Orkney Image Library

Thanks Paul.
That story about the Pan Drops is great.
I'm trying to work out exactly when the Gardens sold what! I know the Garden business at Tongue (managed by my grandfather) was sold in 1912 to Gordon Burr. However I have an article by Jim Johnstone (1987) which says " 'the empire' lasted until 1932 ... it was taken over by Todd Holdings." Jim goes on to say that Todds still trade under the Garden name from a section of the original premises at Kirkwall. I don't know whether this is the case or not.

Mary, I estimated the date from the fact that the pictures were among my maternal grandparents' photos. My grandfather became manager of Gardens Harray Stores in 1931, so presumably would have had no reason to have the pictures before then, but you never know. I'll e-mail a high resolution copy separately.

I think Gardens had already been taken over by Tods of Leith by then. Back in the days of your great grandfather, the story goes, a confectionery traveller called past to see if he could get an order. Garden said to send him a ton of Pan Drops. The traveller assumed he was joking, laughed and went to the next shop, where he told the shopkeeper the story. The neighbour said Garden would not have been joking, but when the traveller returned apologetic to Garden, he was told, "I've wired for them." Apparently in the early days of the shop vans, each customer had a handful of Pan Drops thrown into her basket as she left.

Hi Paul
Is it possible for me to get high res jpeg images of these 2 pictures? Who owns them? how do I get permission to use them if necessary?

This is an incredible photo; surely it's pre 1930? This is one of the mobile shops of my great grandfather Robert Garden. Any more information would be greatly appreciated! (I'm in Queensland, Australia)

There is a photograph of Robert Garden's house 'Dunvarrich' at Tongue with two Albion A 3 lorries setting out. Reg Nos, NS 17 (of 1904) and NS 42 (of 1905) in Robert Grieve's book 'Wheels around Caithness and Sutherland'. Apparently Peter Burr who had originally come from Aberdeenshire to work for Robert Garden took over the business at Tongue and developed a small lifeline transport business along with shop, post office, coal supplies etc. I remember having my Austin Mini looked at by the mechanic there about 1968 when towing a caravan. We parked up in front of the big hoose and had our teas while the mechanic had his then came and sorted out an ignition problem. We thought the repair would cost so much that we would have to cut short our holiday in the far north. Imagine our relief when the man asked if 7/6 would be too much. Aye the good old days. There are pictures of Peter Burr's lorries on Mr Munkle's 'Lorries of Britain' website.