The Orkney Image Library
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A Tom Kent picture, date unknown.
The three buildings to the right of the picture are still familar, the middle one carrying the name John Ritchie, and still occupied by the Ritchie family. Moving left, the smaller of the two single story buildings has been removed, the house next to it is a store and all the rest were demolished for the oil depot.
Note also the telegraph pole on the sea side of the sea wall!
Picture added on 10 February 2005
John Ritchie was my grand-dad, and the shop is now a room of my Auntie's house. The "peedie hoose" across the close from the shop/house was (I'm informed) an office for the dockers at one stage, but I could be wrong...
The yard up behind the saddler belongs in the family as well, and I can still mind the stables that ran along the end wall (against the side of Rendall Furnishings and the warehouse).
The yard up behind the saddler belongs in the family as well, and I can still mind the stables that ran along the end wall (against the side of Rendall Furnishings and the warehouse).
Added by Alison Ritchie on 13 April 2007
Alison I remember your Grandad well and the reason for the stables was he at one time was a coal merchant and owned a coal yard where S&JD Robertson's garage at Cromwell Rd is now. He carted the coal from the pier by horse and cart to the yard at Cromwell Rd. I was born at the Shore in the only house that is still there.
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Added by J.W on 18 May 2012
Kirkwall
Following on from Ritchie's Shop, as I remember the first of the smaller buildings probably was used as a store for the shop.
Carrying on left the next premises was Garrioch The Saddler, owned and run by Sidney Garrioch.
The next and bigger house Belonged to Mr & Mrs Harvey & Family.
Going left again, this house was a store and workshop, occupied by "The Walls Boys" fishermen of the 1945-1957(approx.) era [ see picture #215 ].
From there on in this picture most of the buildings had already been demolished, to make way for the oil tanks.