Times Past 05.12.08
25 YEARS AGO
Plans by a group of Lerwick youngsters to raise money for a youth centre in the town are being considered by the Shetland Association of Youth Clubs.
The building at 7 Commercial Road, which is owned by the SAYC, is in a state of disrepair and is not being used by the association. The youngsters, who have already started raising money for the scheme, wish to be responsible for paying for and organising repairs and want to use the building as a place where they and other local youngsters can get together in an informal atmosphere.
The group would like to have the buildings open at weekends and some nights during the week. If that worked well they would have plans to open during weekdays and possibly open a crèche where young single mothers could leave their children during working hours. SAYC secretary, Mrs Betty Clark, said on Wednesday that the association had not considered the youngsters’ request in detail.
50 YEARS AGO
Lerwick Harbour Trust are considering the best method of providing facilities for Bressay people using the small boat harbour.
The chairman, Mr G. H. Burgess, said when the present harbour extension scheme was started they had removed the small ramp slipway running parallel to Victoria Pier, and they were under an obligation to replace that facility. When they looked at it the trust had thought it more beneficial to extend the present slipway to a point approximately at the pilot’s jetty. In an interview with Mr Mainland, whose particular interest in this matter was from the Bressay people’s viewpoint, it was indicated that while this might be an advantage, it was not the type of proposal which he favoured. At that time Mr Gibson had pointed out that something might be done about steps being erected in the corner where the ramp had been.
Mr I. F. Henderson presented a rough sketch to the meeting showing this proposal. The present slipway would be raised in level to flatten the gradient, which was much too steep if cattle were being transported, and extended building on a shelf of rock. This would be a concrete construction with a small retaining wall and finished off with a reinforced concrete deck slab.
Mr P. Smith said that if the new construction was run in line with the present one then during an ebb the boats would be ebbed up. It would be all right at the top end but he was worried about the other end. Mr Linklater agreed with Mr Smith that there would be too little water and thought that they would have to go half-way out in the small boat harbour to get any depth of water. There was a limit to the depth that could be dredged, or harm might be done to the tow pitching, unless they took steps to seal it off.
100 YEARS AGO
Papa Stour correspondent. – There is widespread regret both felt and expressed by the people, at Messrs T. M. Adie & Sons having to withdraw their business from the island. This firm had almost the whole business affairs of the place in their hands for over seventy years, under the management of three generations.
Their connection with papa was first formed by the late Mr James Adie, and his brother, the late Mr Thomas M. Adie, the former having married a Miss Henderson in Papa and resided here and carried on the business for some time, after which he went to Canada, where success attended his business capacities, and where some of his near relations are still residing. Mr Thos. M. Adie, who had his main business quarters at Voe, still kept a branch of it going on here, having acquired the factorship of Lady Nicolson’s property in the islands, as also the whole run of the fishing in his hands.
The fishing at that time consisted of ling, cod, and saith, and during the summer months crews of fishermen from Walls, Sandness, Aithsting and Delting, came here to fish, each crew having a lodge built to accommodate them for the season. During this period, when beach accommodation could admit of it, several London smacks would come and dispose of their cargoes of cod, caught at Faroe, and this gave employment to all who could avail themselves of it.
After the late Mr Wm. J. Adie became managing partner of the firm, the business was carried on in a more up-to-date form. Workpeople’s wages were raised; and better arrangements in their time for work, and his brother Mr Thomas Adie (who was also a partner in the firm) opened up the cattle trade with the island, and fort some time bought all the cattle and ponies for sale in the place at as high prices as could be got on this side of the country. A fine commodious herring station was next erected at which not only herring curing was prosecuted but also spring fishing, by a number of Fraserburgh boats, for several years, all of which either directly or indirectly benefited the people of the place.
Since Mr Wm. J. Adie’s death, in 1903, Mr James A. Adie has been managing partner of the firm, and has followed in the steps of his worthy father as far as this island is concerned. Although the herring station has been closed for the past few years, for reasons widely known, yet he has done his best in the hosiery trade, and every other matter pertaining to the business. Through facilities afforded by Mr Adie in the way of transport, we have had for a few years back a visit from Mr Gilbert Anderson of Hillswick, who purchased all stock for sale on the island at satisfactory prices. In the fall Mr Adie has done his utmost to bring the cattle to the sales, where keen competition was shown, and high prices obtained for them.
The local manager, Mr James Cheyne, has been for a very long period in the place, first as foreman at the ling curing and station work, and lastly as manager of the business. He has been a man who, while serving his employer with the strictest fidelity, was ever ready to accommodate and oblige his customers, and in some cases, through his advice in economising, it is certain that where a clean balance sheet is shown, cases of bad debt would have accumulated, and thus he too leaves for his native home in Eshaness, followed by the good wishes of his many friends in Papa Stour.
