New Orkney Antiquarian Journal - Volume 7

Volume 7, 2014.

Dedicated to the papers presented at the John Rae 200 Conference in Stromness in September 2013, run by The Orkney Natural History Society, Stromness Museum.  The Editorial Board comprised Kathleen Ireland, Janette Park, Bryce Wilson, James Irvine and Dr Sarah Jane Gibbon.  The regular “Recent Books and Papers” feature can be found in Volume 8.

The decision of the Orkney Natural History Society to host the John Rae 200 Conference arose from the long association between the Society, Stromness and John Rae.  Dr Rae (1813-1893) was an early member of the Orkney Natural History Society.  His name appears in the Stromness Museum visitor book and when he died, his widow, Catherine Rae, passed on his portrait, octant and gun to the Museum.  Since then his inflatable Halkett boat and his fiddle have become part of the Museum’s display telling the story of Orkney’s connections with the Nor’ Wast.