Builders outside the newly completed 22 St Olaf St

SM00194

Builders outside the newly completed 22 St Olaf St

1913

Builders outside the newly-completed 22 St Olaf Street. This was one of a block of four houses, which comprised the first building in Shetland constructed from concrete blocks. The houses, and the people for whom they were built, were; 22 Lingarth (Russell Anderson, grocer, Lerwick), 24 Hoolsgarth (Laurence Anderson, shop worker, Skerries), 26 Cashigarth (Andrew Mathieson, tailor,

Yell), 28 Olligarth (? Georgeson, Lunnasting). The blocks were made on site, in three different forms; smooth face, rock face, panel face. (The blocks were cast individually in a press, a lever being pulled to compress and extract them.) The work started in 1912, however, during the job, the contractor, Charles Abernethy, went bankrupt and Laurence Anderson aforementioned took over as clerk of works, and paid the men, enabling work to continue, and the houseowners paid the workers. The job was completed in 1913. Standing in the garden are Russell Anderson with his wife, daughter and son. 5th in the standing row of workers is Peter Johnson, Kurkigarth, Olnafirth, Delting. (Note: In 1980's in work on windows of no. 28, a piece of wood with names of workers was found; May 16th 1913 New Villas Built 1912 and 1913 / C.A.J. Abernethy Foreman / John Peterson, L. Jarmson, R. Scollay, W. Budge, J. Johnson, P. Thomson, J.A. Smith Joiners on one side, and on the other T. Halcrow Foreman / A. Garrick, L. Smith Masons / L. Duncan, W. Sim, L. Arthur, J. Andrew Johnson, A.W. Burgess Labourers / J. MacKay, M. Gunn Plasterers. These are not necessarily trhe same men on photo).

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