Advent Quiz - Day 25

Merry Christmas to all our readers! 

Wishing you all a joyful festive season and many happy hours of reading in 2015.

The Stromness Library is now closed for the holidays but will re-open on 5th January 2015 at 2pm.

Just to clarify that we are still in the old library at Hellihole Road for the moment and will give you plenty of warning when we know the date of our move to the new library building at the Pier head. 

In our final question of our Advent Quiz we want to take you back to a time before even this library was built and let you see how the view up Hellihole Road looked then.

Question 25


In the photo the two children are standing where the library is now, and the camera is looking up Hellihole Road. The building furthest away with its gable end facing us is no longer standing, having been demolished in 1937, but can you tell us what it was?

(hint - the photo is taken from the book Stromness Late 19th Century  Photographs, or if you walk up Hellihole Road there is a plaque marking the place where the building stood.)

So ends our Advent Quiz for 2014, we hope you've enjoyed it as much as we have. 
Don't forget to go back and work on any of the questions you might have missed, there is a fabulous prize for the person with the most correct answers. 
You have until 31st December to submit your answers as comments below each day's post. 
The answers will be published, and the winner announced on 5th January 2015.

Good Luck!

Answer: The Subscription School

Advent Quiz - Day 24

Question 24

Which old Stromness custom, which came to an end in 1936, used to take place in the town on Christmas Eve? 

Post your answer as a comment below. 
Entries close on 31st December.
Answers will be published and the winner announced on 5th January 2015.

Answer: The Yule Tree, which was fought over between Northenders and Southenders in a tug-of-war.

Advent Quiz - Day 23

Question 23

George Mackay Brown wrote 'Per Mare:The Stromness Pagent' from which the following is an extract. But can you tell us in which year it was performed?

Tall houses, with gardens and piers,Where the stylish merchants lived, Small slipways for the fishermen, A new kirk, inns and ale-houses,The street uncoiled like a sailor's rope from north to south.And closes swarmed up the side of the hillAmong gardens and clouds, And closes stepped down to the harbourAnd the nets and whitemaas. 

(hint - have a look in the book Stromness Late 19th Century Photographs)

Post your answer as a comment below. 
Entries close on 31st December.
Answers will be published and the winner announced on 5th January 2015.

Answer: 1967

Advent Quiz - Day 22

Question 22

While Stromness Public Library has been in Hellihole road for 108 years the Orkney Library has been on the go a peedie bit longer - can you tell us the year it was founded?

(hint - have a look at the library logo)

Post your answer as a comment below. 
Entries close on 31st December.
Answers will be published and the winner announced on 5th January 2015.

Answer: 1683

Advent Quiz - Day 21

Question 21

What is the name of the knitting group that meets in Stromness Library on alternate Monday's from 5-7pm?

Post your answer as a comment below. 
Entries close on 31st December.
Answers will be published and the winner announced on 5th January 2015.

Answer: Yap and Yarn

Advent Quiz - Day 20

Question 20

Can you tell us the title of the novel by Fiona McInnes published in 2014, which is set in Stromness?

Post your answer in the comments below.
Closing date for entries is 31st December. 
Answers will be posted and the winner announced on 5th January 2015.

Answer: Iss

Advent Quiz - Day 19

Question 19

How many books can an adult member of Stromness Library borrow at one time?

Post your answer in the comments below.
Closing date for entries is 31st December. 
Answers will be posted and the winner announced on 5th January 2015.

Answer: 12

Advent Quiz - Day 18

Question 18

Who was the last writer in residence for George Mackay Brown Fellowship, who was based at Stromness Library?


Post your answer in the comments below.
Closing date for entries is 31st December. 
Answers will be posted and the winner announced on 5th January 2015.

Answer: Nalini Paul (2009-10)

Advent Quiz - Day 17

Apologies for the break in service over the past few days. Getting caught up all in one go today, it it will keep you busy over the weekend :-)

Question 17

Can you name the architect of the new Stromness Library building?

Post your answer in the comments below.
Closing date for entries is 31st December. 
Answers will be posted and the winner announced on 5th January 2015.

Answer: Malcolm Fraser

Advent quiz - Day 16

Question 16

For many years George Mackay Brown wrote a weekly column for the Orcadian, and a selection of these were later published in a series of volumes. On 26th October 1972 he wrote about 'The Public Library':

Stromnessians, it seems, are not making full use of their Library. The number of borrowers is only about half of Kirkwall's. It is not that the folk in the west are more uncultured than their fellow-Orcadians; but perhaps over the decades they have fallen out of the habit of reading.

Can you prove GMB wrong by naming the book in which this was published in 1975?

Post your answer as a comment below.
Entries close on 31st December.
Answers will be published and the winner announced on 5th January 2015. 
Don't forget there is a fabulous prize for the most correct answers. 
If you're stuck on any of the questions then a trip to the library, a look back through this blog and a visit to the Orkney Library and Archive website may help!

Answer: Letters from Hamnavoe

Advent Quiz - Day 15

Question 15

The Stromness Library Reading Group meets on the last Wednesday of the month from 7-8pm in the exhibition room. This month we meet on 17th December to discuss The Pursuit of Love by Nancy Mitford. 

But which month and year did the group first meet?

(hint have a look at the Orkney Library and Archive website)

Post your answer as a comment below.
Closing date for entries is 31st December so you still have lots of time to go back and catch up with any questions you might have missed.
Answers will be published and the winner announced on 5th January 2015.

Answer: April 2005 

Advent Quiz - Day 14

Question 14

Can you name the artist who painted this portrait of George Mackay Brown which hangs in the Stromness Library?

Post your answer as a comment below.
Closing date for entries 31st December.
Answers will be published and the winner announced on 5th January 2015.
Don't forget there is a fabulous prize!

Answer: Fred Schley

Advent Quiz - Day 13

Question 13

Can you name the collection of Orkney books bequeathed to Stromness Library in 1928?

Post your answer as a comment below.
Entries close on 31st December.
Answers will be published and the winner announced on 5th January 2015.

Answer: The Garson collection

Advent Quiz - Day 12

Question 12

Although now stored in the Orkney Archive, the Stromness Library for many years had an original 1725 copy of -  An account of the conduct and proceedings of the late John Gow alias Smith, Captain of the late pirates, executed for murther & piracy committed on board the George gally, afterwards call'd the Revenge; with a relation of all the horrid murthers they committed in cold blood; as also of their being taken at the Islands of Orkney, and sent up prisoners to London. 

Can you name the author?

Post your answer as a comment below. 
Closing date for entries is 31st December, so don't forget to go back and answer any days you may have missed. If you are stuck then a look back throught the blog and/or a trip to the library will help!

Answers will be published and the winner announced on 5th January 2015.

Good Luck!

Answer: Daniel Defoe

Advent Quiz - Day 11

Question 11

The picture above, from the Robertson collection in Orkney archive, is on display in Stromness Library. It shows a tinker family camping in Stromness, but can you identify where in Stromness this is?

Answer: The stone building at the rear of the picture is the old slaughter house, and the area pictured is now the site of the new Stromness Primary School.

Advent Quiz - Day 10

Question 10

Can you name the Orcadian artist who painted the 'Portrait of an Old Woman' which hangs in the Stromness Library?

Post your answer as a comment below. 

Entries close on 31st December. 

The answers will be published, and the winner announced, on 5th January 2015. 

Good Luck!

Answer: Stanley Cursiter

Advent Quiz - Day 9

Question 9

In 1992 the book Sea Haven: Stromness in the Orkney Islands was published. Can you tell us the name of the photographer, the author of the text, and who wrote the foreword?


Please post your answer as a comment. 
Closing date for entries is 31 December 2014.
Answers will be published, and the winner announced, on 5 January 2015.

Answer: Photographer- Keith Allardyce
              Text - Bryce Wilson
               Foreword - George Mackay Brown

Advent Quiz - Day 8

Question 8

Can you name each of these cats who were once library regulars?

1/

2/

Please post your answers as a comment below. 

Answer: 1. Bubbles  2. Seamus

Advent Quiz - Day 7

Question 7

If you borrow one of our older books you might have noticed a library end plate on the back cover with the following inscription:

"It is time for you to send the book back; if you liked it, you must have had enough of it by now; if you dislike it, more than enough."

But who wrote this?


Answer: Sidonius

Advent Quiz - Day 6

Question 6

Today we are getting the Christmas Tree and decorations out, which means that George Mackay Brown will be getting in the festive spirit by donning his Santa hat and tinsel. 

But can you name the sculptor who created this bronze bust of the poet?

Post your answer in the comments below, and if you are only just joining in then don't forget to go back and catch up with the previous questions. 

Closing date for entries is 31st December and there will be a fabulous prize for the most correct answers. 

Good luck!

Answer: Tuck Langland

Advent Quiz - Day 5

Question 5

Who made the bequest to the people of Stromness which paid for the building of the Stromness Public  Library in Hellihole Road?

(Clue: you don't need to enter the building to find the answer!)

Post your answer in the comments below. 
Closing date is 31 December 2014.

Answer: Marjorie Skea (or Corrigall)  

Advent Quiz - Day 4

Question 4

© the artist
photo credit: Orkney Islands Council

This painting of Tam McPhail by Calum Morrison hangs in the children's section of the library. But can you tell us the title of the painting?

Answer: The Bookseller of Stromness

Advent Quiz - Day 3

Question 3

"The Death of ? ?
Tailor, Town Librarian, Free Kirk Elder"

Can you name the Stromness Librarian whose name is missing from the title of the George Mackay Brown poem above?



Don't forget to post your answer as a comment below. 

Closing date for entries is 31 December 2014.


Answer: Peter Esson

Advent Quiz - Day 2

Day two of our Stromness Library advent quiz. 

Post your answer in the comments and you could win a fabulous prize!

Competition closes on 31st December, answers and winner will be published on 5th January 2015.

Good Luck!

Question 2

Can you identify this former Stromness Librarian, photographed by Gunnie Moberg?

image: Gunnie Moberg  https://gunniemobergarchive.wordpress.com

Answer: John Broom

Advent Quiz - Day 1

Can you believe it's that time of year again? 

As we count down the days until 25th December we are also reflecting on the fact that this will be our final Christmas in the old Stromness Library building. 

As a result this year's advent quiz will celebrate all things Stromness Library related, and if you are having trouble with any of the answers then a visit to the library will help. Our exhibition about the history of the library will run all throughout December. 

You can enter by commenting on each day's post (comments will not be published until after the competition ends), closing date for entries is 31st December.

Answers will be published, and the winner announced, when the library re-opens after the holidays, on Monday 5th January 2015.

There will, of course, be a fabulous prize for the person who gets the most correct answers. 

Good Luck!

Question One

Early photo of Stromness Library from Robertson collection. Orkney Archive

In which month and year did the Stromness Public Lending Library open in Hellihole Road? 


Answer: February 1906