The Wellington - Shetland Connection
Introduction
This StoryMap has been produced to mark the centenary of the Shetland Society of Wellington Incorporated, founded in 1922.
We thank the Wellington City Council for hosting this StoryMap on their website and for their technical support.
Where is Shetland?
Shetland consists of 100 islands, 16 of which are inhabited. Around 23,000 people live there now. The isles straddle the North Sea and North Atlantic Ocean at 60° north - the same latitude as St Petersburg and the southern tip of Greenland.
Being surrounded by sea, with the warm Gulf Stream flowing by, Shetland’s climate is milder than could be expected for this northerly location. And like Wellington it can be a bit windy at times!
Shetland is part of Scotland and is the most northerly reach of the British Isles. At one time Shetland belonged to Norway but they were claimed by Scotland when in 1469 Princess Margaret, daughter of King Christian I of Denmark and Norway, was betrothed to James III of Scotland. The isles were pledged as security for Margaret’s dowry, but once the Scots Crown had control of the Islands they annexed them.
This dual heritage can be seen in Shetland’s flag. The blue background matches Scotland’s Saltire while the Nordic Cross links to the flags of Scandinavian countries.
Flag of Shetland
Why did Shetlanders come here?
In the mid 1800s Shetland’s population increased to a stage where too many people were living off meagre resources. Crop failures and potato blight also created dire circumstances for many crofters. Then ‘Clearances’ occurred in some areas. As in the Scottish Highlands, lairds removed tenant crofters from their land so sheep could be more profitably farmed. And the fishing industry collapsed. In the latter part of the 1800s around one quarter of Shetland’s population left their homeland to find better opportunities elsewhere. They relocated to mainland Britain, to America and to the colonies - Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
But why New Zealand, the furthest and most expensive place to travel to?
Many Shetlanders were employed as merchant seamen, they often visited New Zealand and reports were sent home. Some seamen decided to stay and arranged for family to come and settle. So New Zealand became well known in Shetland.
What made migration to New Zealand possible for many was Assisted Immigration. Sir Julius Vogel’s Assisted Immigration Scheme ran from 1871-1890, an opportune time for Shetlanders. This scheme was heavily promoted by the New Zealand Government with agents actively recruiting in Shetland.
After Vogel’s scheme finished, further government assisted immigration schemes arose, starting in 1904 and continuing in some form until the 1970s, with breaks during both World Wars and the 1930s Depression.
After WWI until 1930 there was another surge in migration from Shetland. It was helped along by Britain’s Empire Settlement Act 1922, which saw the British Government joining the New Zealand Government to support family emigration.
Once people settled they often encouraged other family members or friends to join them. This is known as ‘chain migration’ and it proved to be a strong incentive.
Contribution to Wellington
The Port of Wellington
Wellington is blessed with an excellent natural harbour. The harbour provides a sheltered haven from the sometimes tempestuous waters of Cook Strait. For many decades it was the busiest port in the country, a call-in port for coastal vessels, and a home port for inter-island ferries. A destination for trans-Tasman passenger and cargo vessels and for Pacific and international shipping. It was a major export port and passenger arrival hub.
This busy port provided employment opportunities for Shetlanders renowned for their maritime skills and experience.
- Merchant seamen
- Ship captains and engineers
- Pilot boat men
- Coal hulk operators
- Stevedores
- Wharf workers
- Customs officers
In addition most visiting overseas ships had Shetlanders in the crew.
So there was a Shetland vibe in the bustling Wellington waterfront.
John Robert Jeromson
John Jeromson, from Walls in Shetland, is an example of a Shetland mariner with skills that were used in several roles.
A merchant sailor, John arrived in New Zealand in 1891 and settled in Wellington, becoming involved with coastal shipping.
In 1895 John returned home to marry Catherine, his Shetland sweetheart, and bring her back to Wellington.
He joined the Wellington Harbour pilot service in 1899 as a boatsman. Then a signalman keeping watch for ship arrivals and acknowledging the request for a pilot.
John's last position was as a berthing master at Queen's Wharf Tower, allocating berths, arranging towing along with record keeping. Here John was well placed to interact with Shetland wharf workers and seamen, and greet new arrivals from Shetland. He was well known for going aboard calling out "Any Shetlanders here?" then inviting them to his family home at 248 Taranaki Street.
John was the founding secretary of the Shetland Society of Wellington.
Fishing
The Italian fishing community at Island Bay is well known, but lesser known are the Shetland families who fished alongside the Italians.
Shetlanders brought with them experience from fishing in the challenging conditions of the North Atlantic Ocean and North Sea. They taught Italian fishermen techniques more suitable for the strong tides and rips of Cook Strait, which were quite different from Mediterranean conditions.
There was considerable co-operation between the two groups. Some Italian boats were sold to Shetlanders and vice versa, often with the original name being retained.
Shetland women played a role in the industry making oilskin clothing worn by the men. They also sewed canvas buoys used on nets and pots. And Fair Isle knitwear was perfect for cold wet conditions.
The 1930s depression hit the industry very hard and fishermen from Island Bay and Eastbourne; Shetlanders, Italians and Scots - collaborated to establish the Wellington Fishermen’s Co-operative Ltd which ensured that fishermen received a basic wage. The Co-operative operated from premises at 75 Dixon Street as wholesalers, gained government contracts to supply fish to institutions and in the early days owned three retail fish shops. The Co-operative successfully negotiated with the Wellington City Council for the Bait House to be built at the eastern side of the bay.
Island Bay fishermen played a crucial role in assisting vessels in distress. Shetlanders were prominent in sea rescue activities.
Jack Tait
Jack [John Oliver] Tait from East Burrafirth, Shetland and his wife Babsie [Barbara] nee Isbister from Lerwick came to Wellington in 1913. Jack was one of the early Shetlanders to fish from Island Bay. He developed such a good understanding of the tides and conditions of the Strait that he was often called ‘Mr Cook Strait’. Jack also had the knack of discovering new fishing grounds.
The first boat he owned was called Foula then he and another Shetlander, John Pottinger, purchased the San Marco. In 1924 Jack had the River Nile built. This was one of the largest in the fleet and the first to have a mechanical winch. The winch was made from the rear axle and differential of a motor vehicle and was somewhat temperamental! Winches made a big difference as they avoided the backbreaking task of hauling in lines and pots by hand.
Jack was a strong advocate for establishing the Fishermen’s Co-operative and a foundation shareholder. Both Jack and Babsie were members of the Shetland Society’s first management committee.
Jack and Babsie subsequently moved to fish at Napier. Their son, Peter, became first a Member of Parliament for Napier, then long-term Mayor of Napier.
Knitting
Shetland knitwear is world renowned for quality. Sir Edmund Hillary wore Shetland knitwear on his historic ascent of Everest in 1953.
There are two styles of knitting which are particularly linked to Shetland. Fair Isle, named after one of Shetland’s islands, which is highly patterned, and lace, a finer more delicate form of knitting.
For many families, as well as knitting garments for family needs, knitting for the Shetland knitwear industry became an economic necessity. Girls learned to knit when pre-schoolers and were able to contribute to the family income at a very young age. So Shetland women became skilled, experienced and fast knitters.
These skills came to New Zealand. Here in Wellington hand knitting was also used to bolster family incomes, including during the 1930s Depression and 1951 Waterside dispute.
Shetland lace baby shawls were particularly sought after and were supplied by local Shetlanders. The shawls were not the very fine 1-ply heritage shawls that can go through a wedding ring, because very fine wool wasn’t available in New Zealand. Two ply wool shawls were knitted with the same care and same traditional patterns. Wellingtonians heard about shawl knitters by word of mouth but shawls were also knitted for department stores such as Kirkcaldie & Stains and DIC on Lambton Quay. So, Shetland knitting was part of the commercial activity in the city.
Babsie Bolt
Babsie [Barbara Jean] Bolt, nee Hunter from Billister and husband Jimmy [James] from Dunrossness came to New Zealand in 1924 with two young daughters. Their first home was in Upper Hutt. Three more daughters and a son were born here. Their son, Gilbert, became one of the last Island Bay fishermen of Shetland descent.
Babsie was a knitter who not only knitted to meet family needs but knitted for others. Shawls were a specialty and she knitted for the DIC department store as well as for individuals. An article about Babsie’s knitting in the Weekly News, July 25 1952, noted “Even when keeping house Mrs Bolt can make a shawl in her spare time in 3 days”.
Speed knitting competitions were popular in the 1950s and 1960s. Babsie won several such competitions. In 1952 she won a Knitting Derby held at the DIC department store to raise funds for the Plunket Society. For this she knitted a baby’s bonnet in 1 hour 24 minutes which was 9 minutes faster than the winner of the Wanganui Derby held earlier in the year. Her knitting was not only fast but it was very even. Babsie also won a Peggy Square knitting competition held at the James Smith department store - nothing challenging to knit this time, just pure speed.
Winning speed knitting competitions ran in the family. Babsie’s sister Jessie Hunter, who migrated to Canada, won several such competitions in Toronto. And Babsie’s daughter-in-law won a speed knitting competition in Wellington as well.
Governance
Sir Robert Stout is New Zealand’s most eminent Shetlander. He was born in Lerwick, Shetland, in 1844 and died in Wellington in 1930. He arrived in Dunedin as a 19 year old. His intention was to be a surveyor on the Otago gold fields but he remained in Dunedin instead and became a teacher. In Dunedin he was active in education, law and politics.
It was politics that brought Sir Robert to Wellington in 1875 when he was elected to Parliament. Over the next 14 years he represented a number of places including Wellington City from 1893 to 1898. In 1895, the Stout family moved from Dunedin to live at 238 The Terrace.
During his parliamentary career Sir Robert served as Attorney General, and Minister of Education, of Lands and of Immigration. Between 1884 and 1887 he was Premier [Prime Minister] on two occasions. His political and social views were progressive, fuelled by his liberal upbringing in Shetland. He supported universal education and land reform that would benefit small land owners. With his wife, Anna, he promoted women’s emancipation.
Sir Robert stood down from politics in 1889 and was then appointed Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of New Zealand, a position he held for almost 27 years - the longest serving Chief Justice in New Zealand.
Sir Robert’s lifelong interest in education included considerable support for university education. He was a member of the Senate of the University of New Zealand from 1884 to 1930, and Chancellor from 1903 to 1923. He was a founder of Victoria University of Wellington, at that time called Victoria College of the University of New Zealand. The strong connection between the university and Sir Robert and his family is remembered by the Sir Robert Stout building in the Kelburn campus, and the Stout Research Centre.
Sir Robert was the founding Patron of the Shetland Society of Wellington. He made a point of welcoming new arrivals from Shetland. A silver rose bowl was donated by Sir Robert to be competed for at a women’s foot race at society picnics and continues to be competed for today.
Streets with Shetland Connections
Shetlanders presence in Wellington can be noted in the name of some city streets.
Taitville
This small suburb is named after Robert Tait from Fetlar, Shetland. Robert, his wife and children, arrived in Wellington in 1874 as assisted immigrants.
Robert a builder and architect, later bought 12 acres of land from Henry Mitchell of Mitchelltown. The land ran from the western end of Aro Street up to Highbury. Robert developed this subdivision which became known as Taitville but is now incorporated into Highbury.
Robert lived in the subdivision and also built houses for some of his children there. He designed houses which were spacious and light for the time. Some of his building plans are stored at the Alexander Turnbull Library.
Several streets in the subdivision have names that link to Shetland.
Ninian Street, Taitville
St Ninian is regarded as the first Christian missionary to Scotland. In Shetland, this name is found in St Ninian Isle.
Norna Crescent, Taitville
Norna is a generic term for one of the three Norns who were the Norse gods who controlled fate. It is a familiar female name in Shetland.
Irvine Street, Taitville
A surname found in Shetland.
Zetland Terrace, Taitville
Zetland is an old spelling of Shetland.
Thule Street, Taitville
The ancient Greek and Latin name for land regarded as being the most northerly region in the world. It was a name used for the Shetland Islands, Iceland, Greenland and Norway. The term 'Ultima Thule', meaning furthermost Thule, is often used.
Harrold Street, Taitville
A different spelling, but Harald Fairhair was the first King of Norway.
Norway Street, Taitville
Until 1469 Shetland was part of Norway.
Lerwick Terrace, Lyall Bay
This street is located in Lyall Bay on land owned by Alexander Sutherland who came from Caithness in Scotland, and became an extensive land owner in Wellington. Some streets on Sutherland's land were named after places in Britain. Lerwick is the main town in Shetland.
Moncrieff Street, Mount Victoria
Located both in Mount Victoria and in Northland. These streets are named after the aviator, Lieutenant John [Jack] Moncrieff. John was born in Whiteness, Shetland, and emigrated to Wellington with his parents and siblings in 1912. He trained as a pilot in WWI. From 1925 he started planning an attempt to make the first flight across the Tasman Sea, collaborating with Captain George Hood from Masterton and Australian Ivan Knight.
Moncrieff Street
On 10 January 1928, Moncrieff and Hood left Sydney in the early morning heading for Trentham Racecourse, Upper Hutt, in a small mono-plane named Aotearoa. An estimated crowd of 10,000 people gathered at the racecourse to welcome the aviators but the plane never arrived. There were reported sightings of the craft but despite numerous searches no wreckage has been found.
Stout Street, CBD
This inner city street is named after Sir Robert Stout. It is fitting that the Supreme Court of New Zealand backs onto Stout Street as does Victoria University of Wellington’s Law School. Stout Street is also located not far from the parliamentary buildings.
Arcus Way, Hataitai
This single lane road in Hataitai is named after William John Arcus who was a Wellington City Councilor from 1953 to 1962. William’s Shetland connection is through his grandparents, Laurence and Agnes Arcus, who migrated to New Zealand. William’s father, John Laurence Arcus, was a prominent member of the Shetland Society of Wellington.
The Shetland Society of Wellington Inc
In the early days, Wellington Shetlanders met in homes to catch up with friends and fellow Shetlanders, hear news from ‘home’ and provide hospitality for visiting Shetland seamen. As the number of Shetlanders in Wellington grew, thoughts turned to starting a society.
In July 1922 a gathering was held in a hall in Brooklyn for a very successful social evening. Then on 4th August that year, a meeting was held at St Hilda’s Hall, Island Bay. Here it was unanimously decided to form a society and office bearers were elected. Work got underway to register the newly formed society and so it was registered as an Incorporated Society on 21 September 1922.
The focus of the society in the early years was the care and assistance of immigrants and visiting seamen, as well as bringing Shetlanders together for social activities and enjoyment.
A hundred years later, society members are mainly descendants of Shetlanders and they still meet for social activities and enjoyment. There are also opportunities to learn about Shetland’s heritage and culture, to give support for family history research. Today the Society meets in the Wellington Pipe Band Hall, Hanson Street, Newtown - with around 8 events a year.
As part of the 2022 centenary celebrations the Shetland Society worked in partnership with the Wellington City Council to commission a 7.2 metre by 1.2 metre mural on the southern boundary of Shorland Park, the Esplanade, Island Bay. Painted by Margaret Tolland, it commemorates the contribution to Wellington City by people from Shetland over the years.
To find out more about the Society, check out www.shetlandwellington.org.nz
