Aglooka Advisor - John Rae Society
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Aglooka Advisor
Summer 2020
Issue No. 10
1
Aglooka Advisor
Summer 2020 Issue No.10
President’s Report page 4
The Future of Clestrain page 6
The John Rae Society patrons page 8
Trailer for Double Transit of the NW Passage-just! page 9
All’s Well at Clestrain page 13
From Erebus to Orkney page 14
Contributions from Members page 16
JRS Explorer Badges page 18
Completion of the New House at Clestrain page 19
Where is Clestrain’s Garden? page 22
JRS Collage for the NHS page 23
Thoughts on the Lockdown page 23
Photo on front cover: reconstruction of the Hall of Clestrain as it
might have looked in 1769. Drawing by Simpson and Brown 1990.
2
Patrons
Dr Peter St John, The Earl of Orkney
Ken McGoogan, Author
Ray Mears, Author & TV Presenter
Elaine Grieve, Lord Lieutenant of Orkney
Sir Michael Palin
Magnus Linklater CBE
Board of Trustees
(in alphabetical order by surname)
Andrew Appleby — Jim Chalmers — Neil Kermode — Fiona Lettice—Mark Newton —
Norman Shearer — Nominated: James Grieve, Liz MacInally
Committee
President — Andrew Appleby
Chairman — Norman Shearer
Honorary Treasurer — Fiona Lettice
Webmaster and Social Media — Mark Newton
Honorary Secretary — Michelle Scott
Registered Office
The John Rae Society
7 Church Road, Stromness, Orkney KW16 3BA
Tel: 01856 771419
Website: www.johnraesociety.com e-mail: info@johnraesociety.com
Newsletter Editor — Fiona Gould
The views expressed in this newsletter are those of the authors and not necessarily
those of the Editor or the Board of Trustees of the John Rae Society
3President’s Report meet remotely. This is very
successful and brings us
What is on everyone’s mind
together.
just now is the Corona Virus
lockdown. I will refer to that I must mention that Wilma
later. Hutchison of the Pomona Inn,
Finstown, has had to close her
Firstly I have to tell you that
welcoming pub due to a fall.
our Chairman, Norman
This was our venue for board
Shearer, suffered a stroke
meetings and we thank her for
earlier in the year. He is
her kind hospitality over the
recovering well, but he is
years.
currently unable to perform his
role as chairman. We all wish Despite all these setbacks, we
Norman well. make long strides forward.
Simpson and Brown of
Founding Trustee, Anna Elmy,
Edinburgh are completing a
has stood down. She has been
Heritage Assessment with
suffering with mobility
architectural recommend-
problems for a long while and
ations. Rob Robinson of Herit-
is unable to get out and about.
age Consulting is preparing a
We all wish her well too and
business sustainability report
thank her for her tremendous
too. Thanks to your generosity
contribution to the John Rae
we can still afford to complete
society.
these assignments in separate
We are delighted, though, to stages. This will prepare the
welcome Liz MacInally from Society to apply for the major
Stenness onto the board and grants when the lockdown has
James Grieve from Kirkwall. eased.
Both have the talents we need
Another major stride forward
in this exceptionally busy time
is the purchase of additional
for JRS. Another welcome is to
land at the back of The Hall of
Michelle Scott who has
Clestrain. We have negotiated
volunteered her services as
a far broader strip for access
Secretary.
and a greater parking and
Due to the social distancing we turning area. This will give us
are no longer meeting as space for a wider road down, a
before. Mark Newton set up footpath and cycle path. We
Microsoft Teams so we can can also land and waterscape
4the intermittent burn into a the Hall of Clestrain from
more natural feature and them.
create an approach with a rich
As seen in the last Newsletter,
collection of natural Orkney
several corporate members
and arctic plants, giving an
have joined us with their
enhanced feeling of bio-
support. There is one,
diversity.
however, to whom we gave
The greater parking area honorary corporate member-
removes the risks of placing ship. This is Casey Con-
the car park over archae- struction. Paddy Casey has so
ologically sensitive areas close many times come to our
to where the north pavilion rescue. The Hall’s roof was
was. Our archaeological blowing off in a tempest some
survey showed many years back: his firm securely
interesting anomalies there, fixed it. We would have lost
and Ivan Craigie once this gem of an ‘A’ listed
uncovered a well where rubber building had he not done so.
tyres might have rested. This John Rae’s grave in the
sensitive area is now protected kirkyard of St. Magnus
for later study and Cathedral has also been
conservation. sensitively restored by him.
His firm’s sheer generosity in
In total we are purchasing five
providing a splendid cabin as
acres. The cost will be
our occasional Visitor Centre is
£20,000. The society pays a
a great boon: here we can
ten percent deposit and legal
provide shelter and hospitality
fees with three years to
on our open days. Casey
complete. We have completed
Construction’s support is
this initial stage already. We
indeed highly valued by The
have a pledge to support one John Rae Society.
acre from one of our Corporate
Members and another funder We held a very successful
is looking at a further event in Orphir Community
contribution. We are grateful Centre to engage locals in our
to Ivan and Jean Craigie for project. This will be described
agreeing to these terms, just in the article following this
as they did when we bought report.
5Davie Reid, our stalwart what they would like to see
procurer of goodwill and good featured at the Hall, once it
things, has instigated the John has been restored. However,
Rae Explorer Badges, advice from the government
supported by a donation from was changing so rapidly that it
one of our Patrons, Sir Michael was very difficult to say
Palin: more news of this later whether or not the event
in this newsletter. should go ahead at all. We
drew together all the
This year’s John Rae Birthday
information we had at the time
Lottery has brought in
and decided that the event
worthwhile funds for us all. I
should still go ahead but we
would say it made it possible
would need to take some
for us to pay the deposit for
precautions, like having soap
the extra land at Clestrain and
and hand sanitiser available at
some of the fees.
the door.
It is difficult to give details of
We didn’t expect a large
forthcoming events at this
footfall, but we were
point in time. We had some
pleasantly surprised by the
exciting ones planned and will
number of people that
keep you informed when we
attended and astounded by
know what we are able to
the response from everyone
offer. Our membership
that filled out the
continues to grow apace.
questionnaires – the creativity
Andrew Appleby and ingenuity that was
brought forward from all ages
President is incredibly valuable.
*** A special ‘thank you’ must be
made to the community of
The ‘Future of Clestrain’
Orphir. Without their contrib-
March was supposed to be an utions, the event would not
exciting month for us at the have been nearly as
John Rae Society: the 14 th successful. They donated an
being The Future of Clestrain enticing spread of homemade
event in Orphir. This event cakes, shortbread, traybakes
was an opportunity to engage and biscuits; accompanied by
with the public and hear about tea and coffee. While sipping
6away, one could browse the assured, there is a lengthy
great selection of plants book on just that.
provided by Eleanor Maciver
Finally, there was an incredible
ranging from intricate alpines
digital display, compiled by Jim
to bluebells, ‘in the green’,
ready to explode into bloom. Chalmers. The display went
into great detail about the
If that wasn’t enough on its work that has already gone
own, then there was an into the future of Clestrain,
educational information what ideas the John Rae
display board created by Fiona Society have already, as well
Gould, telling the history of the as the possibilities and
Hall of Clestrain, accompanied potential to have a thriving
by an interesting selection of hub for the community that
old pictures of the Hall and its meets the needs of many.
former residents. Architectural mock-up draw-
ings of Clestrain captured the
Moving round the room, there
attention and imagination of
were some activities for
onlookers, giving extra
children, including a lucky dip
substance to the creative
and the chance for even the juices.
youngest of people to express
their views of ‘what they’d like There was live accordion and
to see at Clestrain’ by putting fiddle music throughout the
crayon to paper – this is where day from Ellen Grieve and
the idea of solar roof tiles and Ingrid Tait. This really helped
turbine chimney stacks was to create a relaxed and social
born! atmosphere, even with every-
thing that is going on in the
There was certainly no world.
shortage of educational
material on offer from an old The highlight of the day was
sea chest, brimming with Rae- the Maureen Findlay Dancer’s
related items, such as maps of dancing The John Rae Reel.
the Arctic and an interestingly
Composed by Maureen Findlay
fashioned sextant that pivoted
herself, to music by Dawn
on the base of a tuna can.
Stout, the dance is a beautiful
Also, if you ever want to know
and very visual portrayal of
everything there is to know
Rae’s journeys through the
about Inuit shoes, then rest
7Arctic. Comprising some very Captain William (Bill) Spence f
young dancers, it was a delight or nearly six years. Bill was
to see the practice and previously a trustee of the
dedication that has gone into Society then became a patron
the performance. John Rae and, on his retirement from
would certainly be proud. the Lord Lieutenancy in
January, remains a dedicated
All-in-all, despite the member of the Society. He has
obstacles, it was a very always supported us well,
successful event. We arranging for the Duke of
managed to raise a total of Gloucester to visit the Hall of
Clestrain in 2017 (in pouring
£164; we have gained several
rain), attending board
new members and have an
meetings as and when he
outstanding response to our could and often attending our
community survey, as well as public events, including the
getting the chance to meet and celebration of the purchase of
talk to members of the public the Hall in 2018.
about their contribution and
ideas to what will one day
become one of Orkney’s most
valuable treasures.
James Grieve
***
The John Rae Society
Patrons
The Society is fortunate in
having patrons who are both
notable and who make a
considerable contribution to
the furtherance of its cause. (
For list see page 3). Recently
we have lost one to retirement
from public office but have He has been succeeded as Lord
gained another in his place. Lieutenant by Elaine Grieve
(above) who has kindly agreed
We have been privileged to
to become one of our patrons
have had as our patron
in addition to her other duties.
8Bob Shepton, adventurous miles south east of Upernavik,
mountaineer and sailor, was due where the team made another
to give a presentation at the impressive first ascent on
Society’s May Festival this year,
Impossible Wall, 850 metres
but this has had to be postponed.
well into the Extreme grades.
So we asked him to write a trailer
to whet your appetites for this Having crossed over to arctic
Canada they made another
first ascent on a rock wall
south west of Pond Inlet. We
were held up at Pond Inlet for
five days waiting for ice to
clear but eventually made it
into Lancaster Sound and so to
Beechey Island to view the
three famous graves from
Franklin’s expedition wintering
event which we hope will take there in 1845. After refuelling
place at a future date. (Editor) with a long hose across the
A trailer for Double Transit of beach at Resolute we
the North West Passage – continued on down Peel Sound
just! to Leask Cove, unrecorded in
the Pilot which we later put
Some South African climbers right, where we were again
wrote saying they were looking held up by ice. So we
for adventure. ‘What about the traversed back and forth
North West Passage?’ ‘That will through the Bellot Strait
do,’ they said. So we set sail
across the Atlantic from
Scotland. I had made a big
thing of how stormy it could be
in these northern latitudes. We
had benign conditions with
Force 4 or 5 on the beam, with
sunshine. Halfway across one
of them asked ‘Is this your
gale alley then, Bob?’.
‘for fun’ with Nordwind . Later
Cheeky! We made our way up
we anchored by Nordwind in
the long coastline of west
the Tasmanian Islands, and
Greenland to some twenty
9helped them when they lost
their bower anchor and
sustained damage to their
prop shaft in a storm there.
Making our way out together
three days later we were
informed by a boat coming the
other way that Victoria Strait
had opened. This saved us a
We waited nine days in Tuk for
lot of distance and two tricky
gales in the Beaufort Sea to
channels north and south of
pass through. The lads were
Gjoa Haven and we were able
busy at their computers in a
to go direct to Cambridge Bay
guest house which allowed
through Victoria Strait.
them Wi-fi, especially Steve
After re-stocking we enjoyed who was making and editing a
two pleasant days sailing down film of the trip. From Tuk we
Dease Strait and Coronation sailed and motored to the
Gulf before anchoring. Next laguna north of Barrow where
morning we hit a rock just we waited two days for a
south of Lady Franklin Point – favourable wind direction. We
the helmsman did confess he did get the favourable but it
had not been watching the became a gale which sped us
echo sounder but we were too in short nasty seas down the
close in anyhow – and Chukchi Sea running before on
eventually put in to Bernard bare poles for a day and a
Harbour to inspect for night. Very unpleasant. Relief
damage. All seemed well. We was short lived next day before
motored against big seas to more wind and another
round Baillie Island north of confused sea next evening
Bathurst, before we could sail split the mainsail with an
again south west towards unintended gybe. The Bering
Tuktoyaktuk. Sailing in 2-3 Strait however was benign and
metres of water below the keel we had a pleasant sail along
for miles on end in the shallow the coast to Nome. Finally
waters approaching Tuk with some difficulty the boat
certainly concentrates the was hauled out in Nome for the
mind. winter.
10The next year was a more easterly gale was forecast. All
difficult year in the Arctic. I could think of doing was to go
There was a lot more ice, and down to Barter Island and see
we encountered strong whether we could find shelter
contrary winds. Why were we there.
going back the same way?
It proved difficult and in the
Long story, I’ll tell you
end we ran westwards for six
sometime. It was a different
miles and hid behind a gravel
crew this year and we started
bank and waited it out for two
late (July 30) because crew
more days. Steph who wanted
member Rich had battles of his
to absorb as much of the Arctic
own getting an American visa.
as possible was very
Steph was overcome by the
disappointed when I said we
rather special romance of
would have to miss out
sailing through the Bering
Herschel Island, with its old
Strait with America (Alaska)
whaling station and even a
visible to starboard and Russia
sauna if you could collect
(Siberia) to port. But we then
enough driftwood for a fire.
had to wait — you do a lot of
But another easterly gale
that in the Arctic — for nine
threatened so we hurried on to
days at Point Hope to let
Tuktoyaktuk, where we had a
strong north winds pass
difficult time. Nobody would
through. At last, we could
give us or sell us oil for the
round the corner and make
engine. In the end the Mayor
progress against a more
found a five gallon drum of
moderate north west wind. So
synthetic oil and in spite of my
up to Barrow, round Barrow
manual saying mineral oil we
Point, into and out of the
had to take it, at $175 CAN!
laguna and along the North
Alaskan Slope. There were
advantages in all the delays,
as two boats who had left
before us from Nome had a
bad time with ice here but it
had cleared by this time. On
the other hand one big
disadvantage of the North
Alaskan slope is that there is
nowhere to hide and an
11Bathurst Point was shielded by ian Islands were not friendly
a long huge sheet of pack ice this time, Bellot Strait was. But
coming down from Amundsen now we were stuck at Fort
Gulf. Eventually we found a Ross, with a huge sword of ice
way through and continued on stretching down Prince Regent
through Snowgoose Channel Inlet and a strong north wind.
between Bathurst and Baillie Eight nail biting days later —
Island (plenty to tell you were we going to get out
here…) At Dease Strait we before winter? — we were able
deployed our underwater to weave through eight-ten
camera to film the fauna and miles of ice and made it to
flora on the seabed for a Lancaster Sound.
scientist back home as
requested, and so made our
way to Cambridge Bay. Here
we at last met arctic guru
David Scott Cowper in his
specially designed mean
machine Polar Bound. We had
been trying to meet for ages.
Also a couple of Australian lads
and an Anglo-Irish crew who An enforced stay in Arctic Bay
respectively were trying to and Tay Bay and we made it to
transit the NW Passage in a Aasiaat in Greenland to leave
22ft dinghy and an ocean type the boat there for the winter.
rowing boat. Fortunately both It had been a close run thing.
crews had decided to abort at
Cambridge Bay!
The skipper soon began to
hassle the crew as Victoria
Strait was open. This would
save us at least a hundred
miles though it did mean
missing out the sea strait
between King William Island
and the mainland, the last
piece in the jigsaw John Rae
had discovered. The Tasman-
12All’s Well at Clestrain Society was achieving and was
keen to see The Hall. When we
For a long time I have thought,
got to the undercroft beneath
‘Wouldn’t it be lovely if there
the front stairs, the light
were a well inside The Hall of
wasn’t so good. I crept into
Clestrain.’ This thought oft
that crypt and just touched
followed me when I was in the
where the rope marks showed.
basement. Here it was that the
Merely the tiny, gentle
various kitchen and domestic
pressure from my finger sent
downstairs work took place. A
the ‘beam’ spinning! I was
well there would make perfect
amazed. I thought the beam
sense and be such a benefit to
was set solid! But it wasn’t. I
the hard-working staff.
looked at the ends of the great
The tiny ‘room’ under the spindle and they were trimmed
grand steps from outside up to into neat pencil points, which
the front door always looked to fitted snugly into the
me like a candidate for such a stonework.
well. It is damp down there. An
old mangle had been chucked
in there decades ago, and it is
a good, out-of-the-way place.
One sunny afternoon, light
streaked in through a hole
under one of the steps. It
shone onto a beam, which
straddled the width of the little
room. This shaft of light Photo by JohnPeterWelburnABIPP
showed lots of marks as if a
rope had been dragged over it. That beam had probably not
‘Yes!’ I thought. ‘A well is spun for a century!
beneath that spar.’ I knew there was another well,
When showing folk round, I did which Ivan Craigie had found
point it out, but didn’t go down with his digger. This was at the
into the space. But in the rear of where the North
autumn of 2019 I took a visitor Pavilion stood. It will have
there. She had shown such served the workers there. But
interest in what the John Rae to discover one within the Hall
was wonderful.
13Just at this point of discovery, thickness and nature of the
Ivan came into the basement. rope that wound round it.
I showed him. He said he’d When this covid-19 crisis is
never been aware of a well over, that is another thing we
there. But he did point out in must see to.
the dark right hand corner a
When it comes to doing the
very old metal bucket. Could
internal archaeology of The
this vessel have swung from
Hall of Clestrain, this will prove
that roped beam in days gone
to be a most interesting area
by?
of research. It will reveal a lot
about the everyday life below
stairs, and one never knows
just what has been chucked
down a well!
Andrew Appleby
***
From ‘Erebus’ to Orkney
Naturally, I was really pleased.
This discovery had made my Eighteen months ago the
month. names Michael Palin, Andrew
Appleby, HMS Terror, Dr John
I returned some time later.
Rae, Franklin and Stromness,
Sadly, the beam had dropped.
had no links to my everyday
Its ends were rotted and the
life at all. This situation
finer points couldn’t bear its
changed because of our love of
own weight, so gravity took its
sailing and owning a boat on
toll, but not before the
the Isle of Bute.
revolving, once rope-bound
spar, had told its story.
The journey from our home in
The spar now rests on a pigpen the Dales to the marina could
within the basement. It be tedious so we started
requires scrutiny from a wood listening to Audible books. Sir
expert and should probably be Michael Palin’s book Erebus
subjected to an electronic told the story of the event that
scan. This will reveal a lot of captured the nation’s interest
information about the following the disappearance of
14the ill-fated Franklin exped- Our most outstanding visit was
ition to find the North West the result of meeting Andrew
Passage. Appleby and we told him about
We listened to the remarkable my model. That literally
story of HMS Erebus and her opened the door and we were
sister ship HMS Terror. offered a tour of Cles-
train with Andrew himself. We
I like to build model ships and
promptly became members of
railways and suggested that
the Society and I promised
Father Christmas might just Andrew some photographs of
have a model kit of Erebus. A my HMS Terror when
real surprise it was to find a completed.
superb kit of her sister ship
HMS Terror. More reading and
a desire to see where the
expedition had called in and
taken on fresh water in
Stromness led us to a four
week visit to Orkney in
December 2019.
Ken’s model of HMS Terror
We were truly smitten by
everything about the island
and particularly its people. We It has taken nearly 3 months
learnt about John Rae and his of patient work. Sometimes,
quests for answers to with the prospect of making
Franklin’s fate; that Franklin 140 identical blocks and
had possibly visited the Raes’ tackles, and then having to fit
house prior to departure. We them, and many other
saw Rae’s statue in Stromness intricate jobs, I have had to
and Login’s fresh water well, walk away, take a deep
and Rae’s memorial in the breath, and start anew. When
Cathedral. The museum in laying the many deck planks I
Stromness had an exceptional would think that Franklin
presentation about Rae and his would have walked on the real
Arctic exploits. It also had deck when inter-ship visits
many models of sailing ships took place. When I fitted the
and my fingers itched to start ship’s bell I thought I have
on mine. seen the real thing on the sea
bed in the video of the wreck
of Terror found in 2016. When
15Erebus and Terror were closely at the maps that I had
moored in Stromness Franklin pored over as a young person.
possibly had walked the same
floors of the house we walked I first set foot on Orkney as a
on with Andrew. As I worked teenager in 1995. I fell in love
on the model I would picture with the windswept hills and
Login’s Well and the flagged was captivated by the human
streets of Stromness. I history of the islands. I was
considered my task nothing especially keen on under-
compared to the restoration of standing the connection
Clestrain House. So I would between Orkney and Canada—
continue building with re- exciting adventures embarked
newed energy. upon by the Hudson Bay
Company and many a fine
So a simple solution to passing whaling ship.
the time on the motorway, and
a marvellous book, resulted in In 2006, I joined my father
another model for the shelf and a few family friends,
and our acquaintance with renting a vehicle in search of
remarkable people. the islands’ best fish and chips
and the family home of John
Ken Hack Rae. Of course, we knew of the
Hall of Clestrain, and had been
*** forewarned of the state of the
building: deserted and
News from Members crumbling. I remember driving
down the long road to the
shoreline and seeing the
1. Visiting Clestrain
dilapidated building grow large
on our approach. My lasting
John Rae was always an impression of that first visit is
inspiration to me. I grew up in the smell. Abandoned. We
Canada, travelling regularly to poked about the basement,
Nunavut and studying assessing the condition,
northern history — so his marvelling that such an
name popped up over and important homestead had
over. I got my first in-depth fallen into such disrepair. We
history lesson when I tackled strolled the shore of Salthouse
Ken McGoogan’s Fatal Bay and reflected on the
Passage. I devoured it. And significance of the place and
then, I began to look more the importance of the great
16Orcadian explorer and his twelve years later, return to a
early years. place that now conjured
sentiments of rejuvenation
This past June, I had the and triumph, where there once
opportunity to visit the Hall of was melancholy.
Clestrain again. This time, I
came with my own two young Cedar Bradley Swan, CEO
girls—Charlotte and Islay—and Adventure Canada (written in
the group of intrepid 2018)
adventurers aboard Adventure
Canada’s biennial Scotland
Slowly expedition cruise. As
visitors, we were not alone; we
had a host of fabulous
Orcadians greet us to share
their love of the Hall of
Clestrain. We learned about
the architecture and the
fundraising efforts undertaken
by the John Rae Society. The
homestead felt a world apart
from my first visit; much work
still has to be done, but the
Cedar with her younger daughter,
love and dedication of a small Islay, at Clestrain in 2018.Photo by
but mighty group was Mike Beadell
palpable. Like Adventure
Canada, the John Rae Society 2. New member, Jan Emil
takes great care to preserve Kristoffersen, writes from
and safeguard this historical Norway:
treasure.
My reason for joining the John
It was a proud moment for me Rae society is to support your
to bring our guests to this efforts to restore the Hall of
place. To acknowledge the Clestrain and to keep the
great skill and ambition of John memory of Dr. John Rae alive
Rae by paying homage to the for future generations. He was
place where he lived, where he a true hero. My interest in
no doubt nurtured his desire to John Rae is part of a lifelong
explore and laid the foundation fascination of the heroic age of
for his resourcefulness. It was Arctic and Antarctic ex-
personally rewarding to, ploration, ever since I stood on
17the the deck of the Fram as a St Magnus cathedral and his
five year old kid in 1958. I am grave in the kirkyard, became
also attached to Scotland, inspired by the Arctic explorer
having spent my first years of who ‘lived like an eskimo and
life near its borders in dressed accordingly’.
Newcastle, and then in
Glasgow (Milngavie and
Kirkintilloch). Rae’s ability to
learn from the Inuit, and his
obviously enormous physical
strength and stamina,
combined with academic skills
as a surgeon, is an impressive
combination of virtues only to
be envied. I have been to
Orkney once and have seen
the wonderful John Rae
memorial inside the St.
Magnus Cathedral in Kirkwall,
but I have not yet managed to
visit the Hall of Clestrain. It is
definitely on my list! I wish the
David (on left) with friends by the
JRS all the best in your cairn on Egilsay
restoration efforts and look
forward to follow the progress!
Originally a member of the
Friends of the Orkney Boat
3. David Aggett wrote to tell Museum, he has been a
us that: member of the John Rae
Society from the start and is a
As a member of the Bridge staunch and generous
Ward Club in the City of supporter.
London at the church of St
Magnus the Martyr, he learned ***
of St Magnus Cathedral and St
Magnus Kirk on Egilsay. In
JRS Explorer Badges
1938 the three parishes
collaborated in erecting a
stone cairn on the highest Recently the John Rae Society
point of Egilsay. David visited commissioned the making of a
this over 20 years ago and number of badges for the local
seeing John Rae’s memorial in scout troop, the John Rae
Explorers. The funding for this
18came from one of our Patrons, something all the Trustees feel
Michael Palin, the famous TV strongly about encouraging
personality, traveller and of and perhaps some of these
course one of the Monty young explorers will take up
Python team. The scout troop the baton of the John Rae
decided a couple of years ago Society in the years to come !
to rename themselves the
‘John Rae Explorers’ and have Mark Newton
been active in helping us out at
our open days at the Hall. Last Completion of the New
June a young lad, Isaac, had House at Clestrain 1769
his investiture at the Hall,
( https://www.johnraesociety.
At the Archive Day last year in
com/investiture-at-the-hall/ )
Orkney Library (see issue no.
at his request, and after this
9) the JRS chairman Norman
Davie Reid, a former Trustee
Shearer began studying a
and a very active member,
document from the Sheriff’s
suggested that it would be
Court which is an account for
great if we could produce a
the measuring of and all the
badge for them We decided to
carpentry work at Clestrain. It
let the kids themselves design
is described as an ‘Account of
the badge and after adding our
the Measure of Patrick
logo a design was agreed.
Honyman of Graemsay’s new
house at Clestrain’ and dated
13th September 1769. I
offered to complete a
transcription of this document
but have not finalised it as the
Archive is currently closed and
I need to check some details
with the archivists. The
following is a resumé of
These were then embroidered information gleaned from the
by LOGO Orkney ( https://www. article.
facebook.com/ LOGO. Orkney/ and,
because of the sponsorship The account lists, floor by
from Michael Palin, these are floor, measurements of the
now given to any new member rooms, all the woodwork,
of the John Rae Explorers. The windows and some items of
involvement of the younger furniture. It gives exact
generation in our project is lengths of wood (in feet and
19inches) and the cost per foot, On the second floor, which also
the amount of putty (in had nine windows, six internal
pounds) and the number of doors suggests a number of
lozens (panes of glass) used in bedrooms, with apparently
the windows. It also refers to four fireplaces.
separate rooms partitioned off
by the carpenter. He was The next floor (attic) had fewer
working to a plan which is windows (five) but most
described as a ‘sketch’. Thus notably a circular window
we learn that on the ground above the front door. The
floor (or basement) there were existence of this window
four rooms (kitchen, parlour validates the theory that the
and two others) a milk house Hall once had a pediment (as
and a wine cellar, in addition to shown in the drawing on the
a lobby and a passage. There front cover of this newsletter).
were seven sash windows and
a light above the entrance. The
doors had double architraves
and the carpenter put in a
clothes press (cupboard) and
another one for books and
papers, the latter fitted with
shelves. There was also a
small press above the parlour
door.
Extract from the document showing
entry about the circular window 2
The first (or ground) floor
contained a lobby, a drawing We know that a fierce gale in
room, a dining room and a the 1790s damaged the roof
‘grain’ room. The latter term is and it seems probable that the
something of a puzzle but is decision was made then not to
most likely to refer to a finish replace the pediment. As
on the walls rather than to a anyone who has been to
granary!1 There were nine Clestrain will know, it is
windows on this floor, with located in an extremely windy
shutters, and a light above the spot! Residents of the Hall
front door. The dining room may have discovered that
had a press and there appear architecture designed in
to have been five fireplaces. Edinburgh2 was not suitable
for Orkney. This floor had
three skylights.
20Reference to a ‘garret floor’,
skylights and the roof of a
tympany (a triangular space
forming the centre of a
pediment) further supports the
original pediment theory.
Outside there were ‘wings’
nowadays referred to as
‘pavilions’, with casement Extract from the document showing
windows, doors, fireplaces and entry about the pigeon house3
staircases. There were also
byres and stables. The stables stays in Kirkwall and 1’6 for
boat freight and horse hire
from Holm to Kirkwall. Horse
hire from Kirkwall to Claistron
(sic) was also 1/6 and his half
freight from Clestron (sic) was
2/6. We have to remember
that boat travel then was often
preferable to going overland,
just as John Rae’s usual
method of travel from
Clestrain to Stromness was by
boat.
Extract from the document showing
entries about the ‘wings’ 3 1
Grain’ historically referred to Scarlet
Grain a red dye made from crushed
had a 33’ long rack and two insects and used from Classical times.
skylights. A pigeon house had
a small cupola on top of it.
2
‘1Gayfield House in New Town,
Edinburgh, built in 1764, is
remarkably similar to Clestrain and if
For furnishing the house the
not designed by the same architect
carpenter supplied tables, surely comes from the same set of
beds, ‘screw’ beds, ten foot designs.
ladders and washing boards. 3
All extracts reproduced with kind
permission from Orkney Archive
Alexander Stewart who
submitted his expenses Photos by JohnPeterWelburnABIPP
charged 2/6 for overnight
Fiona Gould
21Where is Clestrain's for example — yet no gate
Garden? wide enough to let a cart in.
This practical element would
I was amazed and intrigued by seem crucial in the man-
what looked like an enormous agement of a garden of this
walled garden at Clestrain, and size. Talking of size, the
interested to find out more, so ground seems rather large to
I enrolled for the Garden furnish the needs of a modest
History course at the Botanic household like Clestrain's
Garden Edinburgh in 2015. I surely? And as the Orkney
had hoped the course would wind swept over the ten feet
give me the skills needed to do high walls, it would have hit
the relevant research. Now, the middle of the garden at
three years after receiving my some speed — making the
diploma, I am little the wiser - central area effectively useless
about Clestrain at least. for flowers or vegetables.
I did spend time in Kirkwall's There is evidence of some
Archive and found some gardening however. The
treasures but nothing that remains of a 4' wall runs from
talked about the 'high dykes' east to west separating off
as a garden. Not in the about one fifth of the land.
document outlining the Towards the north-east corner
requirements of the house of this space is a depression in
build, not in an inventory when the soil surrounded by a line of
it changed hands in the 19th stones which was a pond. (Mr
century. And although it Craigie, owner of Clestrain
appears on the old maps it is Farm, noted that his father,
never referred to as a garden. arriving in 1925, remembers
People have assumed it was a it.) And some fruit trees still
walled garden but as yet I grow on the south-facing wall.
have no evidence. Maybe that area was all that
was ever formally gardened?
A walk round the walls and
through the garden added to The treasures I mentioned at
the questions but offered few the start are two letters I
answers. There are niches in found in the Archive from John
the mid points of the walls, a Rae senior to Watt of Skaill
common decorative feature in (Breckness). The first from
an historic garden allowing the 1829 includes a list of 12 apple
placement of a small sculpture varieties he recommends as
22good in Orkney - and in 1. In what colours are the
particular the 'Hawthorn dean children’s names hidden?
and Keswick Codlin'. He also 2. How many Easter eggs are
suggests a particular pear, there?
saying that it is, 'the only one 3. What are the colours on Mr
that produces well here — at Tumble the clown’s shirt?
any rate of those in the
4. In what colour is Peter
garden'. In the second letter of
Rabbit hiding?
1832 Rae senior is again
writing to Watt saying, 'I have 5. How many green stars are
cut all the gooseberry bushes there?
that can well be spared...If you 6. How many pom-poms are
can at any time spare a day there?
there are several things you
might wish to have [from the
garden]'.
So Rae senior was a gardener
of some knowledge who knew
what does in Orkney. I just
wish I knew for sure where all
that gardening was happening!
Caroline Beaton, Holmlea,
Orphir, Orkney ***
Caroline Beaton is a local resident Thoughts during
with a keen interest in gardening ‘Lockdown’
and archive research.
March 2020 will forever be
*** known as the time that Britain
went into lockdown. When
JRS Collage for NHS faced with such troubling times
as these, it is hard to see a way
Andrew Appleby’s grand- forward. It is as though a huge
children, Inga, Angus and wall has been placed in front of
Hamish designed this collage us and there appears to be no
for the NHS on behalf of the way around it - it stretches as
JRS. They have also posed far as the eye can see and
some questions for you: beyond - just miles and miles
of obstacles and uncertainty.
23Every day is different, and the years. Our task is to ‘stay
conditions are changing faster home’. Sounds simple
than we can keep up with. You enough, but I’m sure I don’t
wake up and the situation has need to tell you that it quickly
changed drastically from what becomes far more complex
it was when you closed your than just that. I, for one, can
eyes just hours before. These certainly draw some
really are strange times. comparisons.
We should ask ourselves: what John Rae, a man of resilience,
would John Rae do in a determination and adaptability
situation like this? This may would assess this situation
seem a bit extreme, but carefully and think about all
perhaps the situation that we possible outcomes and what
find ourselves in is not all that the best approach would be to
different from stepping out tackle the task at hand and to
into the treacherous unknown get through to the other side.
of the Arctic for the first time. He would not give up hope and
he would delve deep to call
We are facing a long journey
upon his inner strength. He
that, for now, seems
would see the goal at the end,
impossible. The wall of
take a deep breath, put his
obstacles that we are faced
head down slowly, turn his
with, perhaps, prompts many
shoulder to the wind and push
of the same emotions and
forward with supreme
thoughts that Rae would have
determination.
had while looking out at the
vast frozen wilderness that is If there was ever a time to be
standing in his way, like a like John Rae, then it is now.
vicious army, ready to fight. Adapt to changes; do not fight
them. Take help from others
The task that Rae had sounds
and all pull together – now is
simple on paper: map area of
not the time to be conceited.
coast from A to B. This sounds
Draw upon your inner
like a relatively straight-
strength; your explorer,
forward objective until you
adventurer, hunter and
start thinking about what it survivor.
actually entails: pain,
suffering, mental torment for James Grieve
days, weeks, months and
24You can also read
