1858
Shetlopedia - The Shetland Encyclopaedia
January
March
- 25th
Shetland's only mass murder took place.
Peter Williamson, a shop owner in Lerwick, murdered his wife and three of his five children in a house in Fox Lane. Another of his children was injured but survived, whilst another child was nothome at the time of the attack.
Retrieved from "http://www.shetlopedia.com/Murder_Casebook"
May
August
September
- 9th'
An unidentified fishing boat capsized or foundered off Burra Ness/Burraness, North Yell putting the lives of four persons in imminent danger. May S. Hectorson of Burraness was lowered on a rope on to a cliff ledge, from where, at some personal danger, she threw a line to two of the men and was instrumental in their rescue. For this she received a silver medal and the sum of £2.00 from the Merchant Marine Fund. For their part in the rescue Andrew Moar, a fisherman received the sum of £1.00, and Janet Brown, Catherine Arthur, Elizabeth Moar and Jane Tulloch received 15 shillings each. It is not stated whether this date is the date of the incident or of the award being made.
October
- The Elizabeth (1858), a sloop, of Aberdeen, Scotland, wrecked at Infield Mossbank/Firths Voe.
- 7th
The Favourite (1858), a sloop, of Lerwick, while moored at the quayside at Freefield drove against it, became severely damaged and sank to lie on her beam ends.
November
- Gas lights first lit in Lerwick streets.
1857 < - > 1859