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Although this postcard was franked in 1945 it must have been taken before the 2nd World War as the house which can be seen over the West Pier was demolished when the Hatston Aerodrome was built. The ship on the berth is the ss 'Amelia' which was owned by Cooper & Company of Kirkwall for many years before being absorbed into the North of Scotland, Orkney and Shetland Shipping Co. in 1940. She ran a weekly service from Leith to Aberdeen and Kirkwall until she was taken out of service in 1956 and broken up.
View Large VersionPicture added on 27 September 2007
I never knew that a there was a house over at Hatston, does anyone have any more details on the house and who lived there?
Added by Craig Taylor on 27 September 2007
The house was on Hatston Farm which belonged to John T Flett, who was a cattle dealer and also owned a butchers shop in Albert Street. Hatston Farm was requisitioned in the wartime and John T Flett moved to Saverock Farm. He also built a new house on the Hatston Brae.
Added by Rob Thomson on 28 September 2007
The house was called Grainayre.
Added by W Watters on 20 February 2012
I sailed in April 1945 (at age 15) to Kirkwall from Leith to work on an egg packing station at Stromness.
The Captains name was MOONEY and he smoked the blackest of tobacco but had a voice like a fog horn - and on returning to Leith, HOLLERED thru a MEGA PHONE "open the bridge", which miraculously opened so the AMELIA could tie up with it's load of eggs at the STRAND !!
The Captains name was MOONEY and he smoked the blackest of tobacco but had a voice like a fog horn - and on returning to Leith, HOLLERED thru a MEGA PHONE "open the bridge", which miraculously opened so the AMELIA could tie up with it's load of eggs at the STRAND !!
Added by ALASTAIR JAMES BERRY on 04 August 2015
Captains name was Moodie
Added by Bob Kelday on 22 June 2018
Does any one know my great grandfather who was on the SS Amelia until his 80s? His name was William Murray.
Added by Angela Wilson on 15 January 2022
Can you please check for me, the name of the wartime captain of The Amelia? My grandmother married her second husband in 1945 or so, William MOODY, who captained the Amelia. Can two wartime captains have such similar names?
Added by Vivien Jukes Cairns on 07 November 2023
I just learned my great grandfather Donald Johnston died on the Amelia on 20 May 1924. Not sure if he was crew at the time.
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Added by Richard Johnston on 01 January 2024
Kirkwall
