Orkney Image Library

That's my auntie Chrissie, and the well kent character Jimmy I

Nan Cursiter was my Aunty, she married Maurice Allan (son of Police Constable D H Allan)
Nan's Aunties Rachel and Miriam made the famous claggam. Like Zanre's ice cream - the recipe has gone - unless Elizabeth can remember?

My mum lived next door to Aunty Rachel and was pals with Bel Cursiter. Lovely to hear of claggum again. Mum tried the recipe when I was peedie but it was a disaster. I believe you had to stretch the mix and bash it on a hard surface. Our table was not as good as marble apparently. I remember Miriam and I believe they had a brother too.

I too remember claggum with awe and affection. (I favour Alison's spelling simply because the wonderful sweetmeat became pretty 'gummy' with sucking - not to mention 'claggy'.) It was a bit like a very solid and tenacious form of 'tablet', heavily dependent on brown sugar, and sold in twists like small hanks of knitting wool; unique in my experience. When word got out that Miriam and Rachel (wonder if their parents read the Bible at all?) had a batch on the go, the red-headed sisters would have a busy time of it in their little shop. I suppose it was measured by weight for 'sweetie points' (rationing coupons). To be out of points on the infrequent occasions when claggum came on stream must have been a disaster.

I would love to know if John Smith (back row) is my grandmother’s brother, he would have been 12 years old when this photo was taken. Does anyone know of the Smith family from Ness Buildings, Stromness? My grandmother Olive May was born there in 1920.
Thank you