News article about the "Finding Dr Garvie" Exhibition

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.

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Dr Robina Marwick (Lady Birsay) - Part 2 - Sanday 1940-1943

In Part 1 we introduced Dr Robina (Rina) Marwick and her early life. In this post the story focuses on her time during World War II on the island of Sanday, one of the more Northerly of the Orkney Islands. She arrived on the island in 1940 as the previous island doctor had been called up. Rina Marwick on Sanday Rina Marwick was born in Stromness on 2 nd August, 1914, just two days before World War 1 broke out and now in 1940 she was once again living through war but this time taking an active part. Records show Dr Marwick was on Sanday in March 1940.[1] She was the first woman doctor to reside on the island, there having been one earlier known woman doctor, Dr Jean McPhail, acting as a locum for her brother in the 1920s.[2] It had been thought that the isolation of Sanday was an unsuitable place for a woman doctor.[3] However, at just 25, Dr Marwick found herself the sole medical doctor on the island, caring for an island population of about 1,000.[4] Doctors ...

Dr Robina Marwick/Leslie (Lady Birsay) - Part 1

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...

Dr Jean McPhail/Cursiter – Papa Westray 1926 to 1945 - Dramatic Rescue

Injured Woman’s Terrible Flight. Marooned and helpless on Papa Westray. Rowing Boat’s Hazardous Voyage. On 25 November 1931, Dr Jean Cursiter left Papa Westray to accompany a seriously injured patient on a hazardous and extraordinary journey to hospital in Kirkwall.[1] She left behind her husband Ian and 8 month old son, Jack. It's unlikely she would return for some days given the stormy weather. Jessie Groat's hand had been caught in a threshing machine, and although the machine was stopped immediately, the limb was crushed and lacerated to the elbow. Her husband, farmer Thomas Groat, of Howe summoned Dr Cursiter who attended to the injury but realised the case was so serious it needed an immediate operation if Mrs Groat was to survive. Papa Westray was completely cut off from any help or rescue. The island had no telegraph or telephone communication to summon help from Kirkwall on the Orkney Mainland. The sea was rough and dangerous for a small boat to cross. The Orkney...

Orkney Women Doctors Project (1894 to 1948)

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