Bluejackets landing at Kirkwall, 1898

Visit of the British Channel Fleet, 1898. Photographed by Tom Kent

Kirkwall received a visit from the British Channel Fleet in 1898. The first ship to arrive was the third class cruiser HMS Pelorus, late in the evening of Friday 15 July. The next morning she was joined by a number of other members of the Fleet, and the evening saw the arrival of the first class cruiser HMS Crescent, commanded by HRH Prince George, Duke of York, later King George V. The fleet comprised of eight first class battleships, two first class cruisers, three second class cruisers and one third class cruiser. All the ships were opened to the public every afternoon during there stay and attracted a good number of visitors. A large number of officers were allowed ashore every afternoon, where they had the opportunity to go fishing and play golf, but very few of the ratings were granted the same privilege.

It had been planned that a large party of bluejackets would disembark and march through Kirkwall on Monday 18 July but, in the event, bad weather delayed them until the following Wednesday. On that morning, at around 8 o’clock, the men started to come ashore, commencing with the contingent from the battleship HMS Mars. The Basin had been cleared of all other shipping in order to make the disembarkation easier, and eventually a total of  3555 men of all ranks were formed in lines along Shore Street, Harbour Street and Ayre Road. The bluejackets proceeded to march to the Market Cross where they were presented to various dignitaries, including the Duke of York and Prince Louis of Battenberg, accompanied by the Provost of Kirkwall, Nicol Spence.

After reaching Clay Loan the parade moved on to Junction Road. There, they split into two brigades, for the purpose of the planned exercises. One brigade headed off to Quanterness, St. Ola, via Ayre Road, while the other proceeded out the old Finstown Road to the Market Stance, now the site of the new Orkney Riding Centre. Once in position the two brigades began a series of signalling exercises, which included the use of flags and heliograph, a method of transmitting messages by reflecting the suns rays in a mirror.

The Channel Fleet departed on the afternoon of Wednesday 20 July 1898. Their departure was watched by large crowds from every available vantage point on land, while the steamer Fawn accompanied the ships for some distance as they sailed through the String towards their next destination, Stornoway on the Isle of Lewis. This was the end of a memorable event for the local people. It was, and probably still is, the largest naval display ever seen in Kirkwall.

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