Collated by Veronica Bell.
The Shetland Islands are the most northerly part of the British Isles, lying in the North Atlantic between the British mainland, the Faroe Islands and Norway. The main town, Lerwick, lies only six degrees of latitude from the Arctic Circle.
Shetland comprises over one hundred islands, of which fifteen are inhabited. Its place names and traditions reflect its strong Norse heritage. Despite their remoteness, the islands have a long history of occupation, having been settled since pre historic times and only becoming part of Scotland in the fifteenth century.
Today the Shetland Isles are known for its oil and fishing industries, as well as the production of its famous Fair Isle knitwear. Its vast seabird colonies, rugged scenery, archaeology, and Norse heritage combine to give the Islands their unique character.
This is the latest in our fortnightly blog looking at the resources the Library holds for each local authority area. This is not a comprehensive listing of everything we hold about that area but a jumping-off point for further exploration. Staff from across the Library have found interesting, beautiful and fun items to share from our online collections. You will find more across our website, in our Library and at local collections.
Where to find local collections:
Shetland Library https://www.shetland-library.gov.uk Shetland Museum & Archives https://www.shetlandmuseumandarchives.org.uk/
Book – non fiction:
‘The Shetland or Zetland Isles’ entry in Black’s Picturesque Tourist of Scotland, 1857. https://digital.nls.uk/130036746
Books – fiction:
The Whale: A Zetland story, 1832. [In Monthly Scrap Book, For November] https://digital.nls.uk/104184301
‘The Pirate’ by Walter Scott. ed. 1873. [In Antiquarian books of Scotland] https://digital.nls.uk/107396282
Films:
‘Shetland Pony’, 1965-9. https://movingimage.nls.uk/film/1130
‘Out Skerries’, 1978. https://movingimage.nls.uk/film/2691
‘Rovdehorn’, 1983. https://movingimage.nls.uk/film/3023
Manuscript:
Zetland (Shetland), 1792. (In the Hutton Drawings [Volume 2]) https://digital.nls.uk/9713449
Maps:
Orcadum et Shetlandiae Insularum accuratissima descriptio, 1654. [In the Blaeu Atlas of Scotland] https://maps.nls.uk/view/00000495
A new hydrographical survey of the islands of Shetland by Thomas Preston. 1781. https://maps.nls.uk/coasts/chart/831
Shetland LVI.8 (Gulberwick). Ordnance Survey 25 inch to one mile. 1880. https://maps.nls.uk/view/75115113
E-resource:
Talk on cultural links between Shetland and Norway, with a trow story. 1989. [Via Europeana, an open access resource with many audio/picture files on Shetland, accessed here https://auth.nls.uk/eresources/goto/101] https://www.europeana.eu/en/item/2059215/data_sounds_TDF031029
Business:
Advertisments for Shetland businesses, 1886. [In 1882-1915 – Slater’s Royal National Commercial Directory of Scotland] https://digital.nls.uk/9066917
Transport research series: Review of the air discount scheme by Social Research. 2008. https://www.nls.uk/scotgov/2008/0065011.pdf
Newspaper:
Letters and column in ‘Shetland News’ on the topic of Womens Suffrage (1912). https://digital.nls.uk/suffragettes/sources/source-8.html
https://digital.nls.uk/suffragettes/sources/source-9.html
https://digital.nls.uk/suffragettes/sources/source-27.htm
Person:
Diary of the Reverend John Mill, minister of the parishes Dunrossness, Sandwick and Cunningsburgh in Shetland, 1740 – 1803. [In Scottish History Society volumes Series 1, Volume 5, 1889] https://digital.nls.uk/12564739
Poem:
‘Shetland Heroes’ by J.J. Haldane Burgess, 1920. [In Shetland Rolls of Honour and Rolls of Service] https://digital.nls.uk/rolls-of-honour/archive/100529035
Mythical creature:
The Sea Folk Tradition in Shetland. The peat fire flame by Alasdair Alpin MacGregor. 1937. [In The Ossian Collection] https://digital.nls.uk/81147727
Castle or other historic building:
Plan of Fort Charlotte at Lerwick, 1783. [In Military Maps of Scotland] https://maps.nls.uk/view/00003158
Photograph:
‘Lerwick from the Town Hall’ [In the MacKinnon Collection, 1840s – mid 20th century] https://digital.nls.uk/learning/from-shore-to-shore/locations/north/index.html#gallery-6
Something about the county town:
Up Helly Aa Festival, Lerwick. 1949. https://movingimage.nls.uk/film/1309
Something about a village:
‘Scalloway from N’ [In the MacKinnon Collection, 1840s – mid 20th century] https://digital.nls.uk/learning/from-shore-to-shore/locations/north/index.html#gallery-3
Further reading (in the Library):
‘The Shetland Bus’ by Howarth, David Armine. New ed. 1998. https://search.nls.uk/permalink/f/1jc5lod/44NLS_ALMA21571667930004341 (The story of the Shetland Bus’ secret wartime missions to occupied Norway.)
‘Myth and Materiality in a woman’s world: Shetland 1800 – 2000., Abrams, Lynn. 2005. https://search.nls.uk/permalink/f/1jc5lod/44NLS_NPLD_EBK018363897
‘Sons and Daughters of Shetland: 1800 – 1900′ by Robertson, M. 1991. https://search.nls.uk/permalink/f/sbbkgr/44NLS_ALMA21550567500004341