Orkney Image Library

I think it is something to do with excavation of Skara Brae early 30s. Looks like my Grandfather, Jock Moar 4th from left second row down.hH was a stone mason at that time. Professor Gordon Childs on extreme right was in charge

Looks like the building of some of the 1920s council houses, Carters park maybe.

I think that you are right Paul, the house in the background looks as though it may have been one of the first to be built in Willowburn Road. Were the houses built in 1937? If I remember correctly my father-in-law Jock Moar who is in the photo worked for Drever the builders, but as I am not from here I may be wrong.

I think Paul may be correct with this one, I think the men are standing in front of one of the semi-detached houses in the Carters Park area in the 1930's. I am wondering if it is 26 & 28 Willowburn Road, number 28 still has the same style of window today (one of the few that do so) See also picture No: 24769 - Tom Kent photograph from Orkney Images looking across to the 2 houses in Willowburn Road? Our Grandfather, Jock Moar was indeed involved in the excavation of Skara Brae though!

Prof Vere Gordon Childe was said to have a face 'so ugly that it was painful to look at', to be 'tall, ungainly and ugly, eccentric in dress' and to have 'squinting eyes behind owlish spectacles'. The man in the above photo doesn't look that bad, nor does he closely resemble photos I've seen of the unhandsome professor. How sure are you, Donald Moar, about your identification?

The Skara Brae suggestion is interesting, but I don't think that is Gordon Childe on the right, in all the photos of him he wears distinctive round glasses, there is a good one on page 142 of Shoal and Sheaf, I don't think that man is wearing glasses, although the hat hides his face. Wouldn't a Skara Brae group be taken on site?

Thanks to my cousin David I now know that the date of 1910 is a good deal too early, J W Sinclair was born in 1901.

Since speaking to my sister-in-law who is Jock Moar's daughter, she told me that the houses were started before WW1. I know that Jock Moar was in WW1 but I still think the houses being built at the time the picture was taken was around 1930. I also found out the builder was John Firth. My father-in-law also worked at Skara Brae around 1931.

Hi cousin Jim I think the tall man extreme right second front row might be Bill Johnston who was married to our grandmother's sister Annie. He was a joiner to trade.

I think the man fifth from the right on the back row is my grandad, William Stove, from Deerness. He was a joiner to trade too.