Orkney After the Armistice - January to June 1919

The 14th (and final) instalment of our "Orkney at War" Exhibition series is now available to see in the Archive Public Searchroom under the new title of "Orkney After the Armistice - January to June 1919.
The display shows how Orkney and Orcadians were affected during the aftermath of the war and includes information about the German High Seas Fleet interned in Scapa Flow from November 1918 to the dramatic scuttling on 21st June 1919.
Items used are newspaper reports, town council minutes, photographs, school log books, and sections of books most of which were created at the time or just after.

Here are a few items from the main exhibition:

JANUARY

Extract from Rev. Dr. T Crouther Gordon's book Early Flying in Orkney - Seaplanes in World War 1:
"In the New Year's Honour's List of 1st January 1919, the Distinguished Flying Cross was awarded by HM King George V to Captain Macro, Lieutenant Guild and myself, and Lieutenant Sanderson got the Air Force Cross."

Dr T Crouther Gordon, pilot at Houton Seaplane Station, WW1

The Orcadian 2nd January 1919 p4

ZETLAND COUNTY COUNCIL AND NAVAL PERMITS
Reminder to Naval Authorities that War is Over
At the monthly meeting of the Zetland County Council, Mr Mouat said he was very glad to see that the Orkney papers had taken up the question of permits at Orkney. He thought this Council should take the necessary steps to have these restrictions removed at once. We have borne hardships and restrictions uncomplainingly, and they were now no longer required. There was still apparently no shortage of red tape.

He had travelled in the south and he was sure that no other county in Great Britain would have put up with the restrictions which had been placed on our travelling public. Passengers who were allowed to go about on the mainland freely could not be trusted to land at Kirkwall to have a meal ashore. The same hardships were imposed on soldiers and sailors who had been fighting for their country.

Last week, a month after the signing of the Armistice, he stepped onto the pier at Kirkwall in order to despatch some telegrams when a detective whistled on him. He replied that he would land and he did so and gave his telegrams to a gentleman to send off. He asked the detective if the naval authorities did not know that the war was over, but was told that the restrictions still applied. Mr Pottinger and he had just arranged to send a wire to the Admiralty requested them to inform the naval authorities at Kirkwall that the war was over and to allow passengers from Shetland to land, when a Customs official came on board and said a telegram had just been received stating that passengers coming and going to Shetland could land at Kirkwall.

FEBRUARY

The Orcadian 13th February 1919 page 5

THE MILITARY CROSS
A supplement of the London Gazette stated on February 1st, the award of the Military Cross is announced to Second Lieutenant T. W. Hepburn, Highland Light Infantry, attached 15th Battalion, for conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty on September 5th 1918, at the crossing of the Somme. During the night he constructed a gangway on a broken bridge over the marshes under continuous machine-gun fire. He then crossed alone and reconnoitred the east bank of the river, the knowledge he gained resulting in the successful advance on to the ridge over the river by the company which he led. Lieutenant Hepburn is a son of Colonel Hepburn, Orkney Royal Garrison Artillery.

BAR TO MILITARY CROSS
Orcadians will be pleased to learn that Captain T N. F. Hourston, M.C. Argyle and Sutherland Highlanders, son of Mr and Mrs Hourston, Beaquoy Farm, Dounby, has now been awarded a bar to his Military Cross and mentioned in Sir Douglas Haig's New Year despatch. This honour was won during the fierce battle of September 29th - October 2nd crossing the St. Quentin canal near Joncourt.

The Orcadian 20 February 1919 page 4

REGENT STREET AT SCAPA FLOW - A Floating Shop for the Fleet
With the berthing of the steam ship Borodino in the Surrey Commercial Dock on Tuesday last week, it is now possible to make known a story which is without precedent in the history of the British Navy.
In December 1914, Commodore [Cecil] Lambert, the Fourth Sea Lord, conceived the idea that the monotony of life in the Grand Fleet, stationed at Scapa Flow, might be greatly relieved by giving the officers and men opportunities for obtaining the simple luxuries of everyday life, which, naturally, could not be obtained in the remote hamlets of the Orkney Islands. An arrangement was made with the Junior Army and Navy Stores, Lower Regent Street, [London] to take out a floating store, replete with every commodity that was likely to be required.
Officers and men of the Fleet were permitted to come aboard daily between 9 in the morning and 4 in the afternoon. These visits were usually productive of interesting incidents, and they were taken advantage of to an extent that the store was often overcrowded. On one occasion no fewer than 2,700 officers and men came to make purchases, and on another, when the American sailors boarded the SS Borodino in force the day's receipts amounted to £978. This turnover in the four years was at the rate of £10,000 per year.

PRINCE ALBERT'S VISITS
One of the frequent visitors was Prince Albert, and he invariably bought a shirt or collar. When he had made his purchase it was customary for him to say that the articles were for an other officer on board his ship. Prince Albert was a "snotty" with the Grand Fleet - a term which has been used in the Navy for young midshipmen since Nelson's day. Mr Allen, who was the first supervisor, stated that the prince was plain "Mr Johnson" to his companions. Occasionally when in the shopping centre the prince gave his orders in dumb show by putting his hands in his pockets and whistling. This was because the manager once laughingly said to him during a very busy time, "Now then, Johnson, no pilfering; whistle all the time till you're out of the shop, and keep your hands in your pockets till you are asked to pay. While you are whistling you can't eat anything, and you can't pinch anything with your hands in your pockets."

MARCH

The Orcadian 6th March 1919 page 4

LOCAL NEWS - SHIPPING MISHAPS
On Monday night an Admiralty Trawler when coming into Kirkwall collided with the steam fishing trawler R. H. Davidson. The latter vessel which was lying at anchor in the bay at the time, had her port quarter seriously damaged, and the cabin, which is aft, is full of water. The vessel was taken alongside Kirkwall Pier to have temporary repairs effected. A naval launch lying at the entrance to the Basin filled with water during the gale and sank. The launch was raised on Tuesday, but was found to be considerably damaged, owing to the "puffer" Borderglen, alongside which vessel it had been lying, canting over on to it taking the ground at low water.

The Orcadian 13 March 1919 page 4

DISTRICT NEWS - DEERNESS
Influenza is rife in the parish and very few households have escaped. One or other of the doctors from Kirkwall has been in the parish every day for a fortnight, and on one day the services of three medical men were required. From Sunday, 2nd to Saturday 8th inst.[of this month], eight deaths occurred. In several instances whole households have been suffering from the complaint at one time.

APRIL

At a meeting of the Stromness Town Council on the 12th April, the Town Clerk wrote:

Letters were submitted of 22nd March and 3rd inst. from the Naval Works Office, Stromness stating that Saw Mills had been vacated by the Air Force and on the subject of replacements required. The Town Clerk was instructed to write stating what was required in the way of reinstatement.

Extract from S1/5 Stromness Town Council Minutes 1910-1924

MAY

The Orcadian 8th May 1919 page 4

DISTRICT NEWS - SANDAY - DEMOBILISED SOLDIERS ENTERTAINMENT

All the demobilised soldiers were entertained by the ladies of the island on Friday night, in the Drill Hall. The entertainment, which was very enjoyable, took the form of a tea and dance. Mr Scott, in his address of welcome to the invited guests, spoke warmly of the services they had rendered during the great war, and in very touching words expressed the great debt the country owed to those who had made the supreme sacrifice. Mr Scott was then thanked for his address of welcome, and the soldiers were called on to give three cheers to the ladies of the island. This was responded to in real army fashion. Thereafter dancing was engaged in with great spirit for several hours, excellent refreshments being handed round at intervals.

Altogether it was a most enjoyable evening, and the invited guests take this opportunity of thanking their hostesses for the splendid arrangements they made, and also for their uniform kindness and generosity to the soldiers not only on this occasion, but throughout the long stress and strain. Special thanks are due to the ladies committee, consisting of:- Mrs MacPhail, Mrs Baillie, Misses Sinclair, Burgher, Wilson, Fotheringhame, Clouston, Muir, Moodie, Swanney and Skea. Splendid music was supplied by Messrs James and William Grieve, Melville, Fotheringhame and meil. The excellence of the tea was due to Miss Scott and Mrs Garrioch, and Messrs Fairbairn and Baillie did their upmost to make the entertainment an unqualified success. [Sadly the names of the demobilised soldiers were not listed in this article]



The Orcadian 15th May 1919 page 5

AMERICANS IN KIRKWALL

Most of the American minesweepers based at Kirkwall proceeded to sea last Saturday morning to commence the work of cleaning up the minefields. On Thursday night the opening concert was given in the YMCA Hut. The first portion of entertainment consisted of a performance by the band of USS Black Hawks, under bandmaster R. W. Wilson. The programme submitted highly delighted the large audience. The jazz band and a portion of the minstrel troupe enlivened the remainder of the evening with their witticisms, humorous songs and catchy music. On Sunday evening the Rev. G. W. Dalgleish, M. A. conducted a service in the YMCA Hut for the Presbyterian sailors of the American Fleet.

A further match in the baseball league has been arranged for Saturday afternoon in the Bignold Park. At the close of play, there will be four boxing bouts. Among those who will take part is Johnny Dougherty, a well-known London Professional boxer, now with the K. of C. [possibly the Knights of Columbus]

JUNE

THE GERMAN HIGH SEAS FLEET INTERNED IN SCAPA FLOW

German Fleet in Scapa Flow taken by Tom Kent Ref: TK4130

Extract from book Scapa and a Camera by C W Burrows:

"During the period of their internment, communication between the German ships and our own Fleet was restricted to a minimum, and no one from our own ships was allowed on board the interned vessels unless on duty of an urgent nature. The Germans were required to victual and store their own ships from Germany, coal and water only being supplied locally.

B98 Destroyer used on mail service between Scapa Flow and Germany
Ran aground in the Bay of Lopness, Sanday. Photo by Tom Kent Ref: TK4201

As German warships were not constructed for living aboard for long periods (the sailors being mostly accommodated in barracks when in harbour), the crews at Scapa must have had a rather unenviable time of it, though there was a certain element of poetic justice in interning them in the region where for so long our own Fleet had kept its lonely vigil. As one of their officers remarked in writing home and describing the bleakness and desolation of Scapa: "If the English have stood this for four years, they deserve to have won the war."

The German ships were patrolled by a number of drifters - a somewhat ignominious guard for the much-vaunted German Fleet.

The Germans' love of music was in evidence even at Scapa, and it was somewhat strange and at times rather pathetic to hear the unfamiliar strains of Die Wacht am Rhein and  Die Lorelei rising from the German ships, some which still retained their bands."

SCUTTLING - 21st June 1919

Stromness Public School Log Book (Infant School). Ref: CO5/93/5

"21st June: By kind permission of the Rear Admiral Commanding Orkney and Shetland, the pupils and teachers were conveyed by HMS Flying Kestrel to view the German Fleet in Scapa Flow.



Image of a tug which may be the Flying Kestrel Ref: L5128/4

They had the unique experience of seeing the Imperial German Ensigns flying at the mastheads, as their crews apparently by general agreement had made up their plans to sink them on this date. The crews were seen in small boats, pinnaces, rafts, etc.

By 4 p.m. only the Baden a light cruiser ashore on the West of Cava, and the turrets of the Hindenburg were to be seen from the School."

The turrets of the Hindenburg by C. W. Burrows Ref: L9522/3

The Orcadian 26th June 1919 page 4

STROMNESS SCHOOL CHILDREN'S THRILL

On Saturday afternoon, through the courtesy of the ACOS, the teachers and children of the Stromness School were taken through the lines of the German Fleet in the Flying Kestrel. Leaving Stromness about 10:30, they were able to see a good deal of what happened in the course of the day. The Flying Kestrel, after leaving Stromness, called at the battleships Baden, Kaiserin, Kaiser and Konig Albert, and then proceeded to visit the battle cruisers Derflinger, Hindenburg and Seidlitz. When the party reached the Seidlitz, my informant was surprised to notice that great preparations were being made to launch boats.

SIGNS OF EVACUATION

He observed that the crew were collecting large numbers of suit-cases and bags together. This was in the neighbourhood of 11 o'clock. The party went on to visit the destroyers, and there also seemed to be great preparations for a change or swapping of crews. The skipper asked the party of they would like to visit the hospital ships attached to the base. This was done... and the Flying Kestrel began to return to Stromness.

THE FIRST VESSEL SINKS

A drifter which was sailing towards the flagship shouted out that the German ships were sinking themselves. This was hailed with incredulity, but a vessel was suddenly seen to heel over beyond the north point of the island of Cava, turn bottom upwards and disappear. The journey towards home was continued, and the noticeable feature was the display of German Ensigns of the largest size on all the vessels.

German Cruiser SMS Bremse turned turtle. Ref: L6848/1

Pinnaces, small boats and rafts were seen in the water alongside the ships, filled or being filled with men. The ships began to sink deeper in the water, generally settling more quickly by the stern than by the bows. When the water reached the level of the deck at the stern,... the ship generally heeled over and turned bottom upwards. For sometime the hull remained above the surface, with steam pouring through vents in the bottom, but soon the hulls themselves disappeared.

Photo by C. W. Burrows Ref: L951/2

Men guarding sunken boat by Tom Kent Ref: TK4165

The children on board, more especially the younger of them, were greatly excited at the sight of the sinking vessels and the sight of men in the water, and in many cases were reduced to tears.

More Witnesses

G.H. Wild: 



Extract from p133 of Scapa Flow: The Story of Britain's Greatest Naval Anchorage in Two World Wars. by Malcolm Brown and Patricia Meehan. Available to see in the Orkney Room under reference 941.09 Y.

Hugh "Ti" David: "Yesterday at 9.45 the squadron with all destroyers at Scapa, put to sea for torpedo exercises - at 12.45 we received a wireless informing us that a German battleship was sinking - we turned and at full speed dashed back to Scapa - we got back at 3.30 and the sight that met our gaze as we rounded the Island of Flotta is absolutely indescribable. A good half of/




D1/1485 - Letter from Hugh David to this mother from HMS Revenge, 1919

 /of the German Fleet had already disappeared, the water was one mass of wreckage of every description, boats, carley floats, chairs, tables and human beings, and the 'Bayern' the largest German battleship, her bow reared vertically out of the water was in the act of crashing finally bottomwards, which she did a few seconds later in a cloud of smoke bursting her boilers as she went."


D1/1485 - Letter from Hugh David to this mother from HMS Revenge, 1919

A series of events will take place this weekend to commemorate the centenary of the Scuttling of the German High Seas Fleet. More information here https://www.facebook.com/scapa100/

Margaret Tait 100

Margaret Caroline Tait, Orcadian film maker, poet and medical doctor was born, one hundred years ago tomorrow, on the 11th November 1918 - Armistice Day.

Her family lived in a flat on Broad Street, opposite St Magnus Cathedral and so would have heard the ships honking in the harbour and seen the bunting bedecked streets from their window on that day.

Tait trained as a doctor in Edinburgh after primary schooling in Kirkwall and a secondary education in Edinburgh. She enlisted in 1943 and served with the Royal Army Medical Corps in the UK and the Far East where she began to write short stories.

Margaret Tait's Italian Student Matriculation Card with photograph dated 1947.
Orkney Archive Reference D97/1/6

After some time working as a locum doctor (and writing screenplays) in various parts of Britain, Tait travelled to Perugia in 1950 to research a film. She ended up abandoning the proposed film and instead enrolled at the Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia film school in Rome for a two year course. This led to the formation of Ancona films with fellow student Peter Hollander.

Margaret Tait and Peter Hollander
Orkney Archive Reference D97/44/5

For the next 46 years, Tait worked under the banner of Ancona films, largely alone and in various Scottish locations, making short films which were partly funded by her continuing work as a locum. Books of poetry were also produced, short stories and a children's book. She made watercolours, wrote a novel and took photographs.

Watercolour design for film Painted Eightsome.
Orkney Archive Reference D97/44/2

In 1992, Tait finally directed her long gestated feature film Blue Black Permanent at the age of 72.

Continuity polaroids used during the filming of Blue Black Permanent.
Orkney Archive Reference D97/13

When she died at the age of 80 in April 1999, her husband Alec gifted several crates worth of letters, photographs, poems, screenplays, paintings, personal diaries, filming diaries, notebooks and personal documents to the library and archive. 48 boxes worth have been catalogued and are available to view.

Several items are currently on loan to GOMA in Glasgow, Summerhall in Edinburgh and Northlight in Stromness, all of whom are currently hosting exhibitions celebrating Margaret Tait's centenary. There is also a small display in the Orkney Room in the Orkney Library & Archive.

If you are unable to visit us in person, then please see below for more images from our exhibit and click here to watch her films.

Poster and ticket for the 1955 Rose Street Film Festival held in Margaret Tait's Edinburgh flat.
Orkney Archive Reference D97/23/1/19&20 



Storyboard for Blue Black Permanent
Orkney Archive Reference D97/26/8

Orkney Archive Reference D97/13

Orkney at War (July - December 1918)

The 13th instalment of our "Orkney at War" Exhibition is now available to see in the Archive Public Searchroom. [All images and text used in these exhibitions can now be seen in a folder in the Orkney Room]
The display shows how Orkney and Orcadians were affected by the war in their daily lives, using items from the Archive collections which were created at the time. Items such as newspaper reports, scrapbooks, council minutes, photographs, letters and diaries.

Here are a few items from the main exhibition:

From the Orcadian 4th July 2018:

"The New Voters Roll

Large Increase in Number of Voters

Over 1500 absent Voters on Orkney Roll

Compared with the register of voters, when last made up on 1st October 1914, the electorate has increased from 4414 to 11726 an increase of 7315.
As female voters account for 4568 of the total on the new list, male voters show an increase of 2747, or, excluding the 1547 men shown to be on active service, an increase of 1200."

Extracts from the Memoir of Bernard Williams (Archive ref: D1/526):

"The weather in July 1918 was perfect for this was the month that we embarked on the wooden 150 ton boat Minerva from Kirkwall to Pierowall Bay. It was as well that this boat was motivated by an eight horsepower combustion engine with a propeller with a 2 foot diameter, for if it relied on sail we should have been becalmed and stranded, this calm weather was unusual for the Orkneys.
When about to cast we had a distribution of letters and parcels from home. I well remember my packet contained a slab of Rowntree's plain chocolate which sustained me on this long sea epic to Pierowall, Westray Island, the most northern of the Orkney Islands [sic.] It was remarkable that Air Force authorities thought it not necessary to provide us rations until the end of this long sea journey. Of course the need for our visit to Westray was to make dawn attacks on U-boats that had become a menace to our shipping lines supplying food and arms to the Allied Forces and civilian population. The Minerva was already accommodating depth charges for this macabre mission of ours, also an Observation Balloon, also a 1 ton lorry with windlass and wire anchoring rope. They played a prominent part in spotting German submarines in the vicinity of the Northern Orkney Islands.
There was no slipway at Pierowall Bay so all loading had to be done by a rowing boat belonging to a Westray owner. The Minerva docked on the sea side of the pier at full tide. This, whether by fortune or guile of our intrepid pilot who charted us through this perilous venture, lessened the ordeal of unloading all our equipment. The lorry was removed first and was soon to be the first motorised vehicle to operate on the island of Westray. Only equestrian drawn traps and carts prevailed before."

From John Fraser's Scrapbook, Archive Reference D1/692:

Letter to Willie Rendall from his mother about life in Kirkwall in July 1918. Part of the letter states that: "I can not get jam here today or Saturday as the Americans has been ashore on leave by the thousands and bought up everything we had".

Robert Rendall Papers D27/7/10

From book, Early Flying in Orkney by Dr. T Crowther Gordon: Extract from his day-to-day log book while stationed at Houton Air Station, Orphir. p20-21.

"The most exciting, dangerous and perplexing day of my whole career was Sunday 15th September [1918].
At 2.15pm I took off in F.3 4235 with Observer Harwood and flew at 1500 feet to squares 83, 84, and 95 in search of U-boats. When sixty miles out eat I decided to return to base with nothing to report, but the wind rose and low clouds obscured the Orkney Islands. I asked my navigator for my position, but he confessed he did not know. My engineer tapped me to draw my attention to the starboard engine. I was horror-struck. The petrol pipe was severed and more than half of the petrol was running along the outside of the exhaust pipe, which on an RR360 was very short. Flames flared from the inside of the exhaust while petrol ran along the outside. In a moment the whole machine could go down in flames and out of control. We were over a minefield; there was no ship small or large in sight. The revs dropped from 1400 to 400. The sea was rising. owing to low clouds no land was in sight. Four lives were at stake. One thing was clear to me: I would stay in flight for as long as the plane would fly.


Dr. T Crowther Gordon

On we flew and finally, plunging down through thick clouds, I levelled out to see just ahead of us the Horse of Copinsay, Holm Sound and the Flow. As the boat landed the starboard engine cut out completely. We were helpless but we were home. On examination the slipstream had kept the two broken halves of the petrol-pipe close enough to allow some of the fuel to pass into the engine and so keep the machine in the air."

From John Fraser's Scrapbook, Archive Reference D1/692:

From the Orcadian newspaper 19th September 1918 p7:

CAKES FROM CRUSTS OF BREAD

The urgent claims of coal economy make it imperative that baking days should be as infrequent as possible. But infrequent baking days have their disadvantages - among them numerous dry, stale crusts of bread which just before baking day comes round again accumulated remarkably fast. Bread does get dry nowadays!

Here is a good recipe for using up some of the crusts - and for making at the same time some excellent cakes for tea:-

Put the crusts of bread in a basin and pour boiling water on them. Meanwhile prepare a plain short pastry and line a number of small patty pans with it.

Drain away the water from the bread and beat with a fork. Add some dried egg beaten up with water, a little sugar, and if obtainable a few currants. If the currants cannot be had, flavour the bread mixture with ratafia.

Ratafia is a liqueur flavoured with almonds or the kernels of peaches, apricots or cherries.

From the Orcadian 14th November 1918, p4:



REJOICINGS IN KIRKWALL

The news of the signing of the Armistice with Germany was received in Kirkwall on Monday morning. The announcement was received with intense enthusiasm. The shipping in harbour, and the streets of Kirkwall were quickly bedecked with bunting, whilst the steamers in port voiced the feelings of all by the continuous sounding of sirens. All through the day the manifestations of joy continued; as ship after ship entered the bay, the glad tidings were announced to the mariners by renewed blowing of whistles.

On the recommendation of Provost Baikie, all places of business in the town were closed in the afternoon, and a joint service of thanksgiving, in which the ministers of the town took part, was conducted in St. Magnus Cathedral at night.

From John Fraser's Scrapbook, Archive Reference D1/692:

From the Orcadian newspaper 21st November 1918:

DISTRICT NEWS                                 FLOTTA

CELEBRATING "THE DAY" - The day on which the Germans signed the Armistice, which means peace, with glorious (if dear bought) victory for our side, was made memorable here by the blowing of their sirens for a long time, both in the forenoon and at night, by the "multitude" of vessels in the vicinity; by the hoisting of flags at prominent places, and by the ringing (by the minister himself) of the Parish Church bell. And now we will be looking for the early return of our dear ones who have "come through the war". Alas! That the general joy of meeting the living will be so much taken away from by the sorrow for those whom we will meet no more on earth. With every community in the empire, we thank God that the carnage has eventually ceased; and that it is hardly within the bounds of possibility that there will be another "world conflict" for generations to come.

Surrender of the German High Seas Fleet, November 1918:

It was actually November 1918 that the German High Seas Fleet came to Scapa Flow.

The German Fleet in Scapa Flow, Orkney

[All images and text used in these exhibitions can now be seen in a folder in the Orkney Room]. Click on "Orkney At War" in the labels to see more blog posts on this subject.

 

Dusty's first attempt at the 'Cakes from Crusts of Bread' recipe shown here at our Staff Christmas Party on the 8th December. They do look nice, but they were not very tasty, since the only sweet ingredient was the currants.  

 

 

Orkney Remembering

 

Prime Minister David Lloyd George announced on 11 November 1918 that an armistice had been signed with Germany at five o’clock that morning. All hostilities were to cease at eleven o’clock that same morning. The Great War was over.


The first indication of this momentous news in Kirkwall was made public at around half past nine in the morning. At that time naval vessels in Kirkwall Harbour, who had been alerted by a wireless message from their headquarters, began to sound their sirens. The townspeople must have realised that something was afoot and, even though it was to be some hours before it was announced to the press, the streets of Kirkwall were soon the scene of mass celebrations. The bells of St. Magnus Cathedral rang out in accompaniment to the ship’s sirens, and flags and bunting were soon to be seen displayed on many of the buildings. The Town Council, probably recognising that there was not going to be much work done that day, announced that it was declaring a half day holiday.

In Scapa Flow, word soon spread from the British ships to Flotta. In an echo of the Kirkwall celebrations sirens were sounded, flags were unfurled and the minister himself rang the parish church bells.

In the evening of the first day of peace a hastily arranged service of thanksgiving was held in the cathedral, at which every minister in the town took part.

Following the armistice agreement there was a welcome relaxation of some of the restrictions placed upon the public during the war years. Among them, masking on street lights could now be removed, as could the shading of lights in houses and shops, except those visible from the sea. People were reminded, however, that there was still a shortage of coal throughout the country.

It would indeed have been a time of great joy and relief to people the world over. A great number of Orkney’s young men, nearly 600 in total, had lost their lives in the trenches and battlefields of Europe, but now the survivors would be coming home to their families.

Here are a few concert programmes from the Cromarty Hall, St Margaret's Hope, South Ronaldsay from 1922, 1923 and 1924.

And here is a photograph showing the people of Kirkwall observing Armistice Day in 1926.

Archive References: D1/155, TK730, TK731