This island is situated half way between Orkney and Shetland,
being about twenty-five miles distant from each. It is about two
miles in length, and one in breadth. The population in 1861 was
380; but, after a season of great scarcity, about 100 of the people
emigrated to America. Emigration has taken place also at other
times. Thus-'Six families left Fair Island and came to Kirkwall
in 1869. We all left because meal was so dear, and wages were so
low. They all left of their own accord.' I was informed by Mr.
Balfour, of Balfour and Trenaby, that a colony of Fair Island
people form a fishing village in Stronsay, in Orkney, where they
have now been for two generations. At all times emigration must
have been necessary to prevent intolerable overcrowding in so
small an area. and yet the whole circumstances of the island show
that this remedy is resorted to with great reluctance. At present the
island is inhabited by about 40 families, or 226 persons.
[T. Wilson, p. 425; J. Bruce, jun. p. 330; T. Wilson, 16,656.]
The island is the property of Mr. John Bruce, jun., of Sumburgh.
Before 1864 it belonged to Mr. Stewart of Brough, a proprietor in
Orkney, and was held in tack by merchants of Orkney, who bought
the people's fish and sold them provisions and goods.
It was impossible in winter to visit the island, or to get any
witnesses brought out of it. But as the truck system was generally
said to be practised there to an excessive degree, I received
evidence from various persons acquainted with the island, viz.:
Mr. Bruce, the proprietor; his factor; persons who had visited the
island in his employment; and from two of its former inhabitants
now living at Kirkwall, who left it about two years ago.
The people are obliged to sell their fish (seath or coal-fish) to Mr.
Bruce. They get a lower price than that paid in Shetland. Mr.
Bruce says:
'As I have to keep a store there for the convenience of the
islanders, I discourage them from trading with any one else, as the
only chance to make my store pay is to get the whole or the greater
part of their custom.'
'Though there is a rule that the islanders shall not trade with
others, I have never enforced this rule where I believed the parties
visiting the island did not attempt to buy fish-in fact, in many
cases I have given liberty to parties to trade with the islanders; and
the only case in which I have enforced the rule, is in the case of a
man from Orkney who, I had evidence to prove, stole my fish from
the station at night, and shipped it on board of his vessel.'
'I have no poor-rates and no paupers in Fair Isle, and I have never
evicted a tenant. If a widow or other poor person can't pay their
rents, they sit rent free, and get help from their friends; and my
manager has orders to see that no one starves.'
And again:
'13,326. With regard to Fair Isle, is there a standing prohibition
against other traders dealing with the inhabitants there?-To a
certain extent there is. I don't object to people trading there, if
they confine themselves to hosiery and eggs, and that sort of thing;
but what I am afraid of is, that persons may go there and buy fish.'
'13,327. The inhabitants there are under an obligation, as a
condition of their tenure, to fish for you?-Yes.'
'13,328. As the landlord, do you place a restriction upon the sale
of their cattle also?-Yes, there is a rule to that effect, but it is a
very lax one.'
'13,329. Is it not virtually the result of the obligation to fish or to
sell cattle to the proprietor alone, that the proprietor has the power
of fixing the price, and that the tenant has no option at all with
regard to that in either case?-That is not the result. Even
although the proprietor buys the cattle, and prevents any one else
from competing with him, still he respects public opinion so far
that he gives the full value for the animal.'
'13,330. Then public opinion is the only check upon the proprietor,
and of course his own sense of right?-That is his only check.''
It is obvious that rules such as these must be injurious, unless they
are worked not only with a sincere desire for the true welfare of
the people, but with diligent care and sound judgment. There is no
reason to doubt that Mr. Bruce desires to be both kind and just to
his people; but it is plain that at Fair Island, as at Sumburgh, his
system has not proved advantageous to the people who are placed
so entirely at his mercy.
The people complain that they get a lower price for the fish than is
paid in Shetland, and that excessively high prices are charged for
the goods sold to them at the shop. They also complain that wages
allowed for work to the proprietor are too low, and that they were
prevented by him from working at better wages to one Williamson,
who bought a ship wrecked on the island in 1868, and who
employed men to work at the wreck. The settlements are annual,
though sometimes a year has been passed; and they do not take
place till June, when all accounts are settled up to let May. No
money is asked for or paid until settlement.
The restrictions of the islanders to the master's store is strict, and
indeed avowed; and there is some difficulty and risk in dealing
with the strangers who occasionally come to the island to trade.
One of these, James Rendall of Westray, Orkney, has come into
collision with Mr. Bruce's people; the people of the house in
which he lodged were forbidden to allow his business to be carried
on there, and he was driven to erect a stage below high-water mark
and sell his goods there. Once at least, when Mr. Bruce and his
factor were on the island, he carried on his traffic by night. The
prohibition is directed, according to Mr. Bruce, only against the
sale to strangers of cattle and fish; but the people have so little
money, that that may be held as nearly equivalent to a prohibition
to buy goods from them.
[H. Smith, 4747; T. Wilson, 16,656; L. Wilson, 16,659; G. Irvine,
13,238; J. Smith, 13,058.]
The price paid for fish by Mr. Bruce is generally 10s. a ton less
than he gives at Grutness.
The prices of goods are considerably higher than even the prices at
Grutness. Thus two witnesses say that meal, before they left the
island in 1869, was never lower than 30s. per boll, while they had
bought it from Rendall at 26s. and 24s., and from Williamson,
when he was working at the wreck of the 'Lessing,' 3s. or 4s.
cheaper than at the shop. It could then be got at Kirkwall at 23s.
or 24s. Rendall sold sugar at 6d., while the same quality was 7d.
at the shop; and tea at 9d. and 10d., while it was 11d. and 1s. 1d.
at the shop, and once 1s. 3d. On a rare occasion Mr. Bruce had
loaf-sugar at the shop, which was 1s 2d. or 1s. 3d. per lb. Soap,
invoiced to Mr. Bruce at 28s. per cwt., was sold at Fair Island at
6d. per lb., exactly double the wholesale price.
[H. Gilbertson, 4734; T. Wilson, 16,656; L. Wilson, 16,659; G.
Irvine, 13,234, 13,235.]