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John Robertson diving at Stronsay pier. He came from Shetland and did the maintainence of the piers. At one time he owned the ATHENA lifeboat which he gave to me in 1949.
Picture added on 30 April 2009
This is my Grandad! I've only seen a couple of photos of him before but not this one. In this one he looks a lot like my Dad. Thank you.
Added by Helen Robertson on 22 February 2010
Erlend, are thoo speakan aboot the Athenia lifeboat which Pyo turned into a "Boatie Hoose" oot afore Seafield ?
Added by Bill Miller on 24 February 2010
I think your dates are a wee bit out of tune, Erlend. The lifeboat off the Athenia was known locally as Desperate Dan and was hauled onto the shore at Lower Station on or before 1943. See picture #19897. It was used as a barge to cart seaweed for the gut factory after the war and when that business collapsed, the boat was hauled up onto the banks in front of Bremners farlins between Seafield and the west pier. From there, it was dragged to the front of Seafield and made into the boatie hoose in 1947 by my father, Jim (Pye) Chalmers. So, in 1949, the boatie hoose was my mother's wash house, coal shed, creel making shed and most importantly, my bike shed. Mr. Robertson must have given you a different ship. To my knowledge there was just the one lifeboat off the Athenia in Stronsay.
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Added by Jim (George) Chalmers on 09 March 2010
Stronsay
