1873
Shetlopedia - The Shetland Encyclopaedia
- Henry Saxby, author of The Birds of Shetland, died.
- Samuel Laing, Liberal, elected as MP for Orkney & Shetland.
Laing was also a British Railways administrator, and writer on science and religion. He held the seat until 1885.
- Truck Commission publishes report
January
- 27th
An unidentified vessel, with a cargo of timber, estimated to be in the region of 600 - 800 tons gross, washed ashore in a derelict condition, bottom up with her stern gone, on Spoose Holm, Oxna, off Scalloway. The cargo, and probably the vessel was suspected to be of American origin. By February 5th the wreck had been towed to Scalloway, and her cargo of pine and black birch logs, 16 to 18 inches square, and a few deals and battens were taken ashore and sold. The vessel was described as appearing to be constructed of a hardwood, had gun ports and was painted with a white bend, she was fastened with composition bolts, and had recently been sheathed with elm and oak.
February
- 23rd
Thomas Barclay, Provost of Glasgow University, died on that day. Barclay was born in June 1792, at Unst, in Shetland. He was greatly noted as a pulpit orator, but he was a sound and varied scholar, deeply read, not only in biblical learning, but also in the languages of northern Europe.
April
