A SHETLAND CHARACTER

Man Who Chose his Permanent Surname

From The Scotsman 5/3/1930

There has recently died in the Island of Foula, Shetland (writes a correspondent), a man who was probably the last in Britain to choose his permanent surname. He was named Gideon, and was the son of James, who was the son of Magnus, who in his turn was the son of Robert. Following the old custom, Gideon’s grandfather was known as Magnus Robertson, while his father was called James Manson (i.e., Magnus’s son.). Instead of calling himself Jameson, Gideon decided to depart from the custom of “turning the names,” and adopted his father’s surname. Thus while others boast of an ancient name, Gideon Manson was proud of the fact that his had only been established for one generation only.

He was unmarried, and lived in a tiny “but and ben” on a lonely hillside. He had a great reputation as a poet, and used to say that after his death the world would know that he was a second Robert Burns. Yet he was extremely reluctant to read or recite his works. Occasionally when his store of tobacco was running low he would succumb to a bribe, and would recite one poem in return for two ounces of tobacco; but under no circumstances would he yield to demands for an encore. We were fortunate in obtaining from him a local version of one of the oldest known ballads – “The Cruel Mother.”

Gideon’s occupation was fishing, and at one time, owing to ill health and scarcity of fish, he was reduced to extreme poverty. For years he was permitted to sit rent free; but when the advent of the old age pension raised him to comparative affluence, his first thought was to pay off his arrears of rent.

Honest, proud, reserved, indulging a biting tongue at the expense of his neighbours, he will nevertheless be regretted by all who were privileged to know this remarkable island character.

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ISLAND FACING STARVATION

Plight of Shetlanders on Foula

REMOVAL SUGGESTED

From The Scotsman 19/11/1931

Two letters from Foula, read at a meeting of Zetland County Council, alleged that the natives, about 140 in number, are starving for lack of the necessities of life.

A suggestion was made that Foula should be evacuated the same as St Kilda.

BOAT DELAYED SIX WEEKS

Council Declines to Take Action

From The Scotsman 19/11/1931

At a meeting of the County Council of Zetland a communication was read regarding two letters from Foula revealing the serious plight of the islanders. It appears from the statements made that the shop formerly open on the island was given up some time ago, and that in consequence everyone was running short of meal, tea, sugar, paraffin, and other necessities. One of the letters went so far as to state that the people were on the point of starvation.

A small boat conveyed mails to the island every fortnight, but sometimes it was delayed four to six weeks, and at the time of writing the last was three weeks overdue. Until Monday’s mail on the 16^th inst. The last mail was on 16^th October.

Mr H. Mouat said the people did not support the shop when it was there, and he suggested they form a syndicate, and bring in their own supplies.

Mr James Laing, who had lived on the island, said that on his last journay he was five weeks and four days longer than he meant to be, and during that time, although there was a shop in the island, they were short of practically everything. The reason why the people sent to the mainland for goods was that they could get better prices for their produce in Walls than in Foula, where there was no market.

Mr M. L. Manson said he was in favour of public ownership and enterprise, but he did not think it would be wise for the council to buy Foula. It should be evacuated the same as St Kilda.

The Council decided they could take no action, and recommended that the people should endeavour to do something among themselves to ensure supplies of foodstuffs.

Foula is thirteen miles distant from Watsness, the nearest point on the mainland, and eighteen miles from Walls, the nearest village from which supplies can be had.

The 1911 census gave the population of Foula as 230. The 1921 census showed a large falling off, the figures being 149. This year’s figures will probably show a still further decline in the population.

LETTER TO THE SCOTSMAN 20/11/1931

28 North Bridge, Edinburgh,

November 19, 1931

SIR, - The news from Foula of the shortage of food is not quite so alarming as it appears. It is only a matter of storage of food in the island. There was a small shop which apparently has been closed, and the people, who buy from Walls on the mainland, have not stored enough flour, &c., to carry them over a stormy spell of weather during which the boat could not sail for provisions.

In other isolated northern islands, such as North Ronaldshay in Orkney, there are co-operative societies which meet the situation. A small society could be formed in Foula.

From personal knowledge of the island and its people, I would say that they were comparatively well off. The crofts are cheap: probably £2 or so per annum. The outrun of pasture for sheep is considerable, and some crofters run scores of sheep on the hill, without payment beyond rent of the croft. The pasture is good, and the sheep bigger than the ordinary Shetland native sheep, with a heavier fleece. A number of the people are old, and the amount of money entering the island from Old Age Pension is considerable, possibly ten times the rental. Terms such as “starvation” or “evacuation” are out of the question. – I am, &c.

ANDREW STEWART.

LETTER TO THE SCOTSMAN 20/11/1931

November 19, 1931

SIR, - For Foula to share the fate of St Kilda would be a national disgrace, and I hope the present situation will prove to be the saving of this interesting, intelligent, industrious community, rather than their undoing.

This island undoubtedly suffers from sheer neglect. With their wireless receivers the inhabitants learn and discuss the world’s news, but they have no means of sending out messages. Though only thirteen miles from the mainland of Shetland, there is no communication by telegraph or telephone. I understand a cable was laid some years ago, but was fouled by a drifter, and has never been repaired. An epidemic might occur and the entire population might be wiped out before the parish town of Walls, on the mainland, knew anything about it.

If Foula wants her mails she has to send for them, and Walls is at regular periods reminded of her island parishioners by the arrival of the tiny “sixareen,” which, after three hours’ tossing in the open Atlantic, comes struggling through Vaila Sound and throbs triumphantly through the sheltered Voe.

From time immemorial Foula has been inhabited. Does it not seem strange, that in these days of ever-improving transport she may have to give up the struggle for existence? Admittedly the island is often unapproachable by sea, but with a sturdier boat communication would not be so restricted. No doubt when aircraft develops from the spectacular to the more practical the excellent landing ground at the “Daal” will enable Foula to be better served. – I am, &c. LOVER OF FOULA.

WOMAN TO DATE

NOTES AND IMPRESSIONS BY A WOMAN JOURNALIST

From The Scotsman 25/11/1931

FOULA

Tales of destitution on Foula Island are emphatically denied by Mrs Trail, whose connection with the island dates back over nearly half a century. People do not realise, she says, how little money is actually required when life is so simple. Of the 109 inhabitants, quite a large proportion draw the Old Age Pension and some of the pensioners have probably never had so large an income before. For something like a tenth of it they can buy the week’s allowance of the meal which forms a staple diet. Peats are collected ad lib., so that fuel is not an item in the weekly budget. According to her, some of the islanders dispense with lighting altogether, content with the glow from the peat fire, burning on the stone hearth in the middle of the room. Each tiny croft has its cow – never more than three cows – and she herself has been responsible for the introduction of good strains in poultry, and the sheep, which cost little or nothing to keep, provide wool for the women to knit. Everyone knows how well they do that, preserving to this day the twelve patterns learnt by their foremothers from survivors of the Spanish Armada. Mrs Trail, who owns the mail boat, herself acts as a link between the knitting community of Foula and the purchasing public, and her stand is a familiar landmark at the Highland Show. One curious thing that she told me about Foula is the hold that it has upon natives who have travelled far from its rocky shores in search of fortune. “They all come home to die!” she told me. The younger generation, however is not numerous. Some seven pupils attend the school, and as for babies – there is one.

The Position in Foula

From The Scotsman 28/11/1931

Lerwick, November 27, 1931

Sir, - I have read the various letters which have appeared in The Scotsman regarding the conditions of the people of Foula. It appears to me that the writers have lost all sight of the two most important points. viz., that the supply shop has had to be given up for want of support, and that the weather frequently prevents a boat, no matter what size, from landing for weeks together, the one or two landing-places in the island being exceedingly bad and exposed ones.

The Foula folk, like all others, want their provisions at the lowest rates, and when they are asked to pay more than those obtaining elsewhere they object, and when opportunity offers they go outside the island for their supplies. The result of this has been that the shop has been closed down, for no one could afford to lay in a stock of perishable goods which might or might not be purchased. As a matter of fact, on one occasion a certain merchant took in, or put in £200 worth of groceries, a big proportion of which he lost owing to a slump in prices. One cannot blame the Foula people for trying to buy in the cheapest market, but no one need expect merchants to carry on business at a loss.

The landing at the island is a matter of great difficulty, often for weeks together. The size of the vessel going there is not the point – no matter how big or powerful she might be, she frequently could not land owing to the state of the weather and the want and kind of creeks.

Foula is one thing in summer-time, but quite another thing in winter. – I am, &c. Q.

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