What's New

First Quarter 2012

Dornoch Heritage Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (DH SCIO)

Delays in approval of the application for a change in charitable status were recorded in the Fourth Quarter 2011. We are pleased to provide the updating news that the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR) approved in principle Stage 1 change in legal form, for the charity to become a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO), on 2 November 2011. This enabled appropriate Special Resolutions to feature as principal agenda items at the re-scheduled AGM held on 10 November 2011 and thereafter, following the submission of Stage 2 documentation, formal approval of the change in status was given by OSCR on 22 November 2011. Our Registered Charity Number remains unchanged.

There was immediate updating of all pages concerning the Dornoch Heritage Society and Historylinks Museum on this website, to reflect the new structure of the charity. The revised tab at the top of the homepage 'DH SCIO' provides access to all details concerning the Dornoch Heritage SCIO including its Constitution

The Victory Loan Flag awarded to Dornoch 1919

The Victory Loan Flag was donated to the Museum in 2002 but, as a result of its fragile, frayed condition, no attempt was made at that time to photograph the flag. Our Curator, Peter Wild, used the quiet early winter months last year to reassess the task and ultimately took the plunge to produce a welcome colour photograph of this valued object in the museum collection.

The silk flag has Union Flags in each quarter and a central GvR surmounted by a King's crown, with wording 'Victory Loan 1919' Dornoch'.

An excerpt from the Minutes of a Town Council Meeting of 14th October 1919 reads: " The provost reported that, in obedience to a Royal Command, he accompanied by the Town Clerk, had on 9th inst proceeded to Aberdeen. When on board the Royal Yacht "Alexandra", H.R.H. Princess Mary had, on the King's behalf, presented to him, on behalf of the Burgh, the Victory Loan Flag awarded by His Majesty to the town which had subscribed the largest sum, per head of the population to the Victory Loan: and he now laid the Flag on the Council table."

The Town Council meeting resolved that the Flag should be exhibited in the Provost's shop for a week and that thereafter it would be hung in the Council Chamber ad pertetuam Memoriam. With the demise of the Town Council, the flag was entrusted to the museum's care.

Since inception in June 2008, the Dornoch Historylinks Image Library has included a monochrome photograph of the Victory Loan Flag, donated to the museum in 2006. Those with a keen eye may notice a difference in the two images. Due to the fraying of the flag , the colour image shown above (and viewed by inserting 10666 in the search box of the Image Library homepage) has the free flying side on the left, whereas the monochrome photograph (viewed on the image libary by clicking Next) was taken with the free flying side on the right.

Vellum document dated 1731 concerning James MacBeath of Dornoch

The museum endeavours to maintain a watch on eBay for objects relevant to the Dornoch area and, for modest sums only, bids to purchase. Recently we were able to purchase a vellum document dated 1731 concerning a James MacBeath of Dornoch. It is in the process of being transcribed prior to cataloguing.

2012 Publications

Two new booklets are planned for 2012.

The Evelix River provides an account of the evolution of a major East Sutherland river from its beginnings about 50 million years ago through the Ice Age up to historic times. It is the result of a field study undertaken by members of Dornoch Heritage Society. The booklet also includes The Evelix Trail, with details of 10 localities which may be visited by car or on foot to view significant features of the river course. This publication is being funded by a generous bequest in the will of Mrs Margaret Randle, a long-term supporter of the Society in whose memory this book is dedicated, with additional funding provided by the Dornoch Heritage Society. The booket will be available in the museum shop in the Spring.

A handwritten Dornoch Police Diary from 1870s, rescued from a skip, has now been fully transcribed and will form the second 2012 publication. The diary records routine police work at the time and provides fascinating social history insights. The museum is in the process of selecting images from its own collection and hopefully acquiring additional photographs with a view to publishing an illustrated booklet by mid 2012.

Project 2012 with Dornoch Primary School

The subject for 2012 will be The History and Stories of Embo. The project will explore, collect, document and re-enact the history and tales of the old village of Embo from Norse times to the thriving fishing community of the 19th and early 20th centuries, its embracing of the tourist industry and its native Gaelic language. All the themes and more will be included in a new filmed dramatisation.

Last updated: 22 January, 2012