| Description | Tape 1 Side A. SHIRLEY ANN KINNIBURGH nee MOWAT born 19.11.1957 in Lerwick. Details re-current position as Administration Officer, Shetland Island Council. Mentions previous jobs with council. Doing degree at Open University, works with Witness Support. Has family. Paternal family: details re father Alex Mowat. Grandfather, Laurence Mowat, a blacksmith at Scalloway. Details re earlier ancestors back to Malcolm Mowat of Jarlshof, born c1763. Childhood memories of grandfather. Mentions parents' divorce changed family circumstances. Recalls grandmother, times spent with her, pinball game played with her. Describes home of grandmother, Margaret nee Halcrow, her NZ wool rug. Explains importance of grandparents' home, childhood routines. Recalls father's part-ownership of a shop, helping in shop, Mowats' bread, sweets in childhood. Maternal family: stayed with them in Lerwick. Details re family situation. Grandfather, James Henry, son of Skeld shoemaker, ran taxi business. Recalls his stories of cart and horse days. Grandmother, Matilda Henry nee Thomson, stayed in St Olaf Street home, family still there. Impact of her stroke. Details re mother's jobs in office, chemist, her routine. Recollections of grandmother, her ways, feelings about her and grandfather, his character. Feelings, in retrospect, about childhood, self as only child, independence. Impact of parents' relationship, family life, other family links. Reference to fatal train crash near Aberdeen. Mentions cramped, multi-generational families living together in Lerwick. Recalls childhood games, companions, structured groups of friends. Was always a careful saver of money. Always relied on self. Describes, contrasts parents' characters. Details re father's work, opportunities, involvement in shop etc.
Tape 1 Side B. Description of mother, Rosaline Jasmine Mowat nee Henry (continued), her interest in modern fashion etc. Stories of her childhood. Mother has always worked. Description of father. Parents married young. Recalls, as child, feeling different because of parents' divorce. Comments on impact of oil industry on Shetland. Recalls Shetland gossip culture. Gives example of knitting circles where gossip took place. Mentions knitted shawls. Recalls mother's signal to neighbour to come and talk. Own enjoyment of conversations. Details re family situations, relationships, cramped living conditions. Evolution of relationship with stepfather. Recalls own youthful character, independence, rebelliousness. First trip out of Shetland aged 11 to Wick to visit great aunt who was married to Laurie Thomson, a poet. Reference Dunreay (power station). Comments on being a Shetlander, own identity, routine. Explains dislike for old fashioned things, smell of old houses, countryside. Grandfather wouldn't let grandmother use electric iron. Mother's attitude. Did not go to college/university because family not well off. Recalls mother's work finishing jumpers - drudgery. Details. Explains decision to work in bank. Feelings about school. Not a reader. Invented own imaginative games as child. Liked television, music, dancing. Recalls grandmother' attitude. Explains own feelings about traditions, moving forward, then and now. Comments on xenophobia in Shetland, own reaction. Reference to genealogical interests, knapping (adapting language). Recalls Lerwick attitudes to country people, dialect. Impact of incomers on language etc. Recalls own first consciousness of arrival of oil, others' attitudes. Negative attitude encouraged by school teachers. Worked in fishing one summer enjoyable. Details. Not allowed to mix with fishermen. Explains.
Tape 2 Side A. Shetland before the oil (continued). Not allowed to mix with fishermen. Explains social consequences of doing this in Shetland. Mentions prostitutes. Recalls families not to be mixed with in Shetland, 'Scotties' etc. There was a hierarchy at school. Details of shopkeeper elite, attitudes etc. Feelings about shopkeepers, their actions when oil arrived. Own reasons for not buying in Lerwick now where possible. Went to work in Bank of Scotland (1974). Recalls first arrival of oil industry, new people. Own reaction. Recalls social life before oil came. Reference Jackie Sinclair's band. First alcohol experiences. Never took drugs, others did. Drugs not part of culture before oil. From age 14, worked in Queens Hotel after school. Details. Recalls floods. Describes kitchen standards etc. Feelings about going away from Shetland. Social attitudes then to early pregnancy, marriage. Feelings about not going to university, desire to earn money. Recalls friendship leading to job with Clydesdale Bank in Aberdeen (1975). Details re life in Aberdeen. Reasons for not staying long in bank. Mentions changes in own clothing style while in Aberdeen. Some friends had jobs in oil industry. Drugs widely used by friends. Details re boyfriend, an Aberdeen character. Recalls running bands to university gigs. Change in own personality during this time. Compares Aberdonians with Shetlanders, own feelings. Found Aberdonians cold, less open than Shetlanders. Was very much into social scene.
Tape 2 Side B. Further details re former boyfriend. Reference to Hell's Angels. Recalls helping as a roadie with bands. Left bank, took up studying computers at Aberdeen College. Explains. Reference to trips to England etc. Mentions saving money, getting grant. Occasional visits to Shetland, more interested in Aberdeen life. Mentions mother's working in pub, cleaning job linked to oil industry. Details re progress at Aberdeen College, good results etc. Details re management of own money, diet of chips and pies etc. Mentions Aberdeen Bowl (pub), George Street, Ma Cameron's bar etc. Got job with Grampian Regional Council. Details of work with computers - not satisfying. Reaction of Aberdeen people to oil industry, attraction of money. Recalls taking two Hell's Angels looking for work in oil to meet mother. Details. Recalls getting to know an American in Aberdeen. Describes Americans' wealth, high living, dining in posh hotels, curious meetings with strange women, expensively furnished housing. Own reaction to possibility of being bought into this culture. Further details re amount of money being spent on furniture etc. Had brief computer job with BP. After over 2 years in Aberdeen sudden decision to return to Shetland. Explains. Stacks of jobs available there by this time, most in oil industry. Fantastic money. Details. Compares with Aberdeen earnings. Got job as cashier at Firth Camp. Mentions changes in Shetland. Recalls being interviewed by Grandmet personnel. Moved back in with family. Details re changed relationships etc.
Tape 3 Side A. Describes Firth Camp, means of getting there. Recalls prefab buildings. Details re colleagues. Reference to Gladys Mann, Henry Mann, Margaret Spence, Elsie Manson. Was younger than colleagues. Mentions own acquired Aberdeen accent, reaction of colleagues to this. Comments on Yell people. All men at Firth except for cleaners who were women and some in office. Details of daily routine starting with getting up at 6 30am. Recalls bus routine going to Firth Camp, bus drivers' tolerance for late sleepers, regular seats of passengers. Details re trip, location of Firth Camp, office clothing style. Own office routine included collecting money from telephone boxes and other parts of camp. Details. Explains in detail layout of camp, staff, facilities. Hundreds of people in camp. Mentions chambermaids. Men were very polite. Explains own attitude to people. Details re bar, shop opening times etc. Collecting money took all morning. Further details of work, weekly routines involving cabaret etc. Embarrassing job of taking damage fines, replacement costs for burned (wet) mattresses. Details. Mentions people with sexual diseases. Attitude of men. Recalls doing a lot of socialising. First experience of gay people. Details. Recalls staff relations, family situation etc at Firth Camp. John (Jackie) Jack was a popular father figure, ran the bar. Recalls solidarity of gay staff, gay relationships among some men. Became a confidante of some men. Details. Lot of women got hurt. Men didn't talk about home much, portrayed tough image, strong identities. Explains
Tape 3 Side B Attitude of men in Firth Camp to their families etc. Some marriages went on the rocks. Some Shetland women got involved with the men. Details. Changes in attitude to divorce with coming of oil industry. Feelings about this. Worked in Firth Camp 1977-79. Worked 6 days a week, did night work in laundry, cabaret etc. Details re daily routine, pay, social life. Recalls Jubilee Dance Hall. Oil people mixed with locals. Feelings re coming back to Shetland. Met husband John in bar. Details re him, his ways etc. Mentions Shetland woollen clothing. Details re own saving, spending habits. Describes camp laundry, work routine. Recalls colleagues in laundry, their attitudes, rules re females staying in camp. Different situation at Toft camp. Recalls situation one stormy night. Details re shocking sight, reputation of Toft. Mentions prostitutes. Never saw much violence. Most of it was through drink. Local women came to cabaret night. Recalls occasional sexist comments but most men didn't like that. Explains. Family atmosphere at Firth. Had no contact with refinery, a separate world. Recalls Englishman who ran sports at Firth Camp. People tried to fit in. Gives examples. Got tired with the long hours, left to get married. Details re difficulties with domestic arrangements, shortage of accommodation because of oil industry. Difficulty then in sustaining personal relationships. Reason for moving to Edinburgh. Firth friends came to wedding. Details re family situation, wedding arrangements, father. Mentions brief job in Edinburgh furniture shop.
Tape 4 Side A. Stayed briefly in Edinburgh. Part time job in Dalkeith checking exam marks. Details. Husband got job as security guard. Moved back to Scalloway, Shetland, in granny's house. Details re granny, husband's work. Reference to daughter Janna. Details re her name. Domestic arrangements in Scalloway, birth of daughter. Mentions husband's shift work, its effect on him. During another pregnancy was first person in Scalloway to be tested for spina bifida etc. Details re decision to terminate pregnancy, own reaction, treatment. Recalls birth of son. Determined attitude to own circumstances. Details re help from friend, baby care, limitations of home. Recalls close call with fire in house, cause. Attitude of Scalloway people to own return home, social patterns. Feelings about mixing with older people, their attitudes. Young couples often competitive. Recalls situation in nursery, stay-at-home topics of conversation. Feelings about this. Recalls local tragedies, relationships etc. Details re husband's car business venture. Compares own and husband's attitude to people. Bought house in Lerwick, c1981. Later, got job in Royal Bank of Scotland, then one in Shetland Islands Council Planning Department, there ever since. Husband a driver, then process operator at Sullom Voe, later an operator in power station. Effect on jobs etc at Sullom Voe when construction phase finished, changes in peoples' attitudes, pettiness and backstabbing etc. Mentions involvement in BP share saving scheme. Changes to Lerwick - ups and downs. Recalls competitive job, housing situation when first returned to Lerwick, favouritism for Shetlanders. Feelings about being treated as an outsider because of marriage to Edinburgh man.
Tape 4 Side B. Details re domestic life in Lerwick, childcare, family links etc. Husband's situation, his interests, friends. Mentions family atmosphere at Sullom Voe, Shetland mentality. Compares with Firth Camp environment. Limited social life because of husband's shift work, own work. Explains. Details re own work, promotion to Admin Manager for Environmental Services, growth of department. Impact of this on personal life. Husband's high pay, cycle business venture. Effect of shift work, high wages on his life, attitudes. Details re his present work. Mentions separation, arrangements, aftermath etc. Impact of oil industry in retrospect, own circumstances. False expectations created by oil industry. Some folk spent every penny. Own attitude. Impact of industry on own marriage. Recalls situation in Firth Camp, difficulties with personal relationships then. Recalls false reality of life in Firth Camp. Has been 17 years with Council. Details re relationship with second husband, Ian, his work with oil in environmental health area, later with waste services, his own waste recycling business at Sullom Voe. Feelings about Sullom Voe, its impact on own life. Mentions Shetland population drop before oil came. Future plans. Details re children, parents. Reference football pools. Mother still works in pub. Oil industry has made Shetland a better place. Explains. Recalls condensation, cold in childhood home. Shetland now has a future, connections with Nordic countries etc. Feelings about Shetland traditions which are still all there. Feelings about being a Shetlander, about the English, Scandinavia. Impact of roots, genetics. Place of tradition.
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