Orkney Image Library

Yes, he was our front man in Liam & Co. (which was The Hamnavoe Dance Band until Jack Y. left in 1975 and Liam came in as box player). Happy days!

Liam & Co provided the music at my older son's wedding reception 27 years ago. Seems like only yesterday . . .
Fairly recently resettled in Orkney, I'd never heard the band and booked them on word-of-mouth recommendation. You didn't let us down, Allan and colleagues! My new daughter-in-law, from California, thought her first exposure to Orkney music was pretty cool too.

That's a fair while ago Ian but I do remember that it was held upstairs in the dining room of the Stromness Hotel and with the mix of people at the wedding, our brand of music seemed to go down well. I'm certainly glad that you still appreciate our efforts after all these years and it'll be good to have some of your family close again.
Just as an afterthought Ian - my middle name is Hourston, as was my Auntie Aggie's (mother's sister). My great uncle Bertie Work who died at Collingwood (opposite Burnside) in the 60's had a housekeeper from Shapinsay, also by the name of Hourston. These little coincidences always make me wonder.

I remember visits to Stromness in the early 1960s to stay at Collingwood with Bertie Work and Agnes Hourston, his housekeeper and my grandmother. Agnes was born a Work of the Diggins (Shapinsay) and was also a distant cousin of Bertie. He had a lovely, sheep dog at the time, Nell who won many prizes for him at sheep dog trials. He kept a few sheep below the house to train sheep dogs. When Bertie died Agnes went back to Shapinsay (to look after Drill Cottage) and was given the dog to take with her.