John Spence

Shetlopedia - The Shetland Encyclopaedia

John Spence, Shetland author, folklorist and teacher, was born sometime in October, 1839, at Underhoull, Unst. He was the eldest of two children, born to James Spence (b. 10.4.1814, Unst) and his wife Jemima Brown (b.1816, Unst).

John went to the haaf fishing as a boy, but later left for Lerwick where he worked in a shop. Returning to Unst in 1865, he became a teacher at the Unst Parish School. After his marriage to Joan Brown (b. 1837, Lund, Unst) on the 29th of August 1867, he was appointed to the Westing School where he remained for 9 years. The couple had five children while there. In 1876 he took charge of the Public School at Vassa and in 1884 he was made a Fellow of the Educational Institute for Scotland in recognition of his good work. His volume on Shetland Folklore was published in Lerwick in 1899.

After he retired in 1903, he continued to work as a supply teacher wherever in the isles it was necessary. He lived with his family at Fogralea Cottage, Lerwick, where he died on the 4th of June 1918.

Shetland Folklore was reissued in 1999, in a facsimile paperback reprint by Llanerch Press. It includes an account of The Picts and their brochs, Prehistoric Remains from the Stone and Bronze Ages, Folklore, Proverbs and Sayings, and The Lammas Foy.