Orkney Women Doctors Project (1894 to 1948)

 Dr Robina Marwick’s story is now perhaps better known among an older generation in Orkney. She was on our initial list of Orkney women doctors when we first formed our group, but with over 50 women to research, we had only gathered some basic information. Recently, however, we have been delighted to receive a wealth of source material from Dr Marwick's daughter, Thelma Stewart.  We are indebted to Thelma for sharing more about the life of her mother which gives a rich insight into the extraordinary life of Dr Robina Marwick. We aim to tell Dr Marwick’s remarkable story in a series of blog posts. Graduation photo of Robina Marwick WHAT WE KNEW Rina (as she was known to family and friends) was born Robina Margaret Marwick, in Graham Place, Stromness on 2 nd  August 1914.  She did extremely well at school in Stromness and won a Scholarship to the University of Edinburgh to study medicine, qualifying in 1937. She briefly worked in Edinburgh and Sunderland hospitals be...

  We are delighted to share a short film that Fiona Sanderson was asked to produce by the Pier Arts Centre about the exhibition "Finding Dr Garvie". She also tells a little bit about the continuing Orkney Women Doctors Research Group. Hopefully those who were unable to come along to the exhibition and talks get a flavour of what was on show, and the story behind it. The film is about 14 minutes long. Click Here for "Finding Dr Garvie" Video on Vimeo Credit: Pier Arts Centre, Stromness

Several of the women doctors we have so far identified were born in Orkney.  Some went South to pursue their careers, while others remained to practise on the islands. Dr  Harriet Taylor chose to practise in Orkney for most of her professional life.   Clockwise: Elizabeth (Lizzie), Harriet, William, Georgina (Gena) and their dog. Thanks to the family for permission to use the photo thought to have been taken about 1920. She was born Harriet Johnston Sutherland Taylor  on 9 October 1896 in Longhope, Walls, on the island of Hoy. She was one of twins, though it was said the girls never looked alike.  Her father, William, is listed variously as a postmaster or farmer, and the family lived at Ness House, up from the pier at Longhope.[1]  Her mother, Georgina Sutherland, died when Harriet was just 4 years old, leaving William to raise Harriet and Elizabeth (twins), Georgina (born 1898) and step-daughter Lena (1883, died 1918).[1, 2] Harriet seems to hav...

Photos by Dr Garvie (Photo: Jenny Hall) Saturday 15 March was the opening of  “Finding Dr Garvie” , the exhibition based on the creative collaboration between North Ronaldsay islanders, the wider Orkney community, and Fiona Sanderson. This project arose from the island photographs of Dr Garvie, who was doctor on North Ronaldsay for 16 years, almost a century ago. A selection of these photographs are also on show, along with three of the nine albums of photographs that are now held by the Orkney Library and Archive. These albums include Garvie’s handwritten notes and captions. An enthusiastic and interested audience were present for an entertaining and informative talk by Fiona.  Memories were stirred for those attending from the island and more stories shared. You can read more about the Exhibition here Fiona Sanderson at the exhibition she curated The photos also document life on North Ronaldsay in the 1930s and 40s.  Although one photo of a cow being lifted onto the fer...

  An interesting article in The Herald by journalist Sandra Dick, about Dr Beatrice Garvie and Fiona Sanderson's research into her life and that of North Ronaldsay. Please click on link: The island GP whose evocative images captured Orkney life The Exhibition continues at the Pier Arts Centre, Stromness, until 26th April.

‘Finding Dr Garvie’ is a new exhibition at the Pier Arts Centre in Stromness, that tells the story of Beatrice Garvie’s life as an early woman doctor, and of how she came to live and work on North Ronaldsay during the 1930s and ‘40s.  D/156/430 Putting up the roof for the new bakery at Trebb Beatrice Garvie spent 16 years on the island, and took hundreds of photographs of island life. She was systematic in recording as many aspects of life on the island as she could, and she made sure to give copies of the photographs to the people who were in them. Her own albums of photographs are now held at the Orkney Library and Archive. D156/0336 John & Bertie Thomson of South Ness,  with Dr Garvie's bicycle in the background. Since 2020, Fiona Sanderson has worked to research the story of Beatrice Garvie’s life. Garvie was one of the earliest women doctors to train in Scotland, and she qualified even before she could be awarded a degree - before 1900, well before women w...