1890
Shetlopedia - The Shetland Encyclopaedia
- Andrew T. Cluness was born.
- Writer Willa Muir was born.
- Shetland Pony Stud-Book Society formed.
- The number of horses and ponies was reported at 4,803, of which 787 were used for agriculture and 4,016 were unbroken and used solely for breeding.
February
- 4th
Election of the first Zetland County Council.
April
- 8th
The Oriental (LK327), a sail cutter herring drift net fishing vessel, drove from anchor and went ashore in the Bay of Fladdabister. - 28th
The Good Design, a wooden hulled unregistered sail smack in ballast, of and for Vidlin, from Whalsay, wrecked on either East Linga or one the other nearby holms or skerries, to the east of Whalsay, or on Out Skerries during calm conditions.
May
- 13th
Laurence G. Johnson, author and councillor was born in Collafirth, Northmavine - 20th
Diana Memorial Fountain inaugurated at Victoria Pier.
June
- 4th
The Court of Session reached a verdict, in favour of the captors, in the case of the 340 whales captured at Hoswick in September 1888
July
- 24th
Wooden fishing smack Southern Air sank at a position approx 6 miles SE of Voe, Dunrossness following a collision with the Lerwick vessel Brucklay Castle.
September
- 29th
The wooden hulled smack Star Of The East broke from moorings in WNW Force 10/11 conditions and wrecked on Girlsta Point, the Jeans a wooden hulled fishing lugger, did likewise and wrecked on probably Ritta Point, and the Ulsta, also a wooden hulled fishing lugger suffered the same fate and drove out to sea, all in Wadbister Voe. The wooden hulled smack Little Nell also drove from her moorings in Bressay Sound and wrecked on the Skade Rocks, Bressay.
November
- 4th
Election of the Lerwick Town Council.