The Orkney Image Library
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Stromness Youth Club members 1948/49, from a rather fuzzy print possibly by Willie Hourston. I can't remember several names, and will undoubtedly get some wrong, but here goes:
1 ??, 2 ??, 3 Leslie Brass, 4 ??, 5 ??, 6 ??, 7 Jack Brown, 8 Maureen Inkster, 9 Davy Porteous, 10 Catherine Pottinger, 11 Billy Sutherland, 12 Brenda Gunn, 13 Harcus Scott, 14 Robert Collins, 15 Maurice Brown, 16 William Collins, 17 Ronald Wilson, 18 ? Brown, 19 Marina Adam, 20 Kathleen Leask, 21 Arthur Young, 22 ??, 23 Gilbert Adamson, 24 Billy Garson, 25 ??, 26 Ian Hourston, 27 DeLille Porter, 28 Gilbert Flett, 29 ??, 30 ? Cursiter, 31 Leslie Bews, 32 Bryce Banks, 33 Geordie Anderson, 34 Edith Pottinger, 35 James Tait, 36 Freddie Park, 37 ? Swanney, 38 ??, 39 ??, 40 Mary Wishart, 41 Fraser Logie, 42 Betty Leask, 43 Alan Hourie (Boys' Leader), 44 Maisie Bremner (Girls' Leader), 45 Theo Linklater, 46 ??, 47 Robert Inkster, 48 Olive Merriman, 49 Jim Merriman, 50 Eileen Taylor, 51 Jimmy Porter, 52 ? Scott, 53 ??, 54 ?? (possibly Max Gunn), 55 Billy Towers, 56 Stewart Wilson, 57 Jim Taylor, 58 Sydney Young.
View Large VersionPicture added on 15 November 2011 at 22:59
No 8 is Eunice Inkster. 18 is Mabel Brown. 30 is MARY Cursiter. 31 is JIM Bews. 37 is Jim Swanney. 52 is Tommy Scott. 53 is John Mowat. 54 IS Max Gunn.
Added by Harcus Scott on 16 November 2011
Thanks Harcus - and my best regards. I KNEW it was Eunice Inkster - why did I say Maureen? However, are you sure it's not LESLIE Bews? All your other names sound right.
Added by Ian Hourston on 17 November 2011
Hi Ian,
No.23 is my father Gilbert Walls Adamson, born 22 Mar 1932. My dad was best man at Jim Merriman's (China) wedding to Iris Marwick. Jim and my dad met up again when we went up to Stromness in 1991. This was my first and only time to Orkney and the first time my dad had been back home since his dad's (George Moar Borwick Adamson) funeral in 1956. We also met Ronald Gunn who was at school with my dad, so could Ronald be one of the missing names from the photo? Jim Merriman was the father-in-law of my second cousin once removed as we share James Stensgarth, born 1772. As it turns out Jim and my dad were not only best pals but related to each other. Unfortunately they never knew this as sadly my dad passed away last year on 11 Jan 2010, of heart failure, he was 77.
Regards,
Keith.
No.23 is my father Gilbert Walls Adamson, born 22 Mar 1932. My dad was best man at Jim Merriman's (China) wedding to Iris Marwick. Jim and my dad met up again when we went up to Stromness in 1991. This was my first and only time to Orkney and the first time my dad had been back home since his dad's (George Moar Borwick Adamson) funeral in 1956. We also met Ronald Gunn who was at school with my dad, so could Ronald be one of the missing names from the photo? Jim Merriman was the father-in-law of my second cousin once removed as we share James Stensgarth, born 1772. As it turns out Jim and my dad were not only best pals but related to each other. Unfortunately they never knew this as sadly my dad passed away last year on 11 Jan 2010, of heart failure, he was 77.
Regards,
Keith.
Added by Keith Adamson on 17 November 2011
Thanks Keith. Sorry to hear your dad is dead. Don't think Ronald Gunn is in the photo, or his brother John who was in the same school class as me. I laboured alongside your dad's dad one summer at the building of Hoymansquoy council housing estate in Stromness. Drawing thoughtfully on his ever-present pipe, he cautioned me against going at it hammer-and-tongs, because the hours were long. But the site foreman Sandy Wyness was a bit of a slavedriver and it wasn't a good idea to let him catch you leaning on your shovel.
Added by Ian Hourston on 17 November 2011
My mother, Alice Tait is number 46. Her younger brother James married Joyce Adamson in 1960 and they emigrated to Canada. Any relation to Keith? Joyce's mother was Rita, I think,and she had a brother Ronnie.
Added by Alison Hepburn on 14 January 2012
Hi Alison,Rita was the wife of my grand uncle Charles Hunter Forbes Adamson. Charles was my grandfather's younger brother. I have Rita's birth year as 1905 but don't have a date. According to my family tree, I have Rita and Charles as having 3 children, Joyce being the eldest and Ronnie being the youngest. I don't have a Christian name for the middle child.I had Joyce as being married to a Mr Tait, I didn't have his Christian name, now I know, thanks. I also had that they had 2 children, the eldest being male and the youngest female. Joyce is my first cousin once removed.There are 2 photos of Ronnie on this site, No 24730, Stromness Academy, 1956 and No 24731, Stromness Academy, 1954. Is Sylvia Tait a relative? My dad and I met Rita and Ronnie when we went up to Stromness in 1991. We met them at Rita's house, 1 Well Park, when she invited us for tea.
Regards,
Keith.
Regards,
Keith.
Added by Keith Adamson on 15 January 2012
I think James Tait is number 36 in the photo. Sadly both he and his son Ian are deceased but my Aunty Joyce is still living in Burlington,Canada as is my cousin Audrey and her family. I don't think Sylvia Tait is a close relative. Please contact me if you want more details. Sorry I've taken so long to reply... became a granny!!!
Added by Alison Hepburn on 28 December 2012
Alison, I'm pretty sure my identification of 36 as Freddie Park and 35 as James Tait is correct. At any rate I'd be prepared to swear 36 isn't James. Sorry to hear he and his son are dead. He and I weren't particularly close friends, but we - and several others - shared a tent at an Army Cadet Force camp in 1947 or 48.
Added by Ian Hourston on 09 January 2013
Aye, you're right, Ian. I'm needin' my granny specs as weel! James definitely No. 35!
Added by Alison Hepburn on 18 January 2013
Hi Ian, I am trying to trace relatives of a John L Mowat who died in WW1. I believe the John Gunn, who you mention above is the oldest son of this gentleman. If you would contact me, [email protected], I will fully explain who I am and the reason for my query. Thanks.
Added by Karen Mowat on 19 March 2014
Karen, it's hardly worth my bothering you over this. I know nothing of the background of the John Gunn who was briefly in the same class as me. I certainly didn't know his father was Mowat by name. Sounds like a slightly complicated family tree. But, as I say, I know nothing of it. Maybe you'll strike lucky with someone else. Best wishes.
Added by Ian Hourston on 11 April 2014
Hi Keith, I've only just seen this picture and just so you can correct your family tree re. Charles & Rita Adamson. You are correct in that they had three children but my father George is the eldest.He has four sons, myself, Karl, Craig & Kevin. Then it is Joyce who has a daughter Audrey who was the oldest and a son Ian who sadly passed away a number of years ago and you are correct in saying that Ronnie was the youngest. I hope this has been helpful to you
Added by Graham Adamson on 24 April 2014
Freddy Park is my Uncle
Added by John Park on 07 February 2015
No 6 is Doris Muir, sister of Jean and Eleanor Muir.
Added by Eleanor Wilson on 05 May 2015
Did the Mabel Brown in this picture marry Donald Mclachlan?
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Added by Mr Stuart G Mclachlan on 28 May 2023
Stromness
