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Scotland (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Scotland => Orkney => Topic started by: dowdstree on Saturday 10 April 21 22:37 BST (UK)

Title: Street location of Optician in Kirkwall in 1917
Post by: dowdstree on Saturday 10 April 21 22:37 BST (UK)

I wonder if someone could please help with the street the Optician's would be in. This would be in Kirkwall around 1917.

My grandmother's occupation is given as Trainee Optician on my mother's birth certificate in 1918. The family were living at Baikies Buildings, Junction Road, Kirkwall.

Thank you,

Dorrie

Title: Re: Street location of Optician in Kirkwall in 1917
Post by: DonM on Sunday 11 April 21 01:21 BST (UK)

Dorrie, there doesn't seem to be one just the travelling practitioners.

Leadbeater and Peters
Eyesight and Spectacle Specialists with over 1000 satisfied clients in Orkney

The above is from their ad, they had offices in Rotherham and Gainsburgh and came every May.

And in 1919 there was another who did a tour in April a Frank Battye.

Don

Title: Re: Street location of Optician in Kirkwall in 1917
Post by: Flattybasher9 on Sunday 11 April 21 08:43 BST (UK)

Perhaps worth contacting

https://orkneyfhs.co.uk/home.php

They may know.

Malky

Title: Re: Street location of Optician in Kirkwall in 1917
Post by: Skoosh on Sunday 11 April 21 08:56 BST (UK)

Also had an Orkney grannie Dorrie, so "Snap!"

skoosh.

Title: Re: Street location of Optician in Kirkwall in 1917
Post by: dowdstree on Sunday 11 April 21 11:08 BST (UK)

Thank you gentlemen for your replies.

DonM  -  Very useful information, thank you, which now opens up another theory which seems more likely. My mother was actually born in Edinburgh but my grandmother gave her home address as the Kirkwall the one I posted therefore the birth was registered in Edinburgh and Kirkwall.

Flattybasher9  -  I may give them a try, thank you.

Skoosh  - My Granny was not Orcadian by birth (my 5 x great grandmother was) Her father was a Regular soldier who moved from the Island of Sanday to Kirkwall at the outbreak of WW1. He was posted from Bere Island, Cork to Sanday, Lady Parish,  in 1910 so the 9 bairns must have run wild on the Island. Sadly a baby born on Sanday only lived a couple of months. I bet you are proud of your heritage. Thanks for your input.

Dorrie

Title: Re: Street location of Optician in Kirkwall in 1917
Post by: Skoosh on Sunday 11 April 21 12:16 BST (UK)

Dorrie, I just remember her in Springburn, she was born on Eday, her Da was off North Ronaldsay folk who the modernising Traill laird cleared to Eday after the famine & her Maw was from Northmavine in Shetland. The family moved to South Queensferry as her Da was a stonemason & worked on the bridge. She met my grandfather from Lithgae who sold insurance and boots tae the Briggers then ended up in Leith. One day they got a train tae Glesga & never looked back! ;D

Best Wishes,
Skoosh.

PS, William Towrie Cutt, "Faraway World, A Boyhood on Sanday!" worth a read.

Title: Re: Street location of Optician in Kirkwall in 1917
Post by: dowdstree on Sunday 11 April 21 13:05 BST (UK)

Thanks Skoosh fir geing me the low down on yer Orkney and Shetland Ancestry. You have quite a heritage :)

Interesting about the connection to North Ronaldsay. A cousin of my husband's lived there in the 1960's. Her husband was one of the Lighthouse Keepers. We have a friend who lives in Lerwick and she was born on Yell and brought up on Unst.

Cheers,

Dorrie