Archive in a Pandemic A-Z: E is for

ENQUIRIES

Throughout the lonely weeks of Lockdown and the gradual re-awakening of services, Archive staff have been diligently answering enquiries. Even during Lockdown itself, when most of our staff scattered to the four winds either self-isolating or re-deployed in essential services, there was always at least one person with a nose in a book or deciphering a document or developing a photograph. 

Due to the high number of enquiries we received during this time period and the low numbers of staff, we are still working through the backlog. As we gradually catch up, please don't be too disappointed if we take a little longer than usual to answer, we will not forget you. 

At the beginning of 2020 we changed to a paperless method of recording enquiries as around 80% now come via email. If anyone does actually write a letter, it is a source of much delight and everyone wants to see it. The last one we received was in green ink. What a treat! (we are so easily pleased...)

Each enquiry is recorded in a database and given a reference number. The enquirer is sent an acknowledgement and their number. We then record any work done and emails sent on our Enquiry Progress Report form. Enquirer's contact details are never shown on this form, they are only known by their initials. This helps to protect the enquirer's contact details which are only saved in the database. Any scans done are saved in the enquiries folder along with the Progress Report. 

There are five members of staff who do enquiries, two full-time archivists and three part-time archive assistants who all job-share one position. Sometimes an enquiry is done by just one person, and sometimes by many of us, especially when one of us utilises the "Help! I'm Stuck" category. We all have developed different strengths and interests over the years, so sometimes it is good to bring a fresh pair of eyes to an enquiry or look at it from another perspective. 

We don't charge for enquiries, but at the same time do not accept ones which will take a great long time. Some take a couple of hours research time at the most, but many can be done within an hour. When I say an hour, what I really mean is 10 minutes one day, 20 minutes another day, 30 minutes the next day all slotted in between our other daily tasks and running the searchroom. 

Since Lockdown began up to the present day we have researched and answered enquiries on the following subjects:

Place names of Swona

Photos of Copinsay

Family History queries: Reid, Turfus and Corrigall, etc

Maeshowe drawing (see below)

Undated pencil drawing of Maeshowe, archive reference D8/3/11

Helping with research for Radio shows

Orkney Piers

Witchcraft trials

James Keith of Benholm and Cromwellian Orkney (see below)

Extract from Statement made by George Monck regarding an iron box of jewels, 18 January 1654 

Old mills

Crown Chamberlains

Helping with research for journalists on articles

Councillors and council official enquiries

Vice-Admirals of Scotland

Margaret Gardiner

Stromness Footballers (see below)

A new deposit resulted from this enquiry of this photo and a small silver
medal awarded in 1915, archive reference AccNo:2819.

Scuttling of the German Fleet

Helping with research for documentary film makers 

Motor Vehicle Registrations

Old maps (see below)

Lithographed plan of the commonty of Deerness as divided, 1839
Grainger and Miller, surveyor. Archive Reference D7/2/1[F4]

Margaret Tait

Press gangs

Military history, particularly soldier's lives

Orkney's connections to the slave trade

Kirkwall Streets

Newspaper copies of particular articles or whole papers for birthdays and anniversaries

Helping with research for book publications both fiction and non-fiction

Orkney sound archives 

Help with Fereday Prize projects

and many many more...

We do love enquiries and look forward every day to learning about the contents of our Archive collections, Orkney history and what you love to research too. 

Pharaohs and Chambers and Cairns, Oh My!

View from inside Maeshowe, 1900. Orkney Archive Reference D32/2/2 - Magnus Spence Collection.

On this day in 1923, Howard Carter unsealed the tomb of Egyptian boy-pharaoh Tutankhamun.


In 1861, James Farrer opened Maeshowe, an Orcadian Neolithic burial chamber dating around 1400 years earlier than the Egyptian tomb. Unlike the fully intact and treasure-stuffed cavern which greeted Carter, Maeshowe was empty but for a few fragments of human bone.


It did however, contain Viking graffiti dating from the 12th century and, every winter solstice, visitors huddle in the tomb to watch the winter sunlight slice along the tunnel and paint a strip of light up the back wall.


For more information see here and here.




Pencil drawing of Maeshowe interior after excavation. Artist and date unknown. Orkney Archive Reference D8/3/11.

Dusty says that I should post this image from the Walter Grant Archaeological Collection too. It is of the Midhowe Chambered Cairn on Rousay, thought to date from 3500BC - even older than Maeshowe.

Midhowe Chambered Cairn, Orkney Archive Reference D138/8 - Walter Grant Archaeological Collection.

Not to Skaill

As promised here are a few of the items we used in our
World Heritage Day display recently.

Orkney Archive Reference: D8/4/1/2 Plan of the buildings uncovered at Skaill in Sandwick in 1867.

Orkney Archive Reference:  L8343-3 An artist's impression of the Ring of Brodgar, no date given.

Orkney Archive Reference: D2/17/4 - Letter from the Balfour of Balfour and Trenabie Collection

Dear Capt[ai]n Edmeston 

Stromness 30th Decr 1814

I'm well aware, that your ears will be assail'd at this time from all quarters on the subject of a scrape I got into on my farm in Stenness, by pulling down 2 of the stones, that stood in a field of lay ground, which I was preparing to plue up: and as I flatter myself, from this friendly attention, you have shown me hitherto that you would be sorry for a thing of this kind I write you at present to see if you would have the goodness, to speake to Mr Riddoch, or any other of the Gentlemen concerned, to assure them that I was not in the smallest degree aware of giving them, or the meanest individual in the County offence by doing so.
My Landlord was the only person to whom I thought, I was accountable, and as I mentioned to Mr Rae, the necessity of pulling down a few of those stones, for the purpose of [?] the Fields,

as he did not seem to be aware (more than myself) of any objections being made as we agreed that two or three of them should stand, namely the one on the point of the Peninsula, and another on the field, I thought these would answer as a show without doing me any detriment.
However as I cannot now recall what is done, I request the favour of you to make what use of communication you deem best to prevent any further steps being taken that might operate to my prejudice.
I have the honour to remain
Dr Captn Edmeston
your very obed. Servt.
Wm Mackay

Orkney Archive Reference: D29/2/11 - Notebook from the Hugh Marwick Collection

Letter to the Editor in the Glasgow Herald "A Prehistoric Village & Traces of Human Sacrifice" written by V. Gordon Childe in 1928 and kept in a scrapbook by Dr Hugh Marwick

Orkney Archive Reference: L7255-2

Professor V. Gordon Childe, archaeologist with workmen employed on excavations at Skara Brae, Sandwick in 1928.

Man at back: unknown; Back L-R: Willie Hourston, Willa Harvey, Professor Childe, Leslie Ritch, ? .  Front L-R: Jim Brass (Aith),  ?  , Willie Brass (Goldigarth), James Linklater (Millcroft).

Orkney Archive Reference: D8/3/11
Pencil drawing of the interior of Maeshowe, after excavation. Artist and date unknown.

Celebrating World Heritage Day

We have a pop-up display of archives in the Orkney Library & Archive Foyer for the next 7 days, excluding Sunday. So if you're in the town, do pop by to see it!

We are celebrating World Heritage Day which is on Saturday 18th April.

The display is a mixture of archives and photographs which relate to the three main sites of the Heart of Neolithic Orkney, namely Maeshowe, Skara Brae and the stone circles of Brodgar and Stenness.

We have a letter written in 1814 from a farmer apologising for pulling down some standing stones so that he could "plue" the field; a plan of the Skara Brae site after excavation drawn by William G T Watt in November 1867; and a pencil drawing of the Maeshowe site after excavation with no date or artist given.

The photos show Professor V Gordon Childe, archaeologist with workmen employed on excavations at Skara Brae, Sandwick in 1928; the standing stones and dolmen at Stenness; and an artists impression of the Ring of Brodgar.

And these photos from the Tom Kent collection:

Stone circle of Stenness with dolmen TK4071

Skara Brae c.1927-32   TK3991

Maeshowe TK4045

I hope you will be able to come in the see the display, but if not, I will share some scans of the archives at a later date.

Archive references used in display: D8/3/11, D1/927, D2/17/4, D8/4/1/2, D29/2/11               

Photographic references used in display: TK4071, L854/4, L8343/3, TK3972, TK3991, TK4045, L7255/2.

View from inside Maeshowe, 1900.



Photo and letter taken from the Magnus Spence collection.

Orkney Archive Reference: D32/2/2

 Magnus Spence was born around 1853 in Birsay, the son of Magnus Spence, a schoolmaster and his wife Ann. He also became a schoolmaster and spent his teaching career in Stenness and latterly Deerness schools. In addition to his being a much acclaimed educationalist, he was a gifted amateur geologist, botanist, meteorologist, zoologist and antiquarian. He published many papers reflecting these wide interests but remains best known in Orkney for his 'Flora Orcadensis', published by David Spence, Kirkwall, 1914. He died in 1919.

The letter is from A.L. Lewis, Highbury Hill, London.

For more information on the 'Barnstone' which is supposed to be the subject of the snap, see here.

Winter Solstice

Today is the shortest day of the year and, under this heavy grey sky, it certainly feels like it. We've had our first big snowfall of the winter and the few people outside are either scurrying past in swathes of wool and Berghaus or shovelling snow and spreading salt in reflective jackets.

A lucky group of people will be spending sunset (which will occur at 3.15pm according to The Orcadian website) in Maeshowe, Stenness.

This Neolithic tomb, consisting of entrance passage and mound-like burial chamber, is thought to date back to around 3000BC. On the shortest days of the year, the final rays of the setting sun spread down the entrance passage and project a golden door shape onto the back wall of the chamber. The event can be seen on this live web-feed: http://www.maeshowe.co.uk/.

Pictured is the illustration accompanying our signed copy of George Mackay Brown's beautiful poem Maeshowe Winter. The page is decorated with silver glitter and the words lighten up this short dark little day.

'Children sing under a street lamp, their voices like leaves of light.'