

…The two foot-sloggers did their good turn too when they pulled to safety sheep which were smothering in drifts.”                                                                                        

In some areas, supplies were air-dropped by the RAF and the lifeboats were also put to good use taking people to hospital and work, and transporting supplies to areas which had been cut off by the snow.  The Stromness lifeboat was called out on Tuesday 18^th January to transport provisions to Sandwick in the West Mainland, which had been completely isolated for 6 days, and four men rowed out in two small boats from Skaill to meet it. 

Freddie Isbister and Jim Linklater collect supplies from the Lifeboat

L4095/4 614 

L4095/2 614 

Both photos by J S Baikie

One of the lovely things about working in the archive is the satisfaction gained when we tie threads together and although we held several photos of this event in our Copy Collection, we had no information about them.  By using the local newspapers and a school project from 1990 about the local shop (D70/12/2 Fereday Project, 80 Years of Isbister Bros by Erin Davidson) we now have the date and the names of the hardy rowers - Freddie Isbister, Jim Linklater Senior, Jim Linklater Junior and Tommy Spence.

Another chance comment helped us to gather more information about the day the first blizzard hit:

The Orcadian, Thursday 20^th January 1955

One of the Archive’s regular users and volunteers, Patricia Long, saw the display and reminisced about her mother’s experience.  Kathleen Leask was one of the passengers on this bus but wasn’t named in the newspaper report above.  We are very fortunate that Kathleen’s memories were recorded by her daughter, and serialised in Living Orkney magazine. 

“There was no sign of any snow until we were past Finstown but the sky over Stromness was jet black. I’ve never seen a sky like it. We came into the snow then and by the time we were passing Tormiston it was so thick that we couldn’t see the telegraph poles at the side of the road. Then, right at the foot of the kirk road, the bus got stuck in a drift.

“I think there were seven of us on the bus: me, John Garson, Archie Bevan, Isa Robertson, two commercial travellers and an old wife on her way home from hospital. She wasn’t going to be able to walk through the snow so two of the men walked over the field to the farm of Barnhouse and two of the servant-men there came with a blanket and carried her to the farmhouse,

“The rest of us followed and were welcomed into the house by Andrew Rendall and his housekeeper Mrs Scollay. They gave us tea, made us comfortable in the sitting-room and were making arrangements for the night when my cousin, Jean Muir at the Stenness Post Office, rang saying she had two spare beds, because her daughters, along with all the other country bairns at the academy, were stuck in Stromness.”

Kathleen’s husband-to-be, Peter Leith, walked the half-mile down the hill to the Stenness shop and Jean sent him to Barnhouse to collect Kathleen. The snow had stopped falling by then so they managed the quarter-mile walk through the drifts in the early evening without much difficulty. Archive Bevan decided to walk with them and then kept going to Stromness, arriving home very late that night.

The snow plough didn’t get through until Saturday and the bus passengers weren’t the only travellers marooned in Stenness. A cartload of wedding guests spent a couple of days at Tormiston, on their way home from waving Robbie and Elsie Sutherland off at the airport and Mrs Heywood took in a lorry load of council workmen at the Stenness Hotel.

The snow lingered for weeks and Stromness was completely cut off, as the road was thoroughly blocked at the junction where the Sandwick road meets the Kirkwall-Stromness road. A fishing boat carried passengers and supplies between Stromness and Scapa and that’s how Kathleen got back to work some days later.

            From Living Orkney, ‘A peep into the past’, Part 3

                            Pages 33-34, Issue 54, May 2010

Tying together the newspaper snippet with Kathleen’s reminiscences gives a much fuller picture of the event.  It would be lovely if we could also name the poor lady returning from hospital too!  The stranded wedding guests were also mentioned in the local papers:

Orkney Herald, Tuesday 18th January 1955

We are hoping to gather more information about these blizzards from people who remember the events or have been told stories from parents and grandparents through the years.  If you would like to contribute then you can reminisce below or send us your story on archives@orkney.gov.uk and we’ll add it to our display.

Stay safe and warm out there, and don't forget to tether your trampolines and barricade your wheelie bins!

Falling on Hard Times in the Early 19th Century

 Another day, another fascinating document... Today we found this 1801 parish assistance form pictured below:

  Return by Persons unable by their own Industry to Maintain themselves and Families, without occaisional Assistance, in the Parish of ________ and the Presbytery of _____________

This pre-printed sheet was filled out by the minister of the parish as it was generally the church which took care of the poor, ill and destitute. Those needing assistance were listed with their name, age, number in their family and any remarks considered relevant by the minister.

Orkney Archive Reference D13/5/1

As you can see, many inhabitants of Shapinsay were forced to seek support after their crops were 'ruined' or 'hurt' by sheep. Other claimants pleaded poverty, lameness, blindness, mental illness and desertion by their spouse.

Forms were filled out for every Parish in Orkney in 1801. A man on the Island of Eday was listed as being 'Under the King's Evil' which was an 'tuberculous swelling of the lymph nodes', whilst many others have the unfortunate word 'ruptured' next to their name.

People are described as sickly, infirm, frail, miserably poor, decrepit. bedfast and, in the case of one Rousay couple 'Poorman and she silly.'

This document of a tiny snapshot of time illustrates all the many ways in which ordinary folk could have the rug pulled from under them and be forced to rely on outside help.

Doors Open Orkney 2024

 It is that time of year when buildings, organisations, artists and many other interesting people throw open their doors and bid a hearty welcome to the public. This year, the theme is Routes, Networks and Connections and we thought that this called for a presentation on The Churchill Barriers using photographs and sound archives from our collection:

Hardy Island Voters in 1835 Election

Written by The Balfour Blogger #3

Thomas Balfour was elected as Conservative MP for Orkney and Shetland in 1835, thanks to a hard-fought campaign paid for by his father, Captain William Balfour RN of Elwick.

Extract from D2/29/3/69

Most of the expense was the agents’ travel, canvassing around Orkney and Shetland, and the travel and lodging of the voters. Unfortunately, Parliament had been dissolved on 29 December 1834 and the voting, in Kirkwall and Stromness, was on 5 and 6 February so all the travel was in mid-winter. This may help to explain why only 198 of the 298 electors voted, though some were determined to have their say, as demonstrated by some of the entries in a list of expenses totalling £1412 0s 5½d  Ref D2/29/3/69

Extract from D2/29/3/69

Owner and Master & crew of the Catherine, for bringing in and putting back again the Westray voters in the worst weather (16 days) £19

Extract from D2/29/3/69

Owner and crew of the Despatch for bringing in and carrying out Stronsay voters in very bad weather £20

Extract from D2/29/3/69

George Harvey, Master of the Canning, for self & crew, out five days in a perfect storm & bringing in the Eday voters at the most desperate risk, only one hour before the final close of the poll. £8.7s

At least they had something to cheer them on their way-

Extract from D2/29/3/69

James Drever bill for wine and spirits provided to the vessels sent for the voters £11 19s

South Isles voters had a slightly easier time:

Extract from D2/29/3/69

Ferrymen at Holm for carrying on shore and putting off voters of South Ronaldsay and a cart bringing one old man to town 14s 6d

And Deerness seems to have made an occasion of it

Extract from D2/29/3/69

The Deerness men proposing to walk in procession, given them to purchase flags and to drink after their return home, they having consequently agreed among themselves to taste nothing in Kirkwall – to which they strictly adhered. £5

_______________________________________________________

Extracts from archive items in D2/29/3/69 from the Balfour of Balfour & Trenabie papers 

May Day Closure

 

Much as we love your faces, please do not come into the archive on Monday 6th of May as we are CLOSED. We plan to spend the entire day like these peat-cutters from Stenness during their well earned half-yoke (break): lying back with a brew and a box of goodies. Happy May Day!

Image L10,481-1, Orkney Photographic Archive

19th Century Kirkwall

 We often put up a post when we come across an item which has not seen the light of day for a long time and we think deserves  a bit of attention. Whilst leafing through the sketchbook of Kirkwall born architect, T. S. Peace (1845 - 1934), we found these wonderful sketches of the Watergate and Kirkwall Castle, both of which were demolished in the 19th century. Peace designed many prominent buildings across Orkney, including the old Burgh school, (now housing OIC offices), the Sheriff Court, Town Hall, the old Balfour hospital building and many more. 

Watergate, 1878, 'just before removal'

'Ruins of the castle of the St Clairs, Kirkwall.'

Orkney Archive Reference: D8/1/23

RIP Billy Jolly and Dave Gray

 February was a very sad month for Orcadians as they lost two very well kent folk. Billy Jolly was a folk festival stalwart and Dave Gray was the voice of Radio Orkney. Both will be greatly missed by many. Our photographic archive yielded some photos of Billy as 1979 New Years Day Men's Ba' winner and playing music with wife Ingirid. We also found a lovely photo of Dave Gray as a lad in the mobile library van. The Sound Archive holds recordings of both men, so Orkney will always be able to hear them.

Billy Jolly, winner of 1979 New Year's Ba'

Billy Jolly, second from right

Dave Gray, far right

 

Did Captain Scarlet come from Orkney?

The Orkney Archive Palaeography Group have recently transcribed this beautiful document which is a disposition written for Magnus Baikie transferring ownership of a property in Kirkwall to his son Thomas in the event of his death, which if you read to the end, is sadly quite imminent. 

Reading through it you might think it is just a boring old legal document with lots of jargon and repetition. 

BUT 

these types of documents can sometime be very interesting and throw up some interesting names, occupations and relationships that help us to know who was who in Orkney around the time it was written. 

D14/5/1 Disposition 1660

In this document we have names such as Magnus Baikie and his son, Thomas. From other research we know that Magnus had an older brother, James, who was 78 in 1668, so we think Magnus would have been mid-seventies in 1660. He is described as skipper and burgess. Skipper means he was captain of a ship, burgess means he was able to trade in the burgh of Kirkwall. Magnus' brother John is also mentioned towards the end of the document as a witness. 

Other names shown are Patrick Watterstoun, minister in Orphir, his deceased father Michael and Patrick's wife Barbara Henrysone. Thomas Moncrieff and William Hayr, minister. William Mudy of Breckness, Sir John Buchanan of Scotscraig [in Fife], his brother Thomas Buchanan of Sound [in Shapinsay] and Thomas's son George Buchanan of Sound. David Moncrieff another skipper and his brother Harry. David Anderson was the notary public who wrote the document on behalf of Magnus Baikie. 

The most fun name for us in this document is John Skarlett, skipper in Kirkwall and tenant of Magnus Baikie. As before we know that skipper can also mean captain, which in our modern minds turns him into Captain Scarlet. Who knew?  Captain Scarlet came from Orkney.

Looking into it more logically, Scarlett IS a surname that is associated with northern Scotland. But it did make us chuckle. 

SCARLETT

"Lambertus Sclarlet de Anandia [Annan] gifted six pennies annually from the toft of Roger Pacok in the same town in the thirteenth century (Register, Priory of St Bees, p354).

Nicoll (or Richard) Scarlett had a charter from Robert I of the lands of Forgund, Inchmertein, and Velathis (or Velachis) forfeited by John Balliol (RMS., I, App.II, 478).

From the fourteenth century to the sixteenth century a family named Scarlat or Scarlet held lands in Caithness. Thomas Scarlet held the lands of Westyrclithe and Nethirgreneland there in 1377 (RMS., I, 666).

Patrick Skarlet was tacksman of Negarth in Evy, Orkney 1492 (REO., p411).

John Scarlet was servitor of Alexander Keith, captain of the Castle of Akirgill, Caithness, 1547 (OPS., II, p779).

Caution was found for James Skarlott in Blackruthven in 1589 (RPC., iv, p350)

Marion Scarlet in Watten is in record in Caithness, 1664 (Caithness) "

Surnames of Scotland by George F Black, The New York Public Library, 1946

P711-712

TRANSCRIPTION

D14/5/1

[Title: ]

Disposition be Magnus Baikie in favoure of Thomas Baikie his sone of ane tenement of land or ludging contaning the dwelling house, and of ane ruynous tenement next adjacent yrto[thereto] lyand in the Midtoun of Kirkwall 1660

In another land: 1660    Tenement at Bridge Kirkwall

[Document: ]

Be it kend till all men be thir[these] present lres[letters] Me Magnus Baikie skipper burges of Kirkwall heritable proprietar of ye[the] tenements of land and others rexive[respective] underwrittin being for the present infirme in body bot praised be to god prefyke[perfect] in mynd and memorie, and knowing nothing more certane then death and nothing more uncertane then ye[the] hour and place therof and being most willing to satle my wordly estate in my owne tyme in the persone of Thomas Baikie my only lawfull sone and to secure him yrintill[thereuntil] in my lyftyme by making and granting of thir[these] p[rese]nts, Therefore witt ꝣe me to have sauld annalied and disponned lykas I be ye[the] tennor herof sell annalie and simplr[contraction of simplicitor?] dispone from me and my aires to and in favours of ye[the] said thomas Baikie my sone his aires and assigneyis qtsoevir[whatsoever] heretably, and irredimably unto my maner of reversion redemption band promise or condition of reversion redemption or regres qtsoevir

All and haill that my tenement of land or ludgeing with houses bigings closses yairdes taill and pertinents therof sometime pertaning heretably to the deceassed Mr Patrick Watterstoun minister at Orphar after the deceasse of umqle Michael Waterstoun his father lyand in ye[the] Midtoun of Kirkwall in Orknay abone St Olais bridge their sometyme possest be umqle Thomas Moncreiff and william hayr Minister and whilk was sold and dispouned by ye[the] said umqle Mr Patrik Waterstoun w[i]t[h] consent of umqle Barbara henrysone his spouse to me my aires and assigneyis heretably and irredimably in manor speit[specified] in ye[the] lres[letters] of disposition chartor and instrument of saising following thereupon contaning tuo duelling houses on the foir gate under ane ruiff with the office houses yrof on the back part of ye[the] samen betwixt and the yaird of ye[the] said tenement and whilk is p[rese]ntly possest be me and john skarlett skipper in kirkwall my tenent respectively Bonded and having the tenement and land sometyme pertaning to umqle william mudy of breknes thereafter to umqle sir john Buchanan of scottscraig knyt[knight], thereafter to umqle thomas Buchanan of sound his brother, and now To Mr George Buchanan of sound sone to ye[the] said umqle thomas On ye[the] south, the lands of papdaill. On the east the heigh streat of Kirkwall stryt[1] and to St Olaisbridge on the west,  the said umqle Mr Patrik his other tenement possest be umqle Magnus guid couper and John Auchinleck wright in Kirkwall, And the tenement of umqle William Sklatter lyand waist and the closse entring yrto[thereto] on ye[the] north parts

And siclyk[such like] all and haill that tenement of land and houses now ruynous with ye[the] yairds and pertiments yrof sometime pertaning to Nicoll Sklaitter as air to umqle Patrick Sklaitter indueller in Kirkwall His father and was sold and disponed be ye[the] said Nicoll to me Conforme to his rights and securities granted to me of ye[the] same lyand in ye[the] Midtoun of Kirkwall Bonded and having ye[the] lands and tenement abovewritten sometyme pertaning to ye[the] said umqle Mr Patrik Watersone and now to me On ye[the] east, south and west parkes[2] and the common passage of ye[the] said burgh of Kirkwall entering to ye[the] said tenement on the north parts yrof[thereof] Within the Maineland and sherifdome of orknay

And For the said Thomas Baikie my sone and his forsaids greater and bettir security I bind and oblige me and my aires to duly and sufficiently infeft[3] and saise be charter of alienation titulo oneroso[4] w[i]t[h] precept and instrument of saising to follow thereupon the said Thomas Baike my sone his aires and assignyes forsaids heretably and irredimably as said is In all and haill ye[the] said tenement and ludgeing houses bigings back and fore under and abone w[i]t[h] ye[the] cloissis yairds parts pendicles and pertinents yrof[thereof] abovewritten

As als in all and haill the said tenement of land and houses now ruynous w[it]h ye[the] yaird and pertinents of ye[the] samen Both lyand and bounded in maner abovespe[cif]it And that be tuo several infeftments Ane yrof[thereof]  to be holdin of me and my aires in frie blensche ferme[5] and heretage for evir for payment of ane penny scots upon ye[the] ground of ye[the] saids tenements rexive[6] abovewritten at ye[the] feast of witsonday yearly in name of blensche ferme if it beis asked allanerly[7] And the other of the saids infeftments to be holdin of my laufull superior yrof[thereof] as freely as I or my precessor held or holds ye[the] samen ourselves either be resignation or confirmation as best sall[shall] please the said Thomas or his forsaids, Lykas I bind and oblige me my aires assigneyis and successors q[uha]tsoevir To warrand all and haill the said tenement or ludging As als ye[the] said ruynous tenement respectively abovewritten with houses bigings yairds parts pendicles and pertinents yrof[thereof] forsaids lyand possessed and bounded as is abovementioned To be free and saife to ye[the] said Thomas baikie my sone his aires and assigneyis abovespe[cif]it heretably and irredimably as said is from all perrells dangers and inconvenients q[uha]tsoevir bygaine present & to come from my owne propper fact and deed allanerly as accords of ye[the] law, That is to say that I have not made neither yet sall[shall] mak any uther disposition or right to ye[the] premissis to ony other persone or persones q[uha]tsoevir in hurt and prejudice herof in ony sort, And bind and oblige me and my forsaids To reiterat and renew thir[these] p[rese]nts to the said Thomas Baikie my sone & his forsaids toties quoties[8] as I sall[shall] be requyred yrto[thereto] keeping ye[the] effect and substance abovewrittin ay and whylk they find themselves sufficiently secured anent ye[the] premisses And for ye[the] more securitie I am content and consent that yir[these] presentis be insert and regrat[9] in ye[the] buikes of ye[the] court of justice sheriffe or commissers buikes of orknay To have ye[the] strenth of ane decreet of ony of ye[the] judges yrof[thereof] That lres[letters] and executorialls of horning upon ane simple chirge of six dayes only and others necessar be direct herupon And to that effect constituts My pro[curato]rs promising to ratifie & in witnes qrof[whereof] (writtin be David Andersone notar publick) and because I am unable of body by reason of my weaknes and siknes to subscrive myself the said David as notar hes sub[scrivi]t yir[these]  p[rese]ntis at my command At Kirkwall ye[the] eight day of march jmvic[10][1600] and thriescor yeeres befor yir[these] witnessis James Baikie of Tankernes David Moncreif skipper in Kirkwall Hary Moncrief his brother Patrick Traill skipper yr[there] and John Baikie merchand in Kirkwall brother to me ye[the] said Magnus Baikie abovedesigned wt[with] my hand tutching ye[the] pen of ye[the] notar undersubscriving at my command becaus I am unable for ye[the] tyme to wrat[write] in regard of my extream sicknes and weaknes of body the lord of his mercy now calling upon me out of this world to himself and yrfor[therefore] have given command to ye[the] said notar to subscrive ye[the] premissis for me So it is David Anderson notar publict at command of ye[the] said Magnus Baikie who is unable to writ himself inregard of his extream siknes and weaknes of body Have yrfor[therefore] sub[scrivi]t thir[these] p[rese]ntis for him witnessing my signe and sub’er[unknown contraction] mannall[12]

Moncrieff witnes

Pa[trick] Traill witnes

Hearie Moncrieff witness

---

[1] a narrow passageway https://dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/strait_adj definition 3

[2] could also be ‘partie’ or ‘partis’

[3] Infeft - To invest (a person) with heritable property. https://dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/infeft

[4] titulo oneroso – Latin meaning: burdensome title https://translate.google.com/?sl=la&tl=en&text=titulo%20oneroso%20&op=translate

[5] blensche ferme - A small or nominal quit-rent or duty paid in money or otherwise https://dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/blancheferme

[6] rexive – abbreviated form of respective https://dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/rexive

[7] allanerly – literally means alonely. In DSL singly https://dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/allanerly

[8] As often as necessary https://dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/toties_quoties

[9] regrat – abbreviated form of ‘registration’ or ‘registered’  https://dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/regratt

[10] can also be read as ‘jajvic’ the ‘aj’ was written instead of the roman letter ‘m’ meaning 1000.

[12] by hand, see https://dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/manuale_adj

Her Orcadian Voice? Sounds of the Noughties... the seventeen noughties.

I just love this letter which I found in the Balfour Papers recently. 

The phonetic spelling of the words give a glimpse of the sound of this Orcadian woman's voice from way back in 1704.

 

Here is a transcription of the document - see if you can figure out what is being said. It was pretty tricky for me in places, especially with no punctuation too: 

[Address:]

ffor 

John Covintrie

off Enhallow

[----?]

[Letter:]

Hoy 21 Febru 1704

Sir

My husband heth diseyred me

to show you that he is verie

ill of a trembling and a shek

ing somtyms hot and somtyms

cold which we judge to be a fit

of the agew which occasions

him that he canott trevell

without heserd of his lieiff

he diseyres yow to mek his

excuse to tanernes and show

him that so soon as ever

this fitt is over he shal com

over to the menland and send yow

and him word this is all at

present from your wiell wisher

Ann Grahame

[Words side on:]

he diseyrs yell send him two pund

of resins and if ye heff aniething good

agenst vomiting he thanks yow for your

eiy water but his eys continues sor yet

And here is my translation for you:

[Address:]

For

John Covingtrie

of Eynhallow

[----?]

[Letter:]

Hoy 21 February 1704

Sir

My husband has desired me

to show you that he is very 

ill of a trembling and a shak-

ing sometimes hot and sometimes

cold which we judge to be a fit

of the ague which occasions 

him so that he cannot travel

without hazard to his life.

He desires you to make his

excuses to Tankerness and show

him that as soon as ever

this fit is over, he shall come

over to the mainland and send you

and him word. This is all 

present, from your well wisher

Ann Grahame

[Words side on:]

He desires you to send him two pounds

of raisins and if you have anything good

against vomiting. He thanks you for your

eye water but his eyes continue to be sore yet. 

Unfortunately we don't know who Ann Grahame was, what her husband's name was or whether he survived this nasty sounding illness.   "Tankerness" we believe to be the Laird of Tankerness whose surname was Baikie. Let us know if you have any suggestions or corrections for the transcription. 

Letter reference D2/47/5 

Let this bear our Christmas Greetings!

Aah Christmas.  That time of year where we lowly archive workers dust off our tinsel, string up some lights and overindulge in all things mince-pie related.  Our history-addled brains naturally turn to thoughts of Christmas past, so we thought it would be interesting to explore what our strong rooms hold in the way of festive greetings.  Well, hold on to your Santa hats, cos we found some crackers!

Undated Christmas card
D15/39 Halcro Johnston Papers

The custom of sending printed cards began in 1843, when Sir Henry Cole commissioned an artist friend to create a festive design.  This depicted his family feasting and raising their glasses in a toast, while around the edges people were shown engaging in charitable acts of giving.   This dichotomy seems rather odd, and a few Victorian eyebrows were also raised at the scandalous depiction of children imbibing glasses of wine.  Not much worse than me wrangling a Snowball from my son’s grasp at a recent Christmas party, or the Great Babycham Scandal of 1979, when Grandma wondered where her perry had gone…

Unfortunately, we don’t have any of these very early Christmas cards, but we are lucky that Colonel Henry Halcro Johnston kept many cards he received over a 50-year period.  Henry was born in 1856 and the earliest Christmas related item we found in his papers (D15/39) is not a card, but a Rebus, named after Scotland's famous literary Detective Inspector.  We knew Ian Rankin was a clever chap, but didn't imagine time travel to be in his skill set.  This picture puzzle story was given to Henry when he was six, from John, his elder brother.  Sadly, we have only half of it, the top of the first page, and bottom of the second.  

Top half of a rebus from 1862, designed by Catherine Sinclair
D15/39 Halcro Johnston Papers

The small postcard below is the earliest found in our archive which bears a date.  Some may be older but often there is nothing written on the cards to ascertain the year as they would likely have been accompanied by a letter reporting the sender’s news.  Cards featuring unseasonal flowers were common in the 1870s, bringing some colour and joy in the depth of the dark, dreary winter.  They may also have conveyed a specific sentiment, and while a forget-me-not might be welcome, one may be distraught to receive a hydrangea for heartlessness!

Sent in 1878 to Henry Halcro Johnstone "with Betsy Gairdner's good wishes"
D15/39 Halcro Johnston Papers

A year later Henry received this slightly more seasonal looking card. Eyre & Spottiswoode were the official printers to the Queen, and began producing Christmas cards on a grand scale in 1878.  These were very popular as the cards were renowned at the time for their ‘good taste, respect for elegance of design and artistic excellence’.  "Heaps of pudding" certainly conveys good taste to us.

Sent in 1879 to Henry "With Bessie’s love + wishes to recall an oft repeated phrase, “Boys” etc" 
D15/39 Halcro Johnston Papers

Among the undated cards, we found some beautifully illustrated seasonal designs:

Undated cards received by Henry Halcro Johnston
D15/39 Halcro Johnston Papers

Our modern festive celebrations are often derided for their lack of reference to the Christian tradition and one might expect Victorian Britons to be more mindful of Christmas as a time of religious observance.  You may be surprised that we unearthed no nativity scenes, wise men or guiding stars, finding only one card featuring a religious greeting:

Undated Christmas Card
D15/39 Halcro Johnston Papers

The style of Victorian cards changed through the decades, and while many, like those above, featured familiar imagery such as holly and robins, others are more unusual, with witty puns designed to raise a smile at this often gloomy time of year.  

This one left us bemused, and we were more than a little nervous about doing an internet search for the 'Big, Big D'...  

Undated Christmas Card c1880
D15/39 Halcro Johnston Papers

We needn't have worried though, it's all very innocent.  It probably relates to the Gilbert & Sullivan opera HMS Pinafore, which features the Captain singing:

"Bad language or abuse,
I never, never use,
Whatever the emergency;
Though "bother it" I may
Occasionally say,
I never use a big, big D —"

The ‘Golden Dustman’ may be Nicodemus ‘Noddy’ Boffin, from Charles Dickens’ book ‘Our Mutual Friend’.  Dickens was inspired by his friend Henry Dodd, who made his fortune removing rubbish from the streets of London.  Presumably, you'd want to be at home when he called to ensure he didn't nick your Christmas presents! 

The card is undated but similar scallop-edged cards from the same pun-loving printer are from around 1880.  Our Mutual Friend was published in 1865 and HMS Pinafore was first performed in 1878, so this date seems plausible.

Of course, no Christmas card blog post would be complete without an array of weird and wonderful creatures from the 1880s, like these festive frogs below. Maybe there is a symbolic connection to Christ's birth, as apparently in Renaissance art, the shape-shifting transformation from spawn to tadpoles to grown up frogs meant they were regarded as symbols of rebirth.  So I am toad anyway.

Undated Christmas cards c.1880
D15/39 Halcro Johnston Papers 

Maybe this moggy could teach us a thing or two, or these monkeys will remind us to stay mischievous and have plenty of festive fun:

 

Undated Christmas cards c1880
D15/39 Halcro Johnston Papers

We have many lovely cards in other collections, but chose to focus on the Halcro Johnston ones or we'll all be here until 2024, and I'm sure you deserve your festive break too.  We are closed from 3pm on Friday 22nd December and reopen at 10am on Monday 8th January, when we welcome you back to our search-room, and you can see these cards and many more in our Christmas Card display until the end of January.

However you choose to celebrate, hope you keep your monkeys in a row and have a lovely Christmas and a fabulous New Year.