These are from my family’s own collection of school photos from the 1920s and 1930s. Names have been added as a joint effort on Facebook’s Orkney Past & Present group mainly. I’ve also tried to add the names of where the pupils lived. It would be great to fill in the gaps and make any corrections. The first photo is in front of the school opened in 1932 and the next two in front of the older 1867 school.
Back l-r: Annie Shearer (Peatnear), Georgina Sutherland (North Ness Post Office), Ella Sutherland (West Moness), ?, Willie Corrigall (Stonequoy), ?, Willie Simpson (Upper Seatter), Tommy Thomson (Bluerocks), Chrissie Thomson (Bluerocks), Annie Wilson (Oreburn)
2nd row l-r: Jimmy Wilson (Oreburn), Tommy Chalmers (Millhouse) (or Charlie Smith?), ?, Patty Wilson? (Orequoy), ?, Jimmy Shearer (Peatnear), Jimmy or Reggie Chalmers (Millhousel), ?, ?, Freddie Ross (Wellbraes, Crockness), Walter Ross (Wellbraes, Crockness)
3rd row l-r: Helen Matches or Bessie Sinclair? (teacher), Edward Fancey (Lyness Naval Base), Clair Sutherland (North Ness Post Office), ? , Margaret Shearer (Peatnear), Bella Wilson (Orequoy), Violet Wilson (Oreburn), Cathy Simpson (Upper Seatter), Nellie Ward (Thurvoe or Lyness Point/East Millbay), Dorothy Fancey (Lyness Naval Base), Mary Wilson (Orequoy), Mims Sinclair (Daystar), Freda Swanson (Little Scews), Hugh Simpson (Upper Seatter), Maggie G Wilson (teacher)
Front row l-r: George Shearer (Peatnear), ?, ?, ?, Stanley Thomson (Towerhouse), Alfie Corrigall (Quoys), ? Chalmers (Millhouse), ?, ?
Back Row l-r: Billy Chalmers (Millhouse), Walter Ross (Wellbraes, Crockness), Tommy Chalmers (Millhouse), Patty (Peter) Wilson (Orequoy), ?,Jimmy Wilson (Oreburn),?,?
2nd Row l-r: Bessie Sinclair (teacher later Mrs Willie Budge), Jimmy Manson (Ore), Jim Ross (Wellbraes, Crockness), Lizzie Hamilton (Greenburn & East Moness), Evelyn Thomson (Towerhouse), Nettie Hamilton (Greenburn & East Moness), Bella Shearer (Peatnear), Annie Corrigall )Stonequoy), Isaac Wilson (Oreburn), John Corrigall or Brass (The Ha’), Maggie G Wilson (from Bulwark, Crockness, teacher – later Mrs Bill Thomson)
3rd Row: James Chalmers (Millhouse), John Chalmers (Millhouse), ?, Ellen Newlands (camp, Crockness Road)?, ?,?, Annie Shearer (Peatnear), ?, Freddie Ross (Wellbraes), ?,?,Nellie Wards (in front of teacher, Thurvoe or Lyness Point/East Millbay)
4th Row: ? (boy in front of teacher), Georgina Sutherland (North Ness PO), Willie Simpson (Upper Seatter), Willie Corrigall (Stonequoy), ? Thomson, ?, Hugh Simpson (Upper Seatter), Annie Wilson (Oreburn), Cathy Simpson (Upper Seatter), Edward Fancey (Lyness Naval Base)
Front Row: Reggie Chalmers (Millhouse), ?, Stanley Thomson (Towerhouse), Chrissie Thomson (Bluerocks), Dorothy Fancey (Lyness Naval Base), Mary Wilson (Orequoy), Clair Sutherland (North Ness PO), Freda Swanson (little Scews), Mims Sinclair (Daystar), Margaret Shearer (Peatnear)
Back l-r:- Billy Chalmers, Walter Ross, Tommy Chalmers, Patty (Peter) Wilson, ?, Jimmy Wilson, ?, ?
Middle row l-r: Jimmy Manson, Jim Ross, Lizzie Hamilton, Evelyn Thomson , Nettie Hamilton, Bella Shearer, Annie Corrigall, Isaac Wilson, John Corrigall/Brass.
Front row l-r: ?, ?, ?, Maggie G Wilson (teacher), Annie Shearer, ?, ?, ?.
Back l-r: ?, ?, ?
2nd row l-r: ?, ?, ?, ?,
3rd row l-r: ?, Victor Baikie (Boathouse), ?, ?, ?, James Baikie (Boathouse), ?, ?, ?, ?
4th row l-r: ? (half out of photo), ? Maria Baikie (Boathouse) with ? on knee), ? ? (teacher), ?, ?, Lizzie Corrigall (Quoys), ? (teacher), ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?.
Front l-r: ? , Isaac Wilson (Oreburn)?, Lizzie Hamilton (Greenburn), ?, ?, Nettie Hamilton (Greenburn), ?, ?, Jim Ross (Wellbraes)
Follow this link for teachers’ dates and details.
Other photos
You’ll find my other North Walls school photos from the late 1940s and early 1950s here and some others on the Orkney Image Library. Advanced search as below works best: select Hoy as parish (yes I know it should be Walls!!) and School as Album.
