Industrial Caithness: Winds of Change
Recorded 1 year ago
About this recording
Industrial Caithness: Winds of Change illustrates how people in Caithness have had to change and adapt throughout the years.
Extracts from the Wick Voices collection illustrate how changing conditions of employment and technology have not only had an impact on working lives but also captured an element of hope for future generations.
Donald MacDonald talks about the land and farming in Caithness.
Lewis Sinclair fondly remembers working with Jack Green in Acharole Quarry. There they prepared slates, mainly for use in St Magnus Cathedral in Kirkwall.
Rognvald Brown explores the history of the John O’Groats Mill.
Malcolm Cameron and Davy Nicolson share memories of cutting peat.
Morris Pottinger explains the changes that took place at Lower Dounreay when the nuclear industry came to Caithness.
Jock Campbell trained as an apprentice blacksmith but found that welding was his forte. He talks about working as a welder at Dounreay, which led to the establishment of JGC Engineering at Harpsdale.
Willie Watt reflects upon the transformation of Wick harbour from its early involvement in the herring fishing industry to the establishment of Wick as the operations and maintenance base for the Beatrice offshore wind farm. He also looks at the future of Wick harbour and the prospect of further energy developments.
Harry Gray talks about the herring gutting and packing trade and the hard life of the Wick fishermen.
Janet Mackenzie recalls memories of her mother as a packer of herring,
James Gunn emphasises how Dounreay stemmed the depopulation of Caithness. He also explains the reasons for establishing the nuclear industry in Caithness.
John Young, Elizabeth MacDonald, Jimmy Sutherland and Arnott Sinclair talk about ‘the coming of Dounreay’ and the impact it had upon the county.
John Thurso describes Thurso before the impact of Dounreay. He also talks of his father’s involvement in the establishment of Caithness Glass.
Bruce Tait and Brian Sutherland talk positively about their apprenticeship experiences at Dounreay and Brian explains how he, like many others transferred to the oil and gas industry where the skills gained at Dounreay were greatly sought after.
James Innes talks about his experience within the renewable energy sector. Joanne Kaar talks about the legendary tale of Meg Watt from Duncansby, the seller of wind in the days of sail.
This brings the presentation full circle exploring the industry of Caithness and the production of energy on land and sea.
Thanks to Fergus Mather and the Johnston Photograph Collection
Contributors
Photos
Wick Voices
