When the United Kingdom came to Stromness – a 200-year-old tale

By Patricia Long

The social history of Orkney is overshadowed by our archaeology but there are so many
discoveries to be made, sitting comfortably at our computers instead of digging in a trench.
My latest find shows that cruise ship passengers have been discovering how much
Stromness has to offer for very nearly 200 years.

My great-great-grandfather Simon Oman of Biggings, Stenness was the first captain of the Royal
Mail, the first mail boat to sail between Stromness and Scrabster. A computer search
produced a Captain Oman on a very different ship.

Early Steam Ship Voyages in the North was written by George Watson in 1999, for the Caithness Field Club Bulletin. He had found a passenger’s account of the maiden voyage of the United Kingdom which arrived in
Stromness on August 1 1826.

“We passed under the stupendous cliffs of Hoy, and on entering Stromness Bay, discovered
the beach lined with spectators, whom the novelty of a steam vessel had attracted to the
shore. As at Tobermory, and Stornoway, the United Kingdom was in a few minutes crowded
with visitors – and besides the common people of the town, several parties of ladies and
gentlemen came on board, and expressed themselves very highly delighted with the
splendour of the ship and the extent of accommodation it afforded.

“The passengers went on shore, and the whole stock of gloves of a manufacture peculiar to
the place, was soon purchased. A most extensive manufactory of straw bonnets is
established here, and the specimens I saw was much more beautiful than any Leghorn. They
are in great demand, and sell as high as four pounds on the spot . . .

“The people of Stromness, living beside the safest harbour in the north of Scotland, saw
hundreds of ships come and go every year but this was something entirely different. The
United Kingdom was not only the first steamship to arrive in Orkney, she was the largest
and most luxurious in the country. The Mechanics Magazine of 22 July 1826 went into
raptures over her. This stupendous vessel measures on deck 175 feet long by 45 feet 6 inches wide. Her paddles
are above 20 feet in diameter and she has two engines of 100 horse power each . . .

“To sum up the whole, without fear of contradiction, it may be asserted that no vessel equally
well contrived for the accommodation of its expected inmates has been ever seen since the
days of Noah.”

The full version of this article can be found on page 30 of this week’s edition of The Orcadian. 

Patricia Long is a local tour guide with a particular interest in social and family history. She posts her research on her website www.aboutorkney.com.