1857

Due to its remoteness Zetland County was extempted from the 1857 'General Police Act'. Zetland County got its own police force in 1883, the Burgh of Lerwick had its own force from 1892.

January

An unidentified vessel, registered in Scotland, Captain Leslie, and operating as a packet boat wrecked on the Clumlie Baa, Dunrossness.
19th
The Arthur Anderson (1857), a sloop, drove from anchor, beached on Bressay and filled with water. She was refloated within a few days, but her subsequent fate is not recorded.

1st
At meetings held by the Commissioners of Supply concerning the maintenance of roads, the main lines were reckoned to amount to 118 miles:
- Lerwick to Mossbank, 29 miles
- Lerwick to Dunrossness Terminus, 24 miles
- Vimgarth to Vaila Sound, 20 miles
- Olnafirth to Hillswick, 17 miles
- Laxo Junction, 3 1/4 miles
- Fitch Junction, 1 3/4 miles
- Hollanderk-know to Scalloway, 3 miles
- Road through Yell, 20 miles
- The committee discussed lobbying Parliament for dispensation to do away with tenants' 4-days of statute labour for road repairs in favor of more equitable assessments on rental values, to be shared by heritors and tenants. The Valuation Rolls were said to amount to:
- Mainland, £15,936,
- Yell (less Hascussay) £1,946
- Unst, £2,960
- Fetlar, £686
- Whalsay, £486
- Bressay, £684
- Foula, £117
- All other islands, viz., Papa, Burra, Vemintry, Vaila, Trondra, Mousa, Hoscacy, etc. (excepting Fair Isle), £1,386

4th
The nameboard of a vessel, bearing the word Oulton reported washed ashore at Cullingsburgh, Bressay. It is not known whether this was the name or part name of the vessel, or the name or part name of the home port of the vessel concerned. Also part of a ship's figurehead, the bust of a female, wearing earings and beads, and painted red and white reported recovered near Wadbister, Bressay. The fate of the vessel or vessels to which these items belonged is unknown. This is presumed to be the date of reporting, rather than the date of discovery.

1856 < - > 1858