Orkney Image Library

This is the Brims yole "Alert" at the Longhope regatta in 1937. I would think that the helmsman is Engineer Bob Johnston and I have been told that the young chap in the middle is Douglas Robertson.
Any idea of the house in the background?. I think it must be North Roe.
I think the "Alert" beat the famous Burray yole "Gazelle" on a couple of occassions. This was considered to be just about impossible at the time, I understand.
The "Alert" had a sad end. A couple of hippy types from Papa Stour bought her in the early 1970s after she had been lying in a noust at Brims for years They set off for Shetland under sail, but ended up getting a tow from a trawler. This pulled the stem out of her, so she was beached on the West side of Shetland, where she rotted away, as far as I know.

Whars, that photo tean at Fredie, Is hid at the Hupp? And whit boat is hid?.

Oh yes noo I see this wiss afore the Lodge and the Naval Hall wiz built and thats the road up tae North Row, Hids funny tae think o Longhope with oot the buildings that wae hiv kent o aal wur life.

Something came back tae me aboot the "Alert".
When the two "Hippies" took the yole fae the Haven at Brims Bob had got her all tuned up just "tickity boo", the magneto was aye kept under the "doric" in the kitchen and everything aboot the yole was painted oiled and adjusted.

The two heroes got the engine goan at full revs before slaman her into gear- wae a flurry o "sprae" they they were off!! Bob just turned and walked home without a backward glance, he knew fine the days o the "Alert" would not be long!!
How right he was.

I can confirm that the lad in the middle is my father, Douglas Robertson.

I wiz on the beach at the haven the day the alert went, I also think they bought the Jessabell and the Silvia, I could be wrong i wiz only aboot 6 or 7. Bye the way who bought the Luster ? Am sure I saw her in Lerwick

I think the house that I grew up in, Big North Row went up in 1929. I was looking at an old Valuation Roll from 1939 this week and the Allan's lived in it and Steele Smith the baker lived in the old house of North Row which was joined on by a very drafty passage! I was told that the Allan's had a bakers shop in a shed at the house, Mervyn did find some old order books in the attic when renovations were going on.
I always thought the Naval Hall was from the First World War.