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SOHC 14/6 · File · 18 September 1997
Part of Up-helly-aa oral history project

Recording and transcript of conversation between Callum Brown, Jane Manson and Barbara Anderson 18 September 1997. Jane and Barbara were residents of Bressay and discuss the Bressay Up-helly-aa festival. They discuss the timing of the festival, the festivities over the chosen weekend, how many people attend the festival, and the capacity of the hall. They walk through the series of events on the day and evening of Up-helly-aa. They describe the creation of the Bill, a notice board produced for Up-helly-aa that includes local jokes and satire featuring members of the community, and the preparations of the galley boat. They describe the Jarl's visit to the school and the sheltered housing ahead of the evening event. The role of women in the festival is discussed and the procession is described in detail. The festivities that take place in the local hall after the procession are described including the dressing up of the squads and their skits. Some examples of skits, squad costumes, and squad names are relayed in detail and the very local nature of the material is described. Some of the differences between Bressay Up-helly-aa and Lerwick Up-helly-aa are discussed. The changing nature of the community in Bressay and participation in the festival is discussed. They talk about the active involvement of women in the Bressay Up-helly-aa and how this differs from the Lerwick festival. They describe the 'hop': the dance that occurs the night after Up-helly-aa. Jane and Barbara speak of their, and their families' great enjoyment of the festival. They speak of the involvement of children in Up-helly-aa and how this has changed over the decades. The conversation returns to the role of women in Up-helly-aa. They return to discussing the Lerwick Up-helly-aa and how it differs from the Bressay festival. They speak of the great expense of being in the Jarl Squad.

SOHC 14/5 · File · 16 September 1997
Part of Up-helly-aa oral history project

Recording and partial transcript of conversation between Callum Brown and Ian Tait, 16 September 1997. Ian Tait was curator at Shetland Museum. They discuss legislation around and the owning of handguns in Shetland and Lerwick. Ian briefly describes the local seal hunting industry and discusses historical uses of different kinds of firearms in Shetland, why people had them, and that many ended up in the museum.

SOHC 14/4 · File · 15 September 1997
Part of Up-helly-aa oral history project

Recording and transcript of conversation between Callum Brown and Margaret Rorie, 15 September 1997. Magaret Rorie was the Headteacher at a School in Lerwick. She speaks of teaching Up-helly-aa to the local children, as well as teaching wider projects about Vikings. Margaret describes the large scale of Up-helly-aa in Lerwick and the series of events, that involve the children, on the actual day. Margaret describes the kind of things taught in the school relating to Up-helly-aa, and how they relate to the wider curriculum including comparing Up-helly-aa to Viking history. Margaret mentions that Christmas is still important to the children and speaks about the effects of the winter weather on the children. She describes the forming of squads by Primary 7 boys and their involvement in the festival for example making shields and attending their own dance. Margaret closes with thoughts on the significance of Up-helly-aa to the children and a sense of belonging.

SOHC 14/3 · File · 14 September 1997
Part of Up-helly-aa oral history project

Recording and transcript of conversation between Callum Brown and Peter Black (pseudonym), 14 September 1997. Peter was born in Lerwick and was three times a member of the Jarl's squad. Peter recalls seeing his first Up-helly-aa in 1938 or 1939, and describes his squad, composed of teachers. He explains the activities and make-up of squads, and describes the preparations in the run-up to the festival. Other topics discussed include: the jokes perfomed as part of sketches; drinking during squad meetings and the festival in general; the expenses incurred by being in the Jarl squad, including special jewellery for family members and organising events; the role of women in the festival; the importance of Up-helly-aa to the local community; incomers to the community; political views in Shetland and national identity; the role of the oil industry in Shetland; and Up-helly-aa souvenirs. Peter also describes his squad costumes and other events that the Jarl squad would attend, describes the process of guizing, and muses upon the future of the Up-helly-aa festival.

SOHC 14/2 · File · 14 September 1997
Part of Up-helly-aa oral history project

Recording and transcript of conversation between Callum Brown and Michael and Susan Peacock (pseudonyms), 14 September 1997. Michael was a part of the Jarl's squad in 1992 and he describes the process of preparing costumes, the make-up of the squads, and the drinking culture. They discuss the Bill in Bressay and Lerwick, a notice board produced for Up-helly-aa that includes local jokes and satire featuring members of the community. Michael also describes being the subject of an entire squad and sketch during the festival. Susan briefly describes the order of events at Bressay Up-helly-aa, taking place on the last Friday in February.

SOHC 14/1 · File · 23 August 1997
Part of Up-helly-aa oral history project

Recording and partial transcript of conversation between Callum Brown and Terry and Ann Johnson (pseudonyms), 23 August 1997. Ann Johnson was originally from Central Scotland and moved to Lerwick with husband Terry in 1985. They discuss moving to Lerwick and first impressions of Up-helly-aa festival. They also describe 'hamefarins' where people with connections to Shetland return to the island. Terry describes his lasting impressions of the festival, the preparations undertaken by squads for the festival, the secretive nature of the preparations, and the festival's connection to drinking alcohol. The make-up of Up-helly-aa squads is discussed as well as the costume preparations and the role of women in costume creation. Terry describes Up-helly-aa's place in the school curriculum, the role of the Jarl throughout the year, and discusses the content of the sketches performed by the squads.

SOHC 14 · Collection · 1997

Oral history project, conducted by Callum G. Brown, in 1997. The aim of the project was to study the festival of Up-helly-aa, an annual winter-time festival celebrated across the island of Shetland. The interviews were a key part of the research for Callum Brown's book: 'Up-helly-aa: Custom, culture and community in Shetland' (1998).
The collection comprises 9 digital audio recordings of 6 interviews (digitised from original tapes) and 6 paper transcripts (with digital access copies): some labelled as 'partial' transcripts, and others labelled as 'full relevant' transcripts.
There are 9 interviewees. Some were interviewed together.

Brown, Callum, b. 1953, historian
OS/90/4/4 · Item · November 2023

Order of service for the memorial service for Professor Sir John P. Arbuthnott, former Principal of the University of Strathclyde. The service was held in the Barony Hall, 29 November 2023. Also includes obituary inside the order of service.

University of Strathclyde | Office of Marketing and Communications
William Wilson papers
JCE/22/4/9 · Item · 1938

Educational Institute of Scotland certificate of student membership, no. 728, dated June 1938.

Wilson, William, b. 1913, teacher
Geoffrey Tweedale papers
GB 249 TWE · Collection · 1921 - 2000s

Research papers of Geoffrey Tweedale gathered during the course of his research for his book 'Magic mineral to killer dust: Turner & Newall and the asbestos hazard' (2nd edition, 2001: Oxford University Press), which investigated the British company, Turner & Newall, one of the world's leading asbestos manufacturers.

The collection comprises:

  • Copies of more or less complete run of Turner & Newall compensation cases, 1921-1990s (c. 700 files). The copies were made by Tweedale from microfilms of the Turner & Newall company archives made by Chase Manhattan Bank in 1991 as part of a court case initiated in the USA by the Bank against Turner & Newall. Tweedale made a special study of these case files.
  • Series of subject files. The bulk of the contents is copies of correspondence and papers from the Turner & Newall archives. However, the series also contains material from other sources as well as Tweedale’s own notes and correspondence. Most of the material relates to Turner & Newall, but there is also material on other companies eg Johns Manville in the USA, Eternit, and Cape Asbestos as well as material on Canada, South Africa, and Australia. The series also includes biographical information on related people as well as press cuttings collected by Tweedale.
  • A selection of videotapes and DVDs mostly relating to Turner & Newall plus several transcripts of TV/radio programmes, dating back to the 1970s and early 1980s.
Tweedale, Geoffrey, b. 1951, business historian
GB 249 TN · Collection · 1920s - 1990s

Copies of parts of the corporate archive of Turner & Newall, one of the world's leading asbestos manufacturers. The records copied date back to the 1920s. The copies were owned by Clydeside Action on Asbestos and used as a research resource.

These copies are significant since the original Turner & Newall archives are not accessible. The only time that the company granted access to its archives was during the legal proceedings initiated by Chase Manhattan Bank against Turner & Newall in 1987 when these copies were made. The copies of the archives remain the only primary evidence of Turner & Newall's activities.

Contents include board minutes and correspondence and papers relating to: the health risks of asbestos; asbestos industry regulations; the company's medical arrangements; employees with asbestos-related disease; the company's relations with the media; the company's submissions to parliamentary select committees; Chase Manhattan Bank vs. Turner & Newall trial documents; company histories.

Clydeside Action on Asbestos