Orkney Image Library

Could this have been a dux medal which was issued to outstanding pupils. Stopped issuing just before the war began in 1939?

Don't think it's a medal, Jack - just a lapel-badge from Stromness Secondary School (ie before it became Stromness Academy). The academy went on awarding Dux medals into the early 1960s I believe.

The centre of this badge show the coat of arms adopted by Stromness Town Council in the 19th century, presumably at some point after the town was erected into a Burgh of Barony in 1817, and a Police Burgh in 1833. The Marquis of Bute, in his 1903 book on civic heraldry states that it was based on the design of the Arms of the 'Erle of Orkney of Auld' found in Sir David Lindsay's armorial. He goes on to say that 'Although we desire to say nothing which may indicate approval of the unauthorised adoption of heraldic insignia, we cannot help remark that this coat supplies a modern instance of a treatment at once dignified, tasteful, and appropriate ...'

Arms based on this design were granted by the Lord Lyon to Stromness Community Council in 1985.

Your quite right. My Brother in laws both got dux medals from the Holm West school and the last one was awarded around this time. I am hoping to get a photo of the dux medal in due course which I will put on this site.

This is not the full Stromness coat of arms. There should be a set of scales or balances underneath the dragon ship symbolising Alexander Graham's struggle to free places like Stromness from the taxation claims of bigger towns such as Kirkwall.