1881
Shetlopedia - The Shetland Encyclopaedia
- The number of horses and ponies was reported at 5,224, of which 921 were used for agriculture and 4,323 were unbroken and used solely for breeding.
- A. Georgeson's shop in Vidlin opened.
- Census listing of ships in port at Lerwick
- Houses in Lerwick numbered 514 inhabited, 5 vacant and 2 under construction.
- The Fishery Board of Scotland reported 59,586 barrels of herring were cured.
January
- 31st
A wooden hulled sail lugger, no name, or name not recorded, unregistered, newly built, Owner and Captain T. Tait, Gletness, Nesting, three crew. In passage in ballast from Lerwick to Nesting this vessel capsized at a position approx 2 miles N of Bressay with the loss of all aboard. Recorded as a partial loss, suggesting the wreck was possibly recovered.
February
March
- 6th
Improved mail service to Shetland assured. Three mails a week in summer and two a week in winter
July
- 21st
- Ten boats and 58 fishermen were lost when a sudden storm blew up. Fifty-five of the fisherman were from the island of Yell, mostly from the community of Gloup, but 3 men from Burra were also lost at sea in The Gloup Disaster. The boats lost were
- The Helat from Unst lost off Lamba Ness.
August
- Bigton School opened.
October
- 12th
The Fanny M. Carrill, a barque, in ballast, of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, from Hull, England to Troon, Scotland(??) wrecked at Snarra Voe, Unst. All of the crew were saved. - 13th
The Sea Mew, a sail smack of Lerwick, returning from Iceland with a cargo of fish, wrecked in Olna Firth. All of the crew were saved. - 14th
Having crossed to the isle of Linga to check for driftwood washed ashore, James Hoseason of Gutcher, along with James Abernethy Jr. and Robert Robertson, both joiners working there at that time, discovered on the beach of the isle a partly dismembered and badly decomposed body. As daylight was fading, it could only be covered with rocks on that occasion, and the next day was too rough to make the crossing, but on the 16th they were able to return and bury the remains.
Although a fully confirmed identification was impossible, some of those who saw the remains were of the opinion, based on the boots, the only clothing items still attached, that they were of Laurence Danielson, skipper of one of the un-named Sixareen's lost in the Gloup Disaster on July 21st.
November
- 2nd
Storm signals established at Lerwick - 8th
Election of the Lerwick Town Council. - 12th
Schooner St Olaf wrecked in Warrie Geo, Lerwick - 17th
The Benita, a schooner, laden with a cargo of salt fish, of Lerwick, from Voe and to the West Voe, Papa Stour drove ashore from anchor and wrecked in the West Voe. - 18th
The Betty Allan, a smack, owned in Unst, from Aberdeen, Scotland, for Lerwick wrecked at The Sletts, Brei Wick. All of the crew were saved. - 21st
The Stewart, a sail sloop, of Lerwick, drove ashore in the East Voe of Scalloway during a gale. - 22nd
The Telegraph (1881) (LK35), a smack, of Lerwick, drove from anchor in Lerwick Harbour and wrecked on the beach at Heogan, Bressay. - The wood and tarred felt roof of the Independent Chapel at Sand was blown off complete in one piece during a gale, and deposited still the right way up in a loch 100 yards or more away.
- The Zephyr (LK53), a wooden hulled sail smack, drove from anchor in Gruting Voe during SW Force 11 wind conditions, and went ashore at the north end of the voe, becoming a total wreck.
- 24th
The Loch Ryan, is believed to have wrecked "near" Lerwick shortly before this date, possibly at The Sletts, Brei Wick. A least some of the crew are known to have been saved. - 25th
The Hebe, a topsail schooner, in ballast, of South Shields, England, from Lossiemouth, Scotland, and for Sunderland, England wrecked on Fair Isle. All of the crew were saved. - 26th
The schooner St Olaf of Wick, (master Milne), was driven ashore at the Slates and became a total wreck.
December
- 4th
The barque Henriette stranded on Hoevdi Grund, Foula; sank later off Unst. - 15th
A wooden hulled no name or name not recorded lug sail vessel in ballast, unregistered, built 1878, owner and Captain G. Nicolson, two crew. This vessel from Olna Firth and for Grobness was caught by a squall during SW wind conditions while still in Olna Firth, and filled with water, both souls aboard perished. Recorded as a partial loss, suggesting that the vessel was salvaged, and probably returned to sea.
