The Orkney Image Library
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Paul writes:
'This photo was taken by Miss Sinclair, Kirkwall, in April 1898 and shows the Sheriff-substitute of Orkney, S B Armour, with the members of the Society of Procurators of Orkney (the local lawyers) outside Kirkwall Sheriff Court. Armour was leaving to become Sheriff-substitute at Cupar, and this photo was the Society's present. I know all those in it, but not always which is which. Standing left to right: Duncan J Robertson, W P Drever, unknown, Sheriff Armour, Angus Buchanan, unknown, unknown, James Begg. Seated left to right: unknown, T W Ranken (Sheriff Clerk), W J Heddle, William D Firth, M L Howman (Procurator Fiscal), unknown. The unknowns are William Cowper, T H Liddle and T P Low of Kirkwall and J A S Brown and John S Copland of Stromness, though I think Low may be the one seated on the extreme right. I have been trying to put names to faces on this photo for 20 years, so any help would be much appreciated.'
Picture added on 18 January 2005
I've had it confirmed that the man seated on the extreme right is indeed T P Low. That leaves Cowper, Liddle, Brown and Copland. The man seated extreme left may be seen, I think, in a photo of the opening of the Kirkwall golf course, which might narrow things down. I suspect there may be other photos of these men kicking around somewhere for William Cowper was Town Clerk of Kirkwall and an elder in the Paterson Kirk. J A S Brown was Town Clerk of Stromness and lived at Oglaby there.
Added by Paul Sutherland on 24 August 2006
Very amusing. J Brown, Town Clerk of Stromness, is my great grandfather. His son Donald is my grandfather, and his daughter Margareth, is my mother. Donalds wife Lenore, my dear Grandmother, lived in Oglaby untill she died in May last year. Me and my brother Erik are Norwegian and we live in Oslo. My brother has followed his great grandtather`s trade. He is a lawyer.
Added by Ivar Christian Loseth on 06 March 2007
Thank you very much. I presume you mean the furthest right standing on the step (ie with fur-trimmed overcoat)? Is that also him in picture #1658?
Added by Paul Sutherland on 22 July 2007
Yes, two away from the Sheriff.
I don't see him in the other photo. We have a photo at Oglaby with some names on it which I will try to find when next home.
I don't see him in the other photo. We have a photo at Oglaby with some names on it which I will try to find when next home.
Added by James Brown on 23 July 2007
I'm very grateful to James Brown for allowing me to have the photo he mentions copied and I will post it on the site shortly. In the meantime, I am now able to give all the names of the people in the photo shown above, 23 years after I first saw it. Hooray! Standing, left to right, D. J. Robertson, W. P. Drever, William Cowper, Sheriff Armour, Angus Buchanan, J. A. S. Brown, John S. Copland, James Begg. Seated, left to right, T. H. Liddle, T. W. Ranken, W. J. Heddle, W. D. Firth, M. L. Howman, T. P. Low.
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Added by Paul Sutherland on 04 September 2007
South Ronaldsay
