Orkney Image Library

Lower Whitehall it is. Hasn't changed much.

The house with the cross above it is Minerva in the lower village, Stronsay. (Whitehall Village).

I think that the large building in the centre of the picture is the building now used by Lodge Kildinguie.

It is the lower station

Yes, I'd say this the Lower Village. The Lower Station is further along. The house on the right is Minerva, and until recently was the home of a cousin of mine. Her husband renovated the house and completely modernised it. In its early day, there was a shop attached on the right, I think. Both houses to the left of Minerva are called Red House, and both were the homes of Reid families. The big building next is now, and has always been in my memory, Lodge Kildinguie, the meeting place of the local Masonic Club. Next to it, almost out of sight, is a cottage called Mirland Cottage, and then there's the YMCA building. I'm afraid I don't remember the last big building, but as this was obviously taken at some point during the herring fishing time in Stronsay, I'd guess it was a fishing-related building. There were several curing stations in this area until WW2. I was born in the village, but right at the other end. My grandparents lived in the Lower Station. Papa Stronsay used to consist of a big-ish farm and a curing station. It had several houses and even had its own school. We used to cross there frequently when I was a child - a long time ago! Now it is a monastery, having been bought by a group of monks called Transalpine Redemptorists! They have done much builing and renovating and have also bought several properties in the village.

Hi Karen, the house marked on photo is still standing today in Stronsay. It is called Minerva. It is near the masonic lodge Kildinguie. It is in the lower village as you say. Rgds Adrian

Hi Karen
I am now the resident of Minerva and if you come to Stronsay please give me a visit you are most welcome.

Margareth

Mirland Cottage was the home of my grandfather's sister, Isabella Chalmers (nee Johnstone) The cottage was named after her family home in Deerness.

Hello, Karen. As commented on previously this is of course, Minerva. My great Grandparents lived there until they died in the 1930's. They were James & Isabella Chalmers. It was also a shop (as mentioned before)and my Mum tells me that they were well known for ice-cream-making! I have visited here twice in the last year and have a photo of my husband & I standing in the same place as my g.Grandparents stood in an old photo! My Mum was born just up the road. What a great picture!

Hello, Margareth.
I've admired your house twice in the last year as it once belonged to my great Grandparents, James & Isabella (Bella) Chalmers. My Mum was born at Station though we're not sure what number. She also visited last Summer. I believe you invited her round but we had to catch the ferry back to Kirkwall.
Best wishes, Carolyn.

You are welcome back at any time.

Cheers

mARGARETH

Could anyone enlighten me- was the house on the left the old salt store, with accomodation above it ?

Thank you for this photograph while doing my family tree. My great great great grandfather Charles Brodie (1800-1882) married Janet Chalmers (1788-1861). They stayed at Whitehall, Stronsay. He was a Cooper, and it's lovely to see a photograph of the area where they might have stayed- thank you.

It was possibly one of the hospitals used during the herring fishing times. It is of course no longer there.

From the left - the two storey house was in fact a salt store belonging to "Leslie" the fishcurer, with accommodation above it. It is now a one storey garage used by the Papa Stronsay monks. The white house by the roadside was the old Church of Scotland, and behind that was the Y.M.C.A. Next to the church is Mirland, and then the large building was bult as a "Red Herring House" and owned by the fishcurer "Bruce", until about 1932 when the Stronsay freemasons got it and converted it into Lodge Kildinguie No. 1381 which was consecrated in 1933. Next to that as you know are two cottages both named Red House, and then comes Minerva. If you look at my contributions, you will see a close up of Minerva and the shop.

The building on the left was a salt store with accomodation for gutters above it. The lower half was roofed a few years ago and is now a shed. The light coloured building between that and Kildinguie was the village Kirk. It was removed in 1937 or 1938 and replaced by a larger one standing at a right angle to that one

Minerva was the home of my great grandad james chalmers,my grandad was born there,i was in stronsay 2006, in the fish mart/now hostal,is or was a museum of the herring fishing days,my great grandad was the skipper of the herring fleet.i saw picture of minerva with the name chalmers store on the out side. jennifer

I am glad to see all the comments generated by my picture! As I mentioned, Barbara Brodie was born in that house in 1874 which you have now identified as Minerva. I am just starting the Brodie genealogy and have noticed that some of you may be distant relatives (Barbara's mother was Betsy Miller married to Daniel Brodie). I did not make it all the way there but am trying to go this year! If anyone needs info about Brodie's that came to Canada, I may be able to help and I have a bunch of old family pictures that unfortunately may be sibling of Barbara taken in the Orkneys should any distant relatives wish to contact me.

Karen, my great great grandparents were William Miller and Barbara Brodie, the grandparents of your Barbara Brodie.I have loads of information on the family.

The gentleman that we think is my 5th great grandfather, Mitchell or Michael Fea of Stronsay married a Margaret Brodie of Stronsay probably circa 1740 and they had 6 children between 1744 and 1757. If you run across any Brodie information from that far back I would be very interested.

Tom, if you contact me by email I may be able to take you back a bit on the Fea side.

I would also like to get more info on Margaret Brodie who is my GGGG grandmother. Thanks.

Anonymous. Who are you ?

Did Maggie Fiddler live at Minerva at any time??

Maggie (Meg) Fiddler nee Banks lived there with her daughter Caroline and son-in-law Ralph Fotheringhame until she died.

I stumbled upon your photo quite by accident,and was thrilled to find there seems to be a real close connection to my ancestral line from Stronsay.Given here the references to Chalmers and Millers.
I am descended from the union of Thomas Chalmers and Barbara Miller,dates of birth or marriage I do not know. Their offspring and subsequent generations use the names of Betsy and James quite regular,so I can only assume my Thomas and Barbara are closely related to the above Betsy Miller and James Chalmers. Family oral tradition refers to them as having been residents of "the Hall" on Stronsay. Perhaps one of you can shed some light on this possible connection. Was thrilled to see a photo of a house they may have frequented,possibly as visiting relatives.
Mark

Mark, I have loads of information on Thomas Chalmers and Barbara Miller. Email me and I will try and help.

It would be wonderful to get further info on them Bill, I tried to connect email via this site but couldn't make the connect. I'll attach mine and maybe you can connect from your end.

I'm trying to trace my 2X great grandmother Elizabeth (Betsy) Brodie. She married John Lennie and then emigrated to New Zealand. I can find the marriage but not her birth . From reading the marriage entry it's hard to read where in Stronsay she is from but it looks like chinglehome... that's clearly not correct, but I can't find anywhere that looks similar. Any ideas?

The house was called Chinglebrae, pronounced locally as Chinglee Brae. I can't find her date of birth either, but in 1861 census, she was a domestic servant at Milltown, Stronsay, and aged 23 years. If I can help anymore, please get in touch by email.

Lauren, have you some dates?

Thanks Bill. Carolyn I have her in a couple of censuses , 1851 and 1861 and her marriage to John Lennie in 1864 but no birth or baptism . She was Betsy Brodie all the way through. She served here in New Zealand as Betsy Lennie . But after John Lennie died she married my great great grandfather as Elizabeth Brodie . (and became Elizabeth Mcclellan) I was wondering if she was actually christened as Elizabeth or Betsy . She outlived both her husbands and at least 3 of her children and she interests me a lot .Thanks for your help on the house name , I will email you Bill.

I do - I think she was born around 1838 - She married John Lennie on 14 July 1864 and they emigrated to New Zealand with their children in 1870 . Im interested in learning a bit more about her and her background. John Lennie died in 1876 and she then married again and outlived her second husband as well.

Hi Lauren. Elizabeth and William McClellan were my great great grandparents, and I have been trying (with a little luck) to find information on both of them. Would be great to swap notes. I have a couple of photographs that Elizabeth/Betsy is most likely in - but can't be sure!

Hi Rachel, I've sent you an email.

Rachel, are the photos of Elizabeth/Betsy that of the Miller family or Brodie?

Hi Karen, I think the photo is Elizabeth McClellan (formerly Betsy Lennie). Yet to confirm this though. Lauren has the same photos, but is also unsure of the woman's identity.

Hello, does anyone have any pictures of the Red House? Is it still on the island? Thank you, Yvonne