Great Scott

It seems appropriate, while the Paralympics are in full swing, to post about Hettie Scott, a Harray lass who achieved more than most able-bodied people despite having no hands and being unable to walk.

Hettie learned to write, paint, knit and crochet using only her feet and, more importantly, she mastered the art of drinking a cup of tea with the saucer in her left foot and the cup in her right. Hettie says in her short autobiography Brightening Her Corner, that tea was one of her favourite things, a confession which we heartily applaude here at Orkney Archive.

Hettie was particularly talented at both painting and needlework and favoured scenes of animals and flowers which often illustrated biblical texts. Hettie was uncomplaining about her limitations but was no po-faced martyr. Her book made me snigger three times.

Hettie was born in 1878 and passed away at the age of 70 in 1958.



Photograph reference L7081/4,
Brightening Her Corner reference D1/882/7/3,
Letter addressed by Hettie D31/1/1/22.