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Postcard by T. Kent. "Bringing Home the Peats, Birsay". 1907
View Large VersionPicture added on 05 August 2010 at 21:39
Am heard the ould folk say that some kerted peats wae the "ousin" (oxen)and they were so slow hid wid taen all day tae go tae the hill fae Heckness and back wae a load o peats!!.Been aboot 14 miles miby a bit more.
Added by John Budge on 29 October 2010
What would be a fast cruising-speed for oxen - 2 mph? So 7-8 miles one way would take at least 4 hours. Leaving precisely 0 hours for loading the peats in an 8-hr day. But of course they didn't think in terms of 8-hr days back then. Bet they had some right blethers on the way. Probably had to stack the peats too when they got home.
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Added by Ian Hourston on 29 October 2010
Birsay
