Orkney Image Library

Victorian crowd

10th March 1863 and a crowd gathers at the Mount to watch the Kirkwall Company of the Volunteer Artillery fire a salute in honour of the marriage of the Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII) to Princess Alexandra of Denmark which was taking place that day. This has long been a favourite picture of mine. Although the photo is nearly a century and a half old, the individual personalities of the people in it seem to stand out vividly across the years. Maybe the fact that the guns were firing as the photographer took the picture added a little sharpness to their expressions. You can see several of the children have their hands over their ears. I'm sure a bit of delving among photos of the Kirkwall notables of the time would identify a few people. The only one I think I can name is the man in the low-crowned hat and bow tie about a third in from the right standing to the left of the man in light grey suit and bowler hat. I think it may be Sheriff James Robertson. The photo is from the Orkney Library Photographic Archive.
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