Returning Generations
Recorded 3 years ago
About this recording
Donald and Kirsty Omand, son and granddaughter of eminent Caithness writer, Donald Omand, talk about their family's origins and the career of Donald Omand.
Kirsty explains that a number of generations of the family studied at Aberdeen University before returning to Caithness. Donald Omand Snr has the Aberdeen University Coat of Arms etched onto his gravestone in Halkirk Cemetery. He died in 2009.
The other side of the family has the surname Peace and comes from the island of Stronsay in Orkney. They too studied at Aberdeen University and Donald Jnr recalls a story that tells of his grandfather, Donald Peace, walking to Aberdeen University with some oatmeal and herring to sustain him on the way. The family spent regular idyllic summer holidays on Stronsay.
Donald Omand Snr was born at Newlands of Clyth while part of the family line stretches back to Easter Ross. The Omands were fisherfolk in the Papigoe area, although originally from Orkney.
Kirsty talks about her mother's side of the family. Her grandfather was Dr Keith Laing whose role was to establish a gynaecological and maternity service for Caithness. Dr Laing's area, mostly single-handed, extended to north-west Sutherland. A series of contacts would be established along his route should he need to be contacted. Dr Laing was also involved in the local community with roles such as chairman of the Thurso Club and a member of Scrabster Harbour Trust. Kirsty's grandmother, Barbara Laing, was a teacher at Thurso High School but also had a varied career. In her 50s she went to China and Nepal. Kirsty remembers her as a fun and outgoing granny who took Kirsty rock-climbing.
Donald Omand Snr began his schooling in Lybster and then on to Wick High School. He was an active sportsman, playing football for Lybster Portland, and was a long-standing supporter of Wick Academy and football in general.
While at Wick High School, Donald developed an interest in maths and, encouraged by his teacher John Leitch, he went to Aberdeen University and gained an MA in geography. Following his degree he became a teacher, initially in Yorkshire.
The pull of the North brought the family back to Caithness.
Kirsty remembers many family walks and activities around Caithness studying geology and land formations. These activities have rubbed off on both Donald Jnr and Kirsty. Donald Jnr is an ornithological expert, while Kirsty is a keen walker, having completed sections of the John OGroats Trail, as well as the West Highland Way.
When Donald Omand Snr returned to Caithness, he was for a short period employed at Dounreay before starting to teach geography at Halkirk Junior Secondary School. From there he went to Thurso Technical College, again teaching geography.
In the mid-1960s Donald Omand Snr, along with others, resurrected the Caithness Field Club, which had been in abeyance for some years. Donald Jnr remembers many Field Club walks, some as he says were more interesting than others, but it took him to parts of Caithness he might not otherwise have known. Now looking back these walks around wags and click mills provided good experience and an understanding of the geography and history of Caithness.
The field club was also instrumental in initiating more writing about Caithness, which then led to The Caithness Book – a series of articles by various topic specialists and edited by Donald Omand. Donald Jnr remembers sitting with his mother trying to create an index for the book.
Alongside the work on The Caithness Book, Donald Snr was studying for an MSc on The Glaciation of Caithness with Strathclyde University. This continues to be an important but unpublished piece of work.
The family at this time were resident in Sinclair Street, Halkirk, but Donald Omand Snr moved to a new job in Elgin with the University of Aberdeen's Extramural Department. His remit was to set a series of talks and lectures for Moray and Nairn. While in Elgin, Donald Omand Snr joined the Moravian Field Club which led to the development of The Moray Book, along the same format as The Caithness Book. This was also the beginning of the summer schools incorporating talks and field trips. Donald Jnr believes that this period encouraged Donald Snr to begin more writing of his own.
In 1974 the family moved back again to Caithness where Donald Snr took on the Aberdeen University Extramural post for Caithness, Sutherland, and Easter Ross. Later parts of Inverness and Argyll were added to his area. To assist with the work, he was allocated an office in Halkirk School, and he recruited Janet Mowat. Janet was crucial support for this work and in terms of the books he was developing, a number on local legends.
Around this time Donald Snr began a series of local newspaper articles under the heading of Ormand's Outlook. There was also the spoof Halkirk Parliament.
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