1872

William Guthrie's Truck Commission visits Shetland, and asks 17,000 questions about the system of truck used in Shetland fisheries and the hosiery indistries.
Lerwick Methodist Church was built.
Education Act Scotland.

February

10th
Margaret Simson Cheyne, wife of John Cheyne, the sixth Laird Cheyne of Tangwick, died.

16th
Four crewmen of the Isabella (1872), a brig, laden with a cargo of coal, of Montrose, Scotland, from Tayport, Fife, Scotland and for Copenhagen, Denmark, which had foundered at an unknown position five days previously, were picked up from their small boat by a passing smack to the east of Foula.

23rd
The stern of a ship's boat, bearing the lettering Jane & Margaret reported recovered at an unspecified location at the East side of Bressay. It is recorded that the wreckage appeared to have been in the water for quite some time. Nothing further is known of the vessel to which this small boat belonged, or of either her fate, or of how her small boat came to be in such a condition at such a location. This is presumed to be the date of reporting rather than the actual date of discovery.

19th or 21st
The Miranda, a smack, laden with a cargo of fish, of Lerwick, from Voe, wrecked in the West Voe, Papa Stour.

2nd
The Turqouise (LK29), a fishing cutter, of Lerwick, from the Faroe fishing grounds, wrecked on the Ve Skerries. All of the crew were lost.
26th
Frederick Dundas, MP for Orkney and Shetland died.