Orkney Image Library

Going uphill as well! Is that a heron on the black rocks in the foreground?

Hard to keep up with times and changes, but Queen Mary?

Whur Grandfaither James Thomson was born at The Lower House o Brough, I think his father was boatman tae the Pentland Skerries before the Budge family took ower that duty.
Is The Lower House still standing?.

Oh it's the Queen Elizabeth. I was on board. Just finishing dinner about then.

I always knew it as the Upper Hoose. It is still standing but not in good condition and still belongs to a daughter of the Budge family who lives in Switzerland. Do you know who the architect was, as it is a very impressive house.

Thank you Jean, I thought it was Lower Hoose. I have never been to it, I was not aware it was a hoose o some note.
When I was a peedie boy in the Balfour Hospital 1956 there was a nurse Budge working there who I believe was from Brough Farm - would that have been a relative of the man who took over the Pentland Skerries boat following my Gt Grandfather as the boatman??.

Queen Elizabeth indeed.

i think i mislead you there. the house in the picture is the farm but the upperhoose was the boatmans house which i was talking about. it could have been his daughter's as she was a nurse there then. she is also my cousin.