Orkney Image Library

This used to be Hewisons shop. It is now a private house called Lindisfarne.

And I think the building on the shoreside was the slaughterhouse. Am I right Isla.

Yes Willie that is right. Where the photographer is standing is where the lobster ponds are now

Great photo. My 2nd Great Grandparent's home 'the Buith, Beuth, Booth or Butts' (store). Does PFC on barrel heads stand for Pierowall Cured Fish? John Hewison's fish was awarded the Bronze Medal and Certificate March 3, 1867 by Emperor Napoleon III for the quality of his fish on behalf of Ministere De l'Agriculture Du Commerce Et Des Travaux Publics et Exposition Internationale De Peche 1866 de Bulogne-sur-Mer. The medal was minted by Barre and remains in the family with his namesake (a fisherman) in Canada.

John Hewison was boatowner, fish curer and general merchant. A letter from the Orkney genealogist Margaret Pollack to my brother Mike relates the following:

"Jane Logie Meil worked for John during her youth at both Hewison's shop/The Buith and also at Waal Cottage. John was general merchant but also bought local fish, dried and salted them and shipped them south in his own boats. Jane says the beach at Pierowall Bay would be white with drying fish. When the weather changed all the fish had to be packed into storage and John kept an eye on the barometer to judge when the weather was about to change. On one occasion his two boys altered the setting of the barometer and made it fall to the very wet position. John saw and had a large crew pack the fish. It isn't known what he did to the boys when he found out."

I suspect PFC stands for P.F.C Thompson who put fuel out to the Isles in barrels

If it's PCF, what about P C Flett, wholesale and retail grocer and ironmonger, Kirkwall?

Thanks for correction and info re: the acronym PCF. I looked at family picture of the buith from same angle taken before many buildings, the power lines, or the antenna were erected as seen in this photo. I can't be sure but I suspect the family photo is at least a decade, or more, older than this one and the barrels are basically the same. I'll endeavour to add some of our family photos and postcards to your collection once I understand the method of addition. I have a series of photos taken of the buith from various distances (yards vs. miles away).

If its PCF more likley parrifin ----- fuel?

In the first instance, I tend to think that Paul Sutherland's explanation is correct, and P.C.Flett is the merchant supplier.
The possible explanation for the K, is kerosene(or paraffin)
On the second drum you can see quite clearly the shortened word VAP, which if memory serves me correctly, stood for Vaporising.
It just so happens, that, for one year after leaving school in 1949, I worked for a well known Kirkwall firm who supplied such items to the outer isles.The drums were filled up on the firm's premises by vehicles from the oil depot, and then conveyed to Kirkwall pier for shipment.This had been the practice for many years prior to that.
The reason for painting the information on the ends of the drums will be very obvious of course.

Aye a fine photo I remember running aroon this area a boy during the school hols. Hewisons shop was great place with high ceilings and spoot and sweets to eat. It was a great time.

Aye Peter yin wid been P.C.Flett oil barrels, the 'oval' wans vaporising & burnin (for lamps) an straight sided (I see 2) wans wae hoops petrol.

Hid wisno fun for wan man tae load them on a trailer. Nee forklifts or loaders then!!

I spent me first 11 yr o me life in the Beuith. Reutan aboot i' the ebb, catchin eelos under the banks and playing in the new slaughterhoose (finished in 1978).

Behind Hewisons shop was Havelsea cottage where my father William Rodger was born. Spent many summers in Westray with Nana Rodger (Jean nee. Mowat), playing down on the beach there and Nanas sister Jessie lived roughly near where the photographer was standing, with her husband Abby Brown. The Mowat family home was opposite their home where my great grandad had a workshop as a watch repairer?