These are from my family’s own collection of school photos from the 1920s and 1930s. Names were initially added as a joint effort on Facebook’s Orkney Past & Present group but now updated (Feb 2025) from a list at Orkney Archive, probably given by my father who is in the first three photos. I’ve also tried to add 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? (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), Donny Manson (Ore), Sandy Thomson (Bluerocks?), Jimmy Wilson (Oreburn), Charlie Smith (Simmary?), Jimmy Ward (Thurvoe or Lyness Point)
2nd Row l-r: Bessie Sinclair (teacher later Mrs Willie Budge), Jimmy Manson (Ore), Jim Ross (Wellbraes, Crockness), Gladys Wilson (Greenburn/East Moaness), Effie Thomson (Towerhouse), Nettie Hamilton (Greenburn & East Moness), Bella Shearer (Peatnear), Annie Corrigall )Stonequoy), Isaac Wilson (Oreburn), Ronnie Brass (John RB Corrigall,The Ha’), Maggie G Wilson (from Bulwark, Crockness, teacher – later Mrs Bill Thomson)
3rd Row: James Chalmers (Millhouse), John Chalmers (Millhouse), Violet Robertson (home?), Jessie/Jean Langskaill (home?), Patty (Peter) Wilson (Orequoy), Jimmy Shearer (Peatnear), Annie Shearer (Peatnear), Dolly Wilson (home?), Freddie Ross (Wellbraes), Bob Wilson (Orequoy), John Wards (Thurvoe or Lyness Point), Nellie Wards (in front of teacher, Thurvoe or Lyness Point)
4th Row: Jimmy Wilson? (boy in front of teacher – too old to be Orequoy?), Georgina Sutherland (North Ness PO), Jimmy Sutherland (West Moaness?), Willie Corrigall (Stonequoy), Robert Thomson (Bluerocks?), John Sutherland (West Moaness?), George Clubley (Lyness?), Annie Wilson (Oreburn), Cathy Simpson (Upper Seatter), Peter McEwan (home?)
Front Row: Reggie Chalmers (Millhouse), Tommy Thomson (Bluerocks?), Stanley Thomson (Towerhouse), Chrissie Thomson (Bluerocks), Beryl? Winter (home?), 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, Donny Manson, Sandy Thomson, Jimmy Wilson, Charlie Smith, Jimmy Ward
Middle row l-r: Jimmy Manson, Jim Ross, Gladys Wilson, Effie Thomson, Nettie Hamilton, Bella Shearer, Annie Corrigall, Isaac Wilson, Ronnie Brass.
Front row l-r: Pattie Wilson, Jimmy Sutherland, John Sutherland, Maggie G Wilson (head teacher), Annie Shearer, Dolly Wilson, George Clubley, Bob Wilson
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.
