PICTURING HOY

In 2019 we ran a poll asking people to vote for their 10 favourite images of Hoy. Here are the results. These photographs form a permanent collection of framed prints that are exhibited at Hoy Heritage Centre between changing exhibitions.

This is Ivy Mowat being schooled by Mrs Rendall at the Rackwick School.

Cathy Rendall became Cathy Clark and was the Sub Postmistress in Hoy, but before she was weighing parcels Cathy was weighing sweets in her family’s shop in Rackwick. She recalled a jar of sweets falling off the shelf and boilings spilling everywhere.

This is Ivy Mowat and her brothers at the shop in Rackwick.

The Triton, one of many boats that Stevie Mowat piloted on the Stromness to Moaness route. Whichever boat it was always known as ‘Stevie’s boat’. More here.

Mary Mowat taking home peats with her mother and Jack the ox. Hear Mary talk about this photograph here.

The 1952 Hoy Dance at Hoy Hall. Cathy Clark has named every single visible face in the photograph. And the remarkable thing is that she did it over 50 years after the event.

J Valentine hand coloured postcard of fishing in Rackwick. Wondering what that massive fish is? It’s a halibut. Hear Frankie Sinclair talking about fishing in Hoy and the huge halibut that went by plane to the Marie Curie Hospital in London here.

Harvesting in Hoy. Jean from the Bu recalls this photograph being taken.

Cathy Wilson on her motorbike – Maureen Kinsey has identified it as a 1920s NER-A-CAR (nearly a car). One sold at Bonhams in 2017 for over £14,000!

Isaac Moar Sub Postmaster in Hoy – we have the ink stamp seen here in the photograph on display.

This project was supported by the Orkney Islands Council Culture Fund.