Step back in time - visit a day in 1942
(Story dated: August 23, 2003)

Young and old are being invited to join in a trip down memory lane at the wartime museum at Lyness on Hoy on Sunday.

Organised by Orkney Heritage, the family fun day will take visitors to the island back to 1942, with the aid of concerts, live performances, period costumes and 1942-style menus.

One of the organisers, Mrs Janette Park, said: “Events include ENSA (Entertainments National Service Association) concerts by the Kirkwall Amateur Operatic Society in the Romney Hall on the site at Lyness at 11.30am and 2pm. Stromness Drama Club are doing concerts at 1pm and 3.30pm again in the Romney Hall.”

The Salvation Army band will be meeting people off the ferry and when adults arrive at the base, passes will be handed out for the day and children will be “tagged” with luggage labels as the young evacuees were during the war years.

Members of Kirkwall British Legion are holding a stall, while trips will be available to the naval cemetery and Roving Eye Enterprises will be taking folk out around the bay.

Mrs Park continued: “Folk will be able to try their hand at learning a bit of Morse code and the Pump House cafe will have a special 1942 menu – eat 1942 style, with things like corned beef hash, bangers and clapshot.

“You will be able to see what 1942 rations were like thanks to Fletts Butchers who donated the food,” she said.

The money raised during the day, from 11am-6pm, will be put towards keeping entry to the museum free.

Entry to the Lyness Museum is free, as are the concerts throughout the day.