ORKNEY ISLES

T hese pages on Orkney resulted from getting to grips with my immediate Orkney ancestors when sorting through my parents' papers. A by-product was near manic acquisition of books on Orkney, some 700 of which still burden my shelves - and those, would you believe it, are the result of somewhat selective buying over the last few years. Their consumption fuelled these pages. Arm-chair research is all jolly fine but I enjoyed the hands-on approach more and tried to visit Orkney most years. But ik am oold, me list not pley for age;
Gras tyme is doon, my fodder is now forage:
This white top writeth myne olde yeris:
Myn hert is also mowled as myne heris. And COVID-19 didn't help. My very first visit, in my early 20s, was also connected with books when I was asked to view a library. Further trips followed and on one, in 1973, I proposed to a selkie on Rackwick Beach - and was accepted!

      

W hile sorting through my parents' papers rekindled interest in my Orcadian roots, what began as a modest attempt at genealogy has since suffered severe mission creep and extends from 380 million ago to the present as shown in these pages whose subjects all have one thing in common; they interest me. Perhaps they will interest you. This website is far from complete and, in the nature of such things, probably never will be. There are many gaps, and the whole is more-or-less under constant review. If you spot any solecisms or can fill in any uncertainties please do not hesitate to get in touch.