Orkney Women Doctors Project (1894 to 1948)

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...