Hoorah for Volunteers!

 

It is volunteers week and this gives us a chance to celebrate our wonderful band of helpers without whom, the archives would be so much poorer.

The Orkney Archive is heaving at the seams with historical data and yet a collections catalogue and dewey decimal sorted photographic archive can sometimes only scratch the surface for a researcher. The archive staff only really have time to give an idea of what a document can contain. It takes time, lots and lots of time, to really squeeze all the infomation out of each document.

This is where our volunteers step in.

For example: many of our visitors are looking for information about parents, grandparents or other relatives who spent part of their military service in Orkney. We do not hold any war diaries or individual military records (these are held at the National Archives), but we do have issues of the Orkney Blast which detail engagements, sporting events and other little mentions of folk, some snap shots taken of service personnel during their down time, grocery credit lists etc.

So we set up our Service Personel Database, in which our volunteers enter the name, rank and any other information about anyone they find mentioned in items dating from either World War.

Our beautiful Service Personnel Database 

This means that if your great grandfather came third in a darts competition at Ness battery or your granny got engaged at a New Years party at HMS Tern in 1942, then there may be a record of it in our SPD!

Another project which several volunteers are working on is the Photo Index database. This involves entering detailed information about each photo we hold such as people in it, location, objects and date (if we have them). This makes it much easier for visitors to search for individual images as we were restricted to searching by subject matter before.

The exquisite Photo Identification Database

But fear not! It is not all endless databasing - our own Balfour Blogger is a longstanding volunteer who has spent many hours of her life sorting, dating and, more importantly, identifying blogable snippets for us from the enormous Balfour collection:

We have a few volunteers helping to work through this collection.

These are just a few examples of the many projects volunteers have assisted with over the years and we are extremely grateful for all of their hours spent sorting, numbering, transcribing, summarising and compiling.

Our volunteers are not paid but we do make sure to try and feed them tea and cake now and then with coffee morning/afternoons to keep up their strength and to express our gratitude for their diligent work.

Three cheers for volunteers!

Hip, hip, hooray! 

Hip, hip, hooray! 

Hip, hip, hooray! 

Snapshot on Orphir

A recent addition to our collection is this little booklet all about the parish of Orphir. It was made to accompany a photographic exhibition in June 1992 in Orphir Church, but actually stands on its own with its interesting facts and figures. Topics covered are: Churches; Transport from Horse to Aeroplane; Picnics and Parties; Schools and continuing Education; People; Events; Buildings and Shops; Horses and Ploughing; Island of Cava; Orphir at Work; Orphir at Play; Orphir at War; and Organisations.

Drawing "The Round Church from North East in 1889" Showing remains of old houses of the Bu on the North, now demolished. From a sketch by C. S. S. Johnston

Click on each picture to enlarge the image. 

Peace On Earth 1918 - An Archive Advert Calender #24

Happy Christmas to you all dear readers! May your days be merry and bright!


Read below for a description of Christmas Eve in Kirkwall exactly 100 years ago taken from the Orkney Herald dated 1st January 1919:

The Orkney Library and Archive shall be closed to the public

from 5pm on Saturday 22nd of December until

9.15am on Saturday the 5th of January.

Peace On Earth 1918 - An Archive Advent Calendar #19

A similar post to last Monday - Stromness Town Cuncil had a meeting 100 years ago today. Among the topics discussed were: the continued insistence of the admiralty upon permits in December 1918, the lifting of war-time postal restrictions and a request for some captured German guns with which to decorate a proposed war memorial.

Orkney Archive Reference S1/5

Peace On Earth 1918 - An Archive Advent Calendar #18

Some letters received by Highland Park, whisky distillers today. Most of the folder we looked through contained orders from businesses and offices, 'Please send 3 casks of whisky', 'please send whisky at your earliest convenience', 'we have run out of Scotch and are in great need of more.'






Two letters stood out, however. The first one, from a paint and decorating supplies company declaring that, since the signing of the armistice they were now able to return to providing non-military customers...

Orkney Archive Reference D4/20/6 - click to enlarge

...and the second letter which follows on from Wednesday's blog and is an apology from a printing and stationers explaining that there is a delay in service due to the large number of staff suffering from influenza:

Orkney Archive Reference D4/20/6 - click to enlarge

Peace On Earth 1918 - An Archive Advent Calender #17

100 years ago today, Orkney County Council held their AGM. Towards the end of the meeting, they discussed the need to petition the admiralty to lift war-time restrictions on the waters surrounding Kirkwall. This would affect postal boats and civilian access to the island amongst other things.




Orkney Archive Reference CO3/5 - click to enlarge

Peace On Earth 1918 - An Archive Advent Calendar #16

100 years ago today, Orcadian poet and marine naturalist Robert Rendall received the letter below from Mrs Alexander McKenzie of Stornoway, Lewis. She addresses him as Bro., presumably short for brother, but I think this is because they were both members of the Christian Brethren

Click to enlarge

Orkney Archive Reference D27/7/6





Rendall served in Scapa Flow aboard HMS Imperieuse and wrote the poem below :

 

Orkney After The War

Now from the pool the tide of war recedes

And upon the water's surface filtered falls

The old tranquillity. Wave the green sea-weeds

Fanning their fronds fearless of sudden squalls.

Ols patient limpets scythe the meads aquatic

And rosy crinoids radiate starry twinkles

While hermit crabs with scuttlings acrobatic

Dispute the tenancy of vacant periwinkles.

Merchant anenomes spread their hungry tentacles

And earnest cattie-buckies keep their social conventicles.

Peace On Earth 1918 - An Archive Advent Calendar #7

See below for the 11th (and last) edition of The Concentrator: A Journal of the Land Defences, Scapa Flow. Published by and for the various servicemen and women stationed at various batteries around the flow, the (roughly) monthly journal contained articles both humorous and serious. There were news reports from the various batteries, correspondence, spoof adverts and poetry. The editors often struggled to obtain supplies of paper but, for the last year of the war, The Concentrator helped to rally spirits and spread news between colleagues.

Shelf reference 050Y in The Orkney Room

Click to enlarge.

 

Orkney Archive Advent Calendar - A Hundred Year Old Greeting

A festive greeting from Holm battery, one hundred Christmases ago.


Orkney Archive reference: D1/88/3/3

Fascinating Friday - The Maltese Orkney Hut

While researching for our WW1 exhibition, I recently read this interesting letter from the Orcadian Newspaper from 29th Dec 1917.

"To the Editor of the Orcadian, November 23, 1917.
DEAR SIR,- For more than eighteen months I have had the privilege of being Y.M.C.A. Leader in the large convalescence camp on this island where the Orkney Hut is situated. Before I leave Malta, I should like to write a personal word of thanks to the people of Orkney for the work they have enabled the Y.M.C.A. to do in this corner of the war area.

When I came to the camp, the Orkney Hut was in course of erection by the convalescents. Hardly had it been opened, when the number of men in the camp began to increase by leaps and bounds. The camp is in an unusually isolated position, opportunities for getting into town are few and expensive, and centres of recreation were at that time few. Such as there were, were all packed out from early morning until late at night. It is difficult to imagine, as men themselves have often said to me, what they would have done in those crowded days without the Orkney Hut.

It was at this time that we had the pleasure of welcoming the Rev. Robert Steen as a worker in the Hut. He is still remembered by a few men in the camp and many who are now scattered on different fronts carry with the memory of this genial and kindly personality, and are glad to have been his friends.

All through the long evenings of last winter, the Hut was uncomfortably full. It was often difficult to push one's way through the crowds of men who, after all the chairs and forms had been occupied, were quite content with "standing room only" provided they could enjoy the warmth and light of the Hut. They greatly valued the opportunity for a smoke, which was denied them under canvas. Our refreshment queue would often stretch right down one side of the Hut and out the far door, and would continue without break from six to nine in the evening.

Last March it was decided to add twenty-four feet to the length of the Hut, and to build a tiled verandah along one side. For the funds to carry out this enlargement the Y M C A was again indebted to Orkney. The Hut is now the largest hall in the camp, and the camp authorities have asked to be allowed to use it for all camp concerts and entertainments. During the hot summer months the cool shade of the verandah has been a real boon to the men, and the enlargement of the Hut itself has made all the difference between uncomfortable stuffiness and roomy ventilation.

While a great deal of our time has naturally been taken up in providing tea, cakes, and cigarettes for the men - not forgetting the egg and sausage suppers for which the Hut gained quite a local reputation last winter! - we have tried to bear in mind also their intellectual and spiritual needs. Last winter a small but enthusiastic men formed the "Orkney Literary Society" which met once a week to discuss all kinds of subjects from Prehistoric Monuments to the Modern Newspaper. This society has been revived this winter. On New Year's night and on Burns Night, special celebrations were arranged for the Scottish Troops, organised by one of the chaplains, who was himself a Scotsman. Classes have also been held in French, shorthand, book-keeping and arithmetic. Every night at 9 o'clock a halt is called in the evening's business and pleasure, and in a brief service of hymn and prayer we seek to turn the men's minds to those things which are unseen but Eternal.

During the last eighteen months, men from all parts of the British Isles and from hundreds of units of the British Army have passed through this camp. Almost every mail brings letters from those who have left us, expressing gratitude for the work that has been done. I would pass on their gratitude to the people of Orkney, and thank them, in the name of the men and in my own name, for their continued interest in the Orkney Hut. - Yours sincerely,

H. C. Oakley, Y M C A Headquarters, Valletta."

I showed my colleague the letter, and he in turn showed me the following archive photograph of a group of workers calling themselves the "Convalescent Men". My colleague did not know where the men were or when the photo was taken.

Perhaps they were on Malta? Perhaps they built the Orkney Hut?

A quick search on the internet gave me this website about Malta Military Hospitals where I scrolled down to Voluntary Help and found that an Orkney Hut was built at Ghain Tuffieha in Malta.

Location of Ghajn Tuffieha on Malta



Another search gave me this website about Military Hospitals in Malta where I scrolled down to the section on Convalescent Camp Ghajn Tuffieha and found photographs of the camp and more information about its size and the people that ran it. It doesn't mention the Orkney Hut in particular, but it may have been one of the "recreation rooms erected by the Church Army".

So far these are all dots which I am not sure connect up. If anyone has any more information, please do get in touch either by commenting below or by email to archives@orkney.gov.uk

References: Orcadian newspaper 29th Dec 1917, page 2; Orkney Photographic Archive negative number L9986/1; Google maps of Malta. YMCA = Young Men's Christian Association

Fascinating Friday - Vampire Dogs and Wartime Sabotage

Two articles caught my eye recently from our local newspapers, The Orcadian and The Orkney Herald which I thought you might like.

This first from 1st October 1915 from a page of WW1 news from Europe an unusual story of war sabotage:

An Old Woman's 'Comforts' for Soldiers - Paris, Wednesday. A woman of Montmartre known as Old Susan, received such numbers of letters from the front that curiosity was aroused. She pretended she was acting as godmother to a number of soldiers without families, but a discreet inquiry revealed the astounding fact that Susan was a German named Krialager, and packets of comforts she sent to the front contained cocaine, which she was supplying to devotees who, even fighting, could not wean from the drug habit. Susan was arrested.

The second from 9th May 1946, a report of a disturbing nature from Harray:

 

HARRAY - WILD DOG NOW A "VAMPIRE" - Harray's wild dog was still at large yesterday, according to reports from the West Mainland.

The spaniel raider has not been seen at close quarters, however, since Sunday, when he escaped from a big party of guns out seeking him.

The dog's keen sense of scent enabled him to make a get-away.

The latest report of attack upon poultry occurred early on Saturday when three fowls were the dog's victims. This occurred at a farm in the Lyde Road district.

This time, instead of carrying off the carcases and devouring them or burying them for future eating, the dog sucked the blood and left the dead birds at the scene.

With the tightening up of the guard upon fowl yards, it is feared that the dog may now turn to attacking lambs.

Meanwhile there is considerable nervousness among women who will soon be needed to help with the peat work in the hills.

 

References: Orkney Herald, 1st October 1915 - An Old Woman's Comforts; Orcadian 9th May 1946, p3 - Harray Wild Dog.

Orkney At War (Aug-Oct 1914) Exhibition Taster

As promised here are a few of the items we have used in our exhibition:

BRITAIN AT WAR
_____

There has been great activity in Naval and Military circles in Orkney for over a week, and whilst it is not yet advisable to go into details, it may be of interest to state that so long ago as Wednesday of last week special service sections of the Orkney Artillery were called out and sent to their appointed stations. On Sunday the remainder of the force was mobilised, and further detachments at once sent forward to certain points which are understood to be of strategic value. The remainder of the men were allowed to proceed home but had instructions to hold themselves in readiness for an immediate call. The orders to mobilise came on Monday evening and all night long the men from the out-stations were arriving at headquarters, where the Kirkwall companies had already reported for duty. The calling out of the Orkney Artillery at such an early stage in the crisis created great excitement in Orkney, especially in view of the fact that at one time it was decided to disband the corps, and it was only with great exertion on the part of those concerned that this was averted.

The Orcadian, 8 August 1914

In his diary, James Marwick, Lieutenant/Captain in the Royal Garrison Artillery (Territorial Division) wrote on Monday 3rd August:

"Mobilised at Drill Hall Stromness 3pm. I was there in full marching order ready to go"

On Wednesday 5th August he was in Rackwick:

"The  tents were pitched on flat piece of ground between Mucklehouse and Black Neave near a low wall which Mr Taylor had built. Three tents for men to live in; one cook's store tent; one Guard Tent on level space...Serg. Mackay & I lived in Test house. There were a couple of chair beds and blankets &c in it and we just took possession of these..."

Orkney Archive Reference D1/1118

A very different perspective came from Stewart Isbister who was a new recruit to the Royal Garrison Artillery (Territorial Division) in 1914. In his memoir, having been posted to Kirkwall Drill Hall from Finstown,  he wrote: "I cannot begin to tell you of the lonesomeness of those days, my first away from home and the new Army life I found so bewildering. "

Orkney Archive Reference D1/1177 

 

In Scapa Bay construction work was ongoing as, on 13 August 1914, less than two weeks into the First World War Admiral Jellicoe requested that anti submarine patrols by seaplane be flown in defence of the fleet in Scapa Flow.  As a result a seaplane base was quickly constructed at the head of Scapa Bay.

 

 

The canvas covered hangars used were, however, no match for the winter gales which often blow in Orkney and a more sheltered site was found at Houton Bay in the parish of Orphir.

 

 

Orkney Archive Reference CO7/7/4 (plan dated c.1920)

Our current exhibitions chart Orkney's experience of WW1 at home through the use of official documents, letters home, newspaper articles, diaries and photographs. We have three so far, each covering three months of the war.

Click on the label "Orkney at War" below to see more blog posts on this subject.

Orkney At War (Aug-Oct 1914)

We have a new exhibition! 

"Orkney at War: August - October 1914" is the first in a series of new exhibitions in the Orkney Archive to commemorate WW1. This one concentrates on the first three months and the impact war had on these islands. We show extracts from three war diaries from very different perspectives, an article on the history of the postal service, emergency town council minutes on finding extra hospital accommodation, a plan of a hastily built seaplane station at Scapa, reports from the Orcadian newspaper on the war at home and abroad, and many more archive items.

This exhibition is available to see during Archive opening hours
(http://www.orkneylibrary.org.uk/html/archiveopening.htm)

For those of you who can't visit the exhibition I'll be sharing some of the documents used over the next few months.

The Mystery of the Blue Jacket Boy....Solved!!

And here he is, our Blue Jacket Boy:

A message to everyone from Mary, grandaughter of David John Phillips I wish to forward my everlasting gratitude to the lady who delivered my grandfather’s letter to the Orkney Library and Archive and to all the researchers who found the identity of the ‘Bluejacket Boy’, my grandfather, David John Phillips. ‘Dai’ married my wonderful Orcadian grandmother, Catherine Isabella Coghill Johnston on 11th April 1919 at the Congregational Manse, Kirkwall. David returned home to Llanelli with his new bride ‘Bella’ where they opened a greengrocer’s shop and had two children, my mother Minnie and my aunt Jean. David and Bella lived with us throughout my formative years so were my ‘grand’ parents in every sense. They were an inspiring and loving couple. I still miss them both terribly. I am truly grateful to you all as without you,and the Orkney Library Archive, this precious letter would have remained a mystery forever. Thank you to everybody from my heart.

David J Phillips and Catherine Johnston














For the story from the beginning in Oct 2013 see here and an update in Jan 2014 here.

Update on The Mystery of the Blue Jacket Boy....are we there yet?

Huge thanks to all the researchers and followers on the Orkney Archive Blog for finding out all the information and spreading the word. Assuming that the "Uncle Dai" mentioned in the letter is The Bluejacket Boy, his full name would be David Phillips. Now, take a deep breath...
The Timeline so far is...
1889 - estimated DOB for David John Phillips born in Llanelli to John & Margaret (source census returns)
1891 – estimated DOB for David John Phillips, RNVR, Wales Division (source WW1 service record)
1891 – Census for Llanelli Family lived at ?1 Tregob, Llanelli. Siblings: Margaret A; Mary E; Hannah M; Jessie J; Katie M; Blowden
1901 – Census for Llanelli contains a Phillips family living at 15 Woodend Road, near Swansea Road
1911 – Census for Llanelli contains a Phillips family living at 15 Woodend Road, near Swansea Road

• Father:John Phillips;
• Mother: Margaret Phillips
• Son: David Phillips, age 22, groom [Dai?]
• Dau: Hannah Phillips, age 18;
• Dau: Blodwin Phillips, age 5 [Blodie?]
• Dau: Katie Phillips, age 10

1911 – Census for Kirkwall contains a Johnstone family living in Garden Buildings near Bridge Street

• Father: John Johnstone, 49, Plumber, born Halkirk, Caithness
• Mother: Jane P Johnstone, 50, born Wick, Caithness
• Dau: Mary J Johnstone, 22, born Wick, Caithness
• Dau: Cath I C Johnstone, 14, born Wick, Caithness

1914 - Outbreak of WW1
1914 – Birth in BMD Records Ethel Jayne to Jessie J Phillips & Edwin W Jayne.

Extract from Letter (Archive Reference D1/1124)
1914-1918 – Residence An Orkney resident’s grandfather billeted with a family in Bridge Street during WW1. Later, this grandfather married one of the daughters, Mary Jane Johnstone.
Photograph of Bridge Street by Tom Kent, c.1904 (Reference TK3253)

1916 – WW1 Service Record David John Phillips No.Z/3130; DOB 15 August 1891; Fruiterer; Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, Wales Division; Height 5ft 4in; Eyes Hazel; Served on HMS Cyclops [depot & repair ship based Scapa Flow] Sep 1916-Nov 1917.
1916/7 - Blue Jacket Boy wrote letter home to Llanelli from Orkney. It was never delivered.

Extract from Letter (Archive Reference D1/1124)
1919 – Marriage Johnston Family Website Catherine Isabella Coghill BELLA Johnston b. 1896 Wick, Caithness + David John Phillips, fruiterer, RNVR HMS Cyclops, b. at Llanelli, Carmarthenshire, Wales m. 11 Apr 1919 Congregational Manse, Kirkwall
1919 – Marriage in ScotlandsPeople BMD website David John Phillips, 30, fruiterer, 61 Swansea Road, Llanelly married Catherine Isabella Coghill Johnston, Garden Street, Kirkwall 11 April 1919 in the Congregational Manse, Kirkwall
1919 – WW1 Service Record Discharged 5 May 1919 at Pembroke.
1920 – Electoral Register for Llanelli John, Margaret and David J Phillips all live at 61 Swansea Road.
1923 – Birth from Johnston Family Website Minnie Phillips b. abt Mar 1923 Llanelli, Carmarthenshire, Wales
1923 – Birth in BMD Records Minnie Phillips born March Quarter 1923 daughter of David John Phillips and Catherine Johnston
c.1920s – Marriage (source Orkney resident) of his grandfather who worked at the Orkney Herald and Mary Jane Johnstone.
1941 – Marriage in BMD Records Ethel Jayne married Clifford Hopkin Hargreaves – no offspring found.
1941 – Marriage in BMD Records Katie M Phillips married Robert L Morgans in Llanelli, 1941 (Oct-Dec quarter)
1943 – Marriage in Johnstone Family Website Miss Phillips + Mr Hodge b. abt Jun 1920 Exeter, Devon m. abt Sep 1943 Llanelli, Carmarthenshire, Wales
1943 – Marriage in FreeBMD website Miss Phillips married Mr Hodge in Llanelly registration district, Sep quarter 1943.
1952 – Birth in FreeBMD website Miss Hodge, mother’s maiden name Phillips, June quarter 1952
c.1960s – Oral History Visit to Phillips family in Llanelli, Wales by Orkney resident and his parents, as they were old family friends (he didn’t know why)
1980 - Letter found behind a fireplace in a house in Bridge Street, Kirkwall in 1980. Letter addressed to Mr John Phillips, 61 Swansea Road, Llanelli.
2013 – Letter passed to Orkney Archives. The hunt began……
The story has since appeared on Radio Orkney, Llanelli Star and the Dyfed Family History Society Newsletter.
I have removed some of the more recent names for data protection. We are currently trying to get in touch with Miss Hodge, Dai Phillips granddaughter.
Sources used:

• www.findmypast.co.uk
• Orkney Family History Society Census booklet for 1911
• Johnstone Family Website https://sites.google.com/site/johnstonsinwallsorkney
• www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk
• Electoral Roll in Carmarthenshire Archives
• www.freebmd.org.uk
• Local Orkney resident

To see the beginning of the story, click here.
To see the end of the story and the mystery solved, click here.

The Mystery of the Bluejacket Boy...

I write this post with a monocle screwed into one eye and an ill-advised moustache drawn onto my top lip with permanent marker pen. Dusty has taken the time to struggle into a mauve twin set and felt hat and both of us wield enormous magnifying glasses.

For we are detectives! And we invite you to be detectives too! Quick, pop on a trilby and light up a cigar, as we tell you the mysterious tale of ‘The Bluejacket Boy…’

One day, not so long ago, we received an email from a lady who wished to deposit an old letter with the archive. So far, so normal, but this was no ordinary family heirloom. The letter was written in 1916, in Orkney, by a young sailor to his family in Llanelli, Wales. We do not know his name as he only ever refers to himself by the nickname ‘your bluejacket boy.’

The letter was sealed and obviously intended to be posted as it bears a stamp. But. It was found, sealed, 64 years later behind a fireplace in Bridge Street, Kirkwall. His family never received it and the family who eventually uncovered it in their home have no idea how it ended up in the chimney space.

We have a few clues. He mentions various family members and asks to be remembered to them. He also mentions sending a handkerchief with a picture of a sailor on it to ‘Ethel’ who said ‘that’s Uncle Dai’ when she opened it. Is Ethel his niece? Is the Blue Jacket Boy named Dai? He talks about his sister Hannah too.

We would like to find out exactly who this man was and if there are family members still around. We shall keep you posted as we try and track the family down and do please get in touch if you have any suggestions or thoughts. Some extracts below:

For an update on information found out by Jan 2014, click here.
Mystery Solved information here.