100 years of Stromness Hotel celebrated
By Lorraine Shearer

The Stromness Hotel in the early part of last century. (Picture: Orkney Library Photographic Archives)

A milestone in the history of Stromness will be reached this weekend as the town’s namesake hotel celebrates its 100th birthday.

The centenary is being marked by a weekend of activities and entertainment, starting on Friday, November 9, through to Sunday.

The hotel was actually completed by the contractors in 1901, but it wasn’t until June the next year that the official opening dinner was held.

Manager Mrs Leona McLeod said: “We will be using the weekend to raise funds towards the Stromness Business Community Forum to help them enhance the profile of Stromness, which will in turn help the small businesses and will give something back to the people of Stromness.”

The weekend begins with an exhibition of wedding photos taken in the hotel over the past 100 years, and organisers are appealing for anyone who has a wedding album tucked away to bring their photos along to join the display.

On Friday evening a dinner dance will try to recapture the atmosphere of 100 years ago, and staff will be dressed in the attire of the time. Special guests are great-grandsons of Mr John Mackay, founder of the hotel, John and Duncan, and a welcome speech will be given by the owner Mr Douglas Smith.

The lavish dining room of the Stromness Hotel, in the same location where diners are still entertained today. (Picture: Orkney Library Photographic Archives)

On Saturday there is a jewellery exhibition featuring the Orkney launch of pieces by Stewart Moar and steak night and dance to Three Peace Sweet in the evening.

There are special discount meal offers available on Sunday and in the afternoon children will be sending off balloons with goodwill messages and burying a time capsule to be opened in 2101 which will contain messages from a group of Stromness Primary School pupils on how they see the world today. In the evening they have planned a whisky tasting and talk with writer for The Scottish Field magazine, Mr Malcolm Greenwood.

Mrs McLeod added: “Stromness has a lot to offer with various events, such as Shopping Week, Folk Festival, Blues Festival and Jazz Festival, which are mostly run by volunteers.

“Stromness has lost a lot over the past few years, seeing a business close every year, the loss of the St Sunniva, the local tourist office only being open for two hours per day. But hopefully we will face a brighter future with the new marina in the pipeline, the new ferry service and extended harbour.

Stuffed animals and guns decorate the walls and ceiling of the little changed entrance to the Stromness Hotel and familiar staircase. Sadly, a sign of the times, but political correctness and safety have meant the ornaments have been removed. (Picture: Orkney Library Photographic Archives)

A new era began when the Stromness Hotel opened for business. It was the first building in Orkney to be fitted with electric light and “every modern convenience”.

The dominating stance of the hotel, which overlooks the harbourfront, has changed little over the years – testimony to the materials used and the skills of the Orcadian workmen.

The founder was Mr John Mackay, a Sutherland man, whose first hotel was the Station Hotel in Thurso, before he came to Orkney to run the Mason’s Arms Hotel in Stromness.

Mr Mackay also started a “posting service” throughout the Orkney Mainland and bought the farm of Stairwaddy to keep the necessary horses.

Stromness man Mr S. Baikie was contracted to build the hotel in 1899 and Mr Mackay was to go on to become one of Orkney’s major hoteliers of the day.

He built the Stenness Hotel and bought the Kirkwall Hotel when it came on the market. The Queen’s Hotel in Lerwick also came under his management.

A Stromness town councillor and county councillor, Mr Mackay died in 1928, aged 73, just a few months after the Stromness Hotel had played host to royalty when Prince George visited the town.

The hotel was taken over by Mrs Mary Ann Walker in 1929. The property changed hands a further ten times until the present owner, Mr Douglas Smith, purchased it in 1996.

There was a lengthy report in The Orcadian of June 21, 1902, when a dinner was held for 80 gentlemen to celebrate the opening.

Founder of the Stromness Hotel, Mr John Mackay, stands proudly in the entrance to the building around 1920. (Picture: Orkney Library Photographic Archives)

On the menu that night was, among other things, clear mock turtle soup, puree of kidney soup, lobster, mutton, sirloin of beef, roast turkey and tongue, coronation pudding and jellies.

Provost Andrew Wylie said in a speech: “I have often been laughed at by some of my friends for predicting that Stromness would yet become a favourite summer resort for visitors in search of health and pleasure, but my prediction, if not altogether fulfilled, is fast becoming so.”

The great-grandsons of Mr Mackay, John and Duncan Mackay are travelling to Orkney from south and abroad for the occasion. Appropriately it is John’s 50th birthday on Friday, November 9.

The hotel is still going from strength to strength and getting busier, despite numerous setbacks.

“This year was busier than last year,” Mrs McLeod said. “At the start of the year we were really quite concerned about the foot-and-mouth crisis. When Douglas bought the hotel five years ago I started doing serious marketing over the world. It takes about three years for the customers abroad to get their groups together; we are just starting to take off now with a lot of Spanish groups.”