Orkney Image Library

In the front passenger seat of the third car from the camera is, I think, Provost W B Baikie, owner of Baikie's woodyard. His initials stood for William Baikie. That's right - two Baikies. Perhaps that takes naming a child in honour of someone a little too far!

I forgot to ask: what could that be hanging from the radiator of the third car? Also, to lower the tone, over at the left-hand side of the picture, the odd-looking structure between the shed at the narrow end of the garden and the building with a large triple window is a cast-iron urinal. I understand it was there for many years, maybe even post-war. I'm not sure if it had seating, but I have heard there was at least one gents' toilet in Kirkwall of the type where one trough ran under all the seats, thus enabling the ill-disposed to set fire to a crumpled up newspaper and float it along under the occupied cubicles when it flushed.

Sorry to hog the discussion on this one, but I've seen another copy of this photo with Tom Kent's caption: "Freemasons leaving Kirkwall for picnic June 23rd 1914". Apparently Tom Kent went with them and took a picture of them all at the Standing Stones too.

Great motor cars. Paul, everything you've said is so interesting but is that garden now where the car park in Castle street is please?

Yes, that garden was cut through to make the entrance to the car park. I presume it was the garden of the Castle Hotel. The hotel also had its own bowling green at one time but I think the masonic hall was built on it.