From Willaford to Enderby Land

by Laureen Johnson

Until the British whaling industry passed into history in the early 1960s, whaling was often an important source of employment for Shetland men.

The early chapters of the book briefly describe Shetland’s involvement in Arctic whaling and whaling around Shetland itself. The main part of the book draws extensively on the knowledge of the last Shetland whalers and their memories of their whaling days as young men in the South Atlantic.

There are well over 200 photographs, with carefully detailed explanatory captions, while the narrative is enhanced by personal recollections, explanations, maps and stories.

This book brings the reader face to face not only with the realities of whale-catching and processing, but also with the routine of the whaling year and the lives of the whalers themselves, whether ashore in South Georgia, or onboard whalecatchers or factory ships. It is a remarkable insight into a vanished way of life.

This is an excellent book and I would very highly recommend it to our readers.

Published by:

The Shetland ex- Whalers Association
c/o Gibbie Fraser
Hebrista
West Burrafirth
Walls
Shetland
www.shetlandheritageshop.com
Paperback: A4,184 pp illustrated

Price: £20 + £5 p&p