Talk:Betty Mouat

Shetlopedia - The Shetland Encyclopaedia

Contradiction

From the article:

• This left Betty Mouat alone and drifting in a North Sea storm, with little or no provisions.
• The cargo of the Columbine consisted mainly of barrels of herring, sacks of potatoes, hams, and a few utensils

I find it difficult to reconcile these two sentences. You're hardly likely to starve on a ship with that kind of cargo. --82.45.163.18 00:23, 25 June 2007 (MDT)

Bear in mind she was a lady of some age and in questionable health at the time of the incident, and the prevailing conditions are stated as "stormy" which would have included a significant sea swell.

She almost certainly would have been below decks in whatever accomodation was allocated to passengers, the cargo would have been in the main cargo hold which would have been battened down for the journey. It's very questionable if she would have had the physical ability necessary to access the main cargo hold, and especially to re-secure it again. She had spent her life among seafaring people, and very possibly she was well aware that if the boat was taking any water on deck, which it very possible simply drifting in stormy conditions. Hold hatches which weren't properly secured would allow ingress of water in to the hold which ultimately was likely to quickly contaminate the cargo rendering it inebible, and also had a realistic chance of flooding the boat and sinking her. In any case it is likely she, in common with many of the time, would have possessed the mindset that the cargo was the property of someone else and she had no right to "interfere" with it. It would have only been as an absolute last resort such a move would have been considered, when all other options were exhausted.

Ghostrider 04:44, 25 June 2007 (MDT)

That was me that wrote that bit, so there is every chance it is wrong, I'm good at getting things wrong when I try to write sense.
I derived the sentence about 'little provisions' from something I read somewhere, which I will try to dig up again. But, until I do, perhaps it is best to assume that I was wrong.
So by all means, edit it to make more sense as I most likely misinterpreted the article I read.
Although I am inclined to agree with Ghostriders conclusions.
Robbie 10:53, 25 June 2007 (MDT)

... all what's needed: delete "or no" in that part saying "with little or no provisions". She could not get to the cargo hold for what reasons ever, so what she had for the max at reach were her own provisions and those of the crew all just for a day trip. That fits with "little" for a horrible ride which fortunately ended after 9 days "only"... ;-) Islandhopper 11:04, 25 June 2007 (MDT)

Gostrider have said the most.....She was stucked in a small cabin under deck, she tried to get on deck, but fell down twice. Remember it was storm, and she was seasick and of bad health, the reason for going to Lerwick was to see a doctor. Later the ladder fell down so she had no chanse to get on deck at all. Her only provisions was a bottle of milk and some biscuits, she should only go to Lerwick.
Oddrun 11:23, 25 June 2007 (MDT)

Is it strictly accurate to say Betty Mouat's house has been converted in to a camping bod? The camping bod is a new build replica of her house, as it was when last lived in, rebuilt on another site using as far as possible the materials from the original, is it not? Or is my memory of what went on completely gone awry?

Ghostrider 18:14, 15 July 2007 (MDT)

A bit of judicious reinvention for the tourists? Ex-isle 18:36, 15 July 2007 (MDT)

Jeemie Jeemsen da skipper wis originally fae da Stanes toon, wis he no? Wis biddin a Voe fur a time efter he mairried, bit wis flit ta Lerrik be da time he wis lost. Ur dats foo Im ey herd it onnywye.

Ghostrider 08:55, 30 June 2008 (MDT)

Could easily be. I was looking at a book when I saw that info, and you know what I think about the reliability of books  ;-) :-)))) One of these days I'll find something accurate in a book, and have a heart attack from the shock. :-))))
Robbie 10:06, 30 June 2008 (MDT)

I doot hits the auld records dats kinda makkin a fuil a fok, dis is him, if dis is onywyes neer richt:

http://bayanne.info/Shetland/getperson.php?personID=I92393&tree=bayanne_1

Kens du whaur 'Stanes, Spiggie, Cunningsburgh' is, ur 'Stenness, Dunrossness' is fur dat maitir!?! ;-))

If hit wisna fur local knowledge ta faw bak upoa, history widna be wirt ritein I think.

Ghostrider 10:23, 30 June 2008 (MDT)

A'll try an mind ta aks feddir aboot dis whan I see him neest mont. I tink I mind him telling da names o da fok dat bed i da Stanes Toon. I hae a braw lok mair ta add ta da Betty page whin I get roond ta it, so a'll sort yun, ee wye ir da tidder, at da sam time. :-)
Robbie 11:36, 30 June 2008 (MDT)

Wir auld eens spak a monny a time aboot heerin da auld eens whin dey wir young spaekin aboot "Auld Henry idda Stanes", he wis shurly da hindmist, ur een idda hindmist ta bide athin hit I tink, bit he wis geen even afore dir dae, sae is dat wid a hed till a been da end idda 19th sentry he wis dere. He micht a hed a wife it ootlived im, bit dat Im no herd muckle spokin o. Im no shure if he wis feddir ta dis skipper, ur som kina a cushin, is Im ey understuid hit da Stanes eence upun a time hed a braw twatree fok bidin, sed ta be aw ee kind, bit twa branches idda ee famely. Hits dat'n lang fae syne noo niddir records ur memories ir muckle gud ta ken tae side idda famely fae da tidder, an baith hed Henrys athin dem. Da maist a dem flit awa tuh, sae is tryin ta place onyeen is no aesy. You canna blem dem idder, dir shurly a grey stane fur ivvry bled a girse athin dat toon, hit hed til a been a braw hard peck ta growe enyoch maet til a fed a faimlee yunder.

Ghostrider 18:39, 1 July 2008 (MDT)