A Creek to a Haven
Fifty years of the Orkney Fishermen's Society
Compiled by Capt R. L. Sutherland and Stewart Crichton

Exactly 50 years ago the early morning risers of Stromness must have been diverted by the sight of a local teacher wheeling a large barrow-load of cartons along the street from the South End to the St Ola.

They may not have realised it at the time, but they were witnessing the birth of the Orkney Fishermen’s Society (OFS).

The story of the OFS and its roller-coaster ride through the past 50 years is graphically described in a splendid new booklet published by the society and compiled by its present chairman, Captain Robbie Sutherland, and its manager Stewart Crichton.

Entitled A Creek to a Haven, it runs to 78 pages and is lavishly illustrated with vintage photographs of men and their boats, and with affectionate pen portraits of many of the key figures in the story.

Like the mighty John Hourie, who launched a one man table-thumping invasion of St Andrew’s House to demand (and get) an immediate subsidy for his loss-making South Isles service.

Or like Ian MacInnes – the early morning barrow-wheeler—who was summoned out of retirement more than once at moments of crisis in the life of the society.

Or like the late David Hume, of Westray, who gave up a promising nautical career to come home and manage the island factory with great efficiency and dedication.

Stromness is especially rich in this kind of home-baked history, as anyone can testify who has kept pace with the formidable output of the local museum and the work of local historians of the calibre of Jim Troup, Bryce Wilson, and the late great Provost Doddie Robertson.

This new book deserves a place in that distinguished company.

Moreover, its compilers have rightly recognised the importance of setting this 50 year old story in the wider context of the town’s long maritime history.

And so the slips and jetties and the fishermen who used them are lovingly recorded and identified by name and nickname—from Old Bill Laughton and his fishing family at the Double Houses to the Bilcum dynasty and Deaf Tammick Clouston near the South Pier. And in later pages there is a comparable rollcall of the many Stromness sea captains who sailed the world and eventually came home to retirement in one of the numerous villas which sprang up on the flanks of Brinkies Brae.

Bryce Wilson gives a succinct and lucid account of the historical background.

He also offers titbit which helps to explain the somewhat puzzling title of the book. It seems that during the Seven Years War when cargoes of rice from America were being routed north via Orkney for safety, our Kirkwall cousins made strenuous efforts to dissuade the southern rice traders from using Stromness harbour, dismissing it as ‘a small creek’. Now where have we heard that before!

Derrick Johnstone picks up the story in post-war years when the political and economic climate was much more conducive to co-operative development of the kind contemplated by the fishermen and indeed the whole community in Stromness and eventually elsewhere in Orkney.

The first tentative moves to develop the processing side of the business were soon under way, but it was not until the late 1960s that the Orkney fishermen committed themselves to this development.

Two other important events occurred at this time, both of them hugely beneficial. The first was the establishment of the Westray (and for a time Rousay) processors. The Westray contribution to this development seems to have been crucial to the survival of the whole concept.

They had a dedicated work force supported by the community, with a committed and highly capable management. They maintained strong links with the OFS, and played an important role in helping the parent body to survive the near disaster of 1993. The Westray story is well told by George Drever.

The other key event of the 1960s was the establishment of the Nautical School in Stromness and the consequent return to Orkney of Captain Robbie Sutherland.

The story thereafter probably requires a book to itself (and who knows, it may get one).

Suffice to say that Robbie was still a reluctant but dutiful committee member when the OFS came close to disaster in 1993.

The crisis was resolved with the appointment of a new manager and (to Robbie’s great satisfaction) the long awaited and much desired amalgamation of the Stromness Processors and the OFS.

Since then, along with the new manager Stewart Crichton, he has played a pivotal role in turning round the fortunes of the OFS from the grim outlook of ten years ago to its present position of comparative strength, with record turnover, state of the art processing facilities, and a work force of 60, two-thirds of whom work full time.

But there is no hint of triumphalism in this account of what seems like a success story. Instead there is a sober awareness of the challenges which may have to be faced in the future.

As the authors say towards the end of this account: “ We are never sure what lies around the corner, but with common sense, teamwork and a ‘can do’ attitude, the society, supported by the local community, can hopefully continue to thrive and prosper”.

This is a gem of a book, and everyone involved in its production is to be congratulated, especially the designer Iain Ashman who has worked miracles with the space available to him. Top marks also for the brilliant cover design which offers us another take on the title.

A. H. Bevan.