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>Home :: Orkney Boat Museum Orkney Boat MuseumThe Orkney Boat Museum will be a venue for the storage, collection, conservation, research and display of boats and associated boat building artefacts relating to Orkney.
Boats on display will represent craft used in Orkney through the ages from a prehistoric log boat, Scandinavian craft representing the period of boat import from Norway in the 18th century (the original flatpack), yoles, dinghies, flatties and a quhill (pronounced with a soft "q" almost like "whill" but also called a quill in Stromness). What is believed to be the last remaining quhill was recently found in a garden in Kirkwall. It is a double-ended boat rather smaller than most yoles, the bow and stern being similar in shape. The Museum will also include representations of larger craft from the herring-fishing era, the two world wars and the days of the floating shops which traded round the isles and the North of Scotland until the 1920s. Also the many locally owned trading smacks that sailed round the British coast and further afield. Boat building will also be a feature, with a workshop and a position for an apprentice boatbuilder. The yole was probably the most important contributor to the economy of many Orkney households. It was essential for fishing to provide food for the family. Abundant fish caught in summer would be salted and dried for winter consumption. Yoles were prolific throughout the islands. In the late 19th century the island of Graemsay, measuring about one mile by two, had about 40 boats round its shore. Some households owned several. Graemsay yoles made their weekly trip to Stromness every Wednesday (mart day), delivering cheese, butter, eggs and the odd chicken to customers in the town and collecting the weeks groceries, feeding stuff for animals and poultry, paraffin etc. This was the procedure into the 1960s when improved piers and ferry services started its demise. Lobster fishing was also a very important part of crofting life, providing a cash income to help pay the bills. Flatties were mainly used to get out to yoles at their moorings and for all the young boys to learn their boat-handling skills. Dinghies were often used in the lobster fishery and in the sailing regattas. The quhill was also used in the lobster fishery and for pleasure sailing. Small craft played such an important part in Orkney's economic and social life and made such an important contribution to the prosperity of the islands that is important to preserve what we can of their history for future generations. It is hoped that the Orkney Boat Museum will include the following themes;
The Orkney Boat Museum will also act as an introduction to the subject of Orkney and its important maritime history and development - with orientation to other related heritage sites in Orkney, such as Stromness Museum, the Scapa Flow Visitor Centre and museum, Orkney Fossil and Vintage Centre, Stronsay Fish Mart Interpretation Centre, Lonhope Lifeboat Museum, Westray Heritage Centre and Shapinsay Smithy, amongst others.
The CollectionSome of the boats the Orkney Boat Museum already has, or would be interested in acquiring;
The plan is for curatorial responsibilty for the collections to lie with Orkney Islands Council's Curator of Social History.
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Home :: News :: History :: Boat Museum :: Gallery :: Restoration :: Support :: Links :: Downloads :: Site Map |
Orkney Boat Museum is a company limited by guarantee, Co. Reg. No. SC273109, and is a recognised Scottish charity The Hall of Clestrain / Orkney Boat Museum - www.hallofclestrain.org.uk - Email. info@hallofclestrain.org.uk |
