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Life and work of crofters and fishermen; oppression by the f...

Date 1971
Track ID 94820
Part 1

Track Information

Original Track ID

SA1971.059

Original Tape ID

SA1971.059

Summary

Life and work of crofters and fishermen; oppression by the factors.

In the past, when fishermen went to the haaf [deep-sea grounds] for ling, there was a midsummer celebration dance at Johnsmas, with whisky provided by the factor. At the end of the fishing there was a foy [celebration], and the boats were drawn up for the winter.

The factor wanted to remove Willie Inkster from the boat captained by the contributor's uncle Gibbie, because Inkster had no debt with the factor, which was unprofitable for him. The factor's attitude showed Gibbie how the factor held him down. He refused to take another man instead of Inkster.

On the contributor's grandfather's croft there was a piece of scalpit [denuded] land. Each winter he flayed five hundred pones [turfs] from the hill land and used this to make lazy-beds for potatoes, which he fed to pigs. The mould from the turfs then went to the oat crop. In this way he increased the carrying capacity of the croft from four to nine cattle. The factor tried to increase the rent, but the contributor's grandfather refused and was moved to Gloup, where his cattle died.

His grandfather then went out as a fisherman in a sixareen [six-oared boat]. The packies [lengths of line] were hauled at night and in the morning. In the winter smaller fourareens went to the mid ground. Some fish prices are given.

Item Subject/Person

Inkster, Willie

Item Location

County - Shetland

Parish - Yell

Island - Yell

Language

English, Scots

Collection

SoSS

Source Type

Reel to reel

Audio Quality

Good