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Stromness

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"Stromness, market and seaport town, police burgh, and par., in SW. of Pomona, Orkney, 14 miles W. of Kirkwall, par., 7618 ac., pop. 2410; town and burgh, pop. 1705; P.O., T.O., 3 Banks. Market-day, Wednesday. The town stands on an excellent natural harbour, carries on fishing, and has a distillery, ropeworks, and shipbuilding yards."

From John Bartholomew's Gazetteer of the British Isles, 1887

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Bibliography

The Kirkyards of Stromness and Graemsay: Compiled and published by Stromness Parish Kirk. 1999.

The social and economic development of Stromness 1790-1850: by Ingrid E. Donaldson. 1986. Located in Orkney Archives, Kirkwall: Ref: D1/413.

Stromness - Late 19th Century Photographs: by Robert H. Robertson. Published 1972 by Orkney Natural History Society.
59 evocative photographs of the town and its inhabitants.

Victoria Street United Free Church, Stromness 1806-1906: by W. D. Firth. Published 1906

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Churches

Episcopal Church of Scotland
St Mary, Stromness, Scottish Episcopal
Presbyterian / Unitarian
Stromness, Church of Scotland
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Church Records

Old Parish Registers

  • Baptisms, 1695-1854. No entries 1702-22.
  • Marriages, 1695-1854. No entries 1702-22, Apr 1726-Dec 1728, May 1747-Nov 1751 and Dec 1771-Nov 1775.
  • Burials, 1763-88. No entries June 1765-May 1787.

Other church records (held at Orkney Archives in Kirkwall).

  • Ref: OCR/FC/31: Stromness Free Kirk/United Free Kirk/North Kirk: Baptisms 1843-1970, Proclamations of marriage banns 1932-1970, Communion Roll 1897-1962.
  • Ref: OCR/KC/26: St. Peter's Kirk, Stromness: Baptisms 1901-1970, Proclamations of marriage banns 1950-1971, Proclamation certificate counterfoils 1878-1956, Communion Roll 1888-1970, Transcription by Margaret Watters of Stromness Old Parish Register 1695-1702.
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Civil Registration

The Registrar of births, deaths, and marriages for the parish of Stromness.
The Registrar's records extend back only as far as 1st January 1855 when registration became compulsory in Scotland.

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Description & Travel

You can see pictures of Stromness which are provided by:

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Gazetteers

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History

Stromness - 150 years as a Burgh 1817-1967: by J. A. Troup and Frank Eunson. Published by Stromness Museum. 1967.

History of Stromness 1900-1972: by George S. Robertson. Private publication. 1972. 23pp.
Lists occupants of shops and businesses over the period.

Stromness and the 'Nor-Wast': by Johnny Pottinger. Published In the Orkney View August 1994.

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Maps

You can see maps centred on OS grid reference HY249113 (Lat/Lon: 58.98245, -3.308449), Stromness which are provided by: