Scotland > 1882-1915 - Slater's Royal National Commercial Directory of Scotland > 1903, Part 1 - Slater's Royal National Commercial Directory of Scotland ... (Royal National Directory of Scotland.) With ... map, etc

THE SHETLAND ISLES
(OR COUNTY OP SHETLAND).
THE SHETLAND, or Zetland Isles, which form a cuuuty of
Scotland, are above 100 in number, twenty-eight of which only
are inhabited, forming a group of islands, islets and rocks, in
the Northern Ocean, 44 miles west of Bergen, in Norway, lying
between 50 degs. 4S mine. 30 sees, and 60 degs. 52 mins. north
latitude, and between 1 deg t 52 sees, and 1 deg. 57 mins. west
longitude from London. Fair Island, one of the Shetland group,
lies 25 miles' south of the other islands and half way to Orkney,
Sumburgh Head, the southern point of Shetland, being 100 miles
north-east from Duncansbay Head, the northern point of Caith-
ness, and 52 north-east of Dennis Head, North Konaldshay, the
extreme north point of the Orkneys. There are three principal
islands in the group, namely, Mainland, Yell (on the north), and
(still further north-east) TJnst; on the east of Yell lies Fetlar,
which is the largest of the inferior islands, the lochs of which are
famous for trout, and several of the other islands abound with
seal, otter and wild fowl. The next island in point of size is
Bressay; the smaller ones are Whalsay, Out Skerries, Samphray,
Big Island, Mickle Roe, Papa Stour, House, Barray, Trondray,
besides a great number of islets, holms and skerries. The highest
land in these islands is Roeness Hill, which attains an elevation
of 1,447 feet. The Hill of Foula. is next in altitude being about
1,300 feet above the level of the sea, The aggregate area is 551.4
square miles, or 352,889 acres of land and 9,636 of water. The
population in 1891 was 28,711, and in 1901 was 11,984 males and
15,752 females; total, 27,736; and the inhabited houses were
in 1891, 5,564, and in 1901, 5,422.
Early History.— It seems probable that the Romans visited the
coasts of 'Shetland, from the coins of that people which have been
discovered— those of Galba, Vespasian, Trajan and iElius Csesar;
and the remains of a small Roman camp are to be traced on the
island of Fetlar. There seems to be little doubt these islands were
first inhabited by the Scandinavians, the laws having been ad-
ministered by " TJdallers," who acted as a sort of petty princes,
and under these chiefs and the Udal laws cultivated land was
free of tax. In the year 875, Harold Harfager, or " The Fair-
haired," subdued these islands, and gave them to Count Sigurd,
who was the first Earl of Orkney, from whom sprang the true
Norwegian dynasties of the Earls of Orkney and Shetland — the
latter county being at first too insignificant to be included in the
title, although it was included in the grant. On the cession of the
Shetland Isles to the Scottish crown, the laws of the former were
gradually encroached upon by the endeavours of the Scotch earls
to introduce feudal subjection and seniorage in place of the
ancient udal tenures. From 1468, when a marriage was concerted
between the Scottish monarch, James in. and the Princess of
Norway (when Orkney and Shetland were pledged to the royal
husband), to the time when the two countries passed to the
English crown, 'in the persons of Charles I. and II. and after-
wards to the Earl of Morton (who sold the estate to Sir Lawrence
Dundas), nothing occurs relating to the possession of Shetland that
calls for any particular notice. Lord Robert Stuart, natural
brother to Queen Mary, had a grant of the islands in 1565 and in
1581 was made justiciar, and in 1612 the islands were erected
into a stewartry as Crown property.
Soil, Produce &c. — Hie general aspect is bleak and barren; and
although there is but little to attract in the form of landscape in
what may be called the interior of the islands — the whole of them
being destitute of wood — their coast scenery presents views of a
highly interesting character; and the tourist may here see wild
scenery of diversified appearance and picturesque grandeur in
the coast of Shetland. The peculiar breed of Shetland pomes
are bred for exportation, and these small ponies, or " shelties "
as they are called, traverse their way across the wastes wirhoua
much difficulty. The cattle of Shetland are of a very diminutive-
breed, a cow weighing from two to three hundred weight upon
an average; an ox from three to four, but seldom exceeding five
hundred weight. A great abundance of poultry is kept on almost
every farm, and small swine are numerous. The sheep are very
email, but produce wool of an excellent quality, which is knitted
into shawls, veils, stockings, gloves and mitts. Little attention
is paid to agriculture, and the system of cultivation adopted is
poor, the principal crops grown being oats, potatoes and turnips,
the latter introduced early in the present century. The chief -
crops in 1902 as appears from the " Agricultural Returns for
Great Britain " are : oats, 7,598 acres; barley or bere, 1,571 ; the
total corn crop being 9,201 acres; potatoes, 3,013 acres; turnips
and swedes, 1,409 ; cabbage &c. 670 ; green crops, 4,994 acres ;
hay, 2,412 acres ; clover, sainfoin and grasses, not for hay,
670; permanent pasture, 40,365 acres; total area of land, 352,889,
of which 287,145 acres are mountain and heath land (used for
grazing); there are no woods or plantations. The live stock
in 1902 comprised — horses used solely for agriculture and brood
mares, 2,994; other horses, 2,675; cows and heifers in milk or
in calf, 8,202; other cattle, 10,582; ewes kept for breeding,
60,645; other sheep, 55,451; sows kept for breeding, 88; other
pigs, 1,625. The fuel in general use is peat, the cutting and
drying of which occupies diligent attention. The chief support
of the Shetlander is dependent on the white fishery — herring,
cod and ling abounding on the coasts ; besides which many men
and boys are employed every season in the Davis Straits whale
fishing. Persons are also engaged in angling for the small fry
of the coal fish or " gadus carbonarius " — known in Shetland by
the name of " sethe." These, which swarm in myriads within
the numerous creeks and sounds of this northern archipelago, first
appear in May scarcely more than an inch long, and about August
they become more abundant, measuring about eight inches m
length, and in the early part of the following year they attain
the ordinary size of the cod-fish. A profitable fishery then takes
place in deep tideways, supplying the inhabitants with a portion
of food and oil from the livers for light and other purposes. In.
1902 there were 754 fishing boats registered at Lerwick under
Part IY. of the " Merchant Shipping Act, 1894," with an
aggregate tonnage of 9,760, and employing 3,804 men and boys-
and 2,963 occasional hands.
The Shetland Isles, or county of Shetland, comprise 12 civil
parishes, comprising 18 ecclesiastical parishes in two presbyteries .
and one synod. The only town in this northern group is Ler-
wick; besides it, there are only a few villages and hamlets on the
shores, of which Scalloway is the largest. The islands now pay
their proportion of the land tax, and in every other respect have
become subject to British laws. They are represented in Parlia-
ment ae in connection with the Orkneys, to which sheriffdom
they belong. The number of electors on the parliamentary
register in 1903 was 3,793.
MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT
((Orkney & Shetland Isles).
John Cathcart Wason esq. Craig house, Daljarrock S.O. Ayrshire;
& Belgrave mansions S W & Union club W C, Reform club
S \V & Prince's club, London
SHETLAND COUNTY COUNCIL.
Convener, John Bruce, of Sumburgh
Vice-Convener, John Robertson, Lerwick
Clerk & Treasurer, Archibald Sutherland, Lerwick
COUNCILLORS.
Electoral Divisions with Names & Addresses.
Aithsting, James C. Grierson, Lerwick
Bressay, Robert D. Ganson, Lerwick
Burra & Quarff, Charles Lennie, Scalloway
Cunningsburgh, James M. Goudie
Belting (North), James Inkster, Brae
DeWng (South), William J. Adie, Voe
Dunrossness (North), Robert H. Isbister, Dunrossness
Dunrossnees (South), John Bruce, Sumburgh
Fetlar, Sir Arthur T. B. R. Nicolson bart. Fetlar
Lerwick (Central), John Robertson, Lerwick
Lerwick (Landward), William M. Shand, Lerwick
Lerwick (North), William A. A. Tullobh, Lerwick
Lerwick (South), Arthur L. Laing, Lerwick
Keating & Lunnasting, John Small, Lerwick
Xorthmavine (North), Andrew Robertson, Lerwick
Northmavine (South), John Anderson, Hillswick
Sandnese, J. B. Stoughton Holborn, Foula
Sandsting, Alexander Mitchell, jun. Lerwick
Bandwick, Sinclair T. Duncan, Hoswick, Sandwick
Local Government (Scotland) Act, 1889.
Tingwall, William Bae Duncan, Lerwick
TJnst (North), Charles G. D. Sandison, Baltasound
TJnst (South), John P. Sandison, TJyeasound
Walls, Peter Georgeson, Walle
Whalsav & Skerries, William A. Bruce, Lerwick
Whiteness & Weisdale, John Robertson, Setter, Weisdale
North Tell, Zachary M. Hamilton, Baltasound
Mid & South Tell, David Williamson, Lerwick
List of the Members of the County Council arranged alphabeti-
cally with the Electoral Divisions for which they respectively
sit
Names & Electoral Divisions.
ASie William J. Voe
Anderson John B. Lerwick (North)
Anderson John, Northmavine (South)
Bruce John, Dunrossness (South)
Bruce William A. Whakay & Skerries
Duncan/ Sinclair T. Sandwick
Duncan William Rae, Tingwall
Ganson Robert D. Bressay
Georgeson Peter, Walls
Goudie James M. Cunningsbnrgh
Grierson James C. Aithsting