Talk:1601

Shetlopedia - The Shetland Encyclopaedia that anyone can edit

The problem about the lists of Shetland shipwrecks that are circulating is that they may be full of errors.

I'm using the RCAHMS Canmore database as the main source, and Larn & Larn's book as a main secondary source for what I'm adding. As you almost certainly know, the former cites the latter, along with Whittaker's book, and information from yourself, as their main sources. Larn & Larn for the greater part cite reports of shipping losses to Lloyd's List of the day as their source.

I'd be the first to argee that the RCAHMS database contains numerous errors, especially where local place names are concerned, as a number have had to be corrected, based on local knowledge. Therefor it's also reasonable to assume that the remainder of the information may also be similarly affected by errors. That said however, thus far at least, we've not been able to locate any better source(s), so it's been something of a case of putting up the best that could be found, rather than having nothing, and hope if someone sees one they know to be factually incorrect that they let that be known so that the appropriate corrections can be made.

In a number of cases even what's here may no longer agree with the RCAHMS database entry. I've been adding wrecks off and on since last summer as time allowed, and with RCAHMS being a work in progress I'm noticing that while what is here was in line with the RCAHMS entry when it was created, they have updated their entry with corrections and/or additional information since then, and there is a need already to go back over those and revise entries as necessary.

As with everything historical though, you are the expert with access to the fullest range of information that is available, so please, feel free to amend anything among them you know to be incorrect. Someone such as myself is only an amateur with an interest in the subject trying to do the best I can with what little I've got.

Ghostrider 12:28, 19 March 2008 (MDT)

I had a look at the item for 1601 in CANMORE. Their sole source is Whittaker's book, although there is a good published source for this wreck (Donaldson, Court Book of Shetlaand, 1602-1604). By doing so they misspell the name of the boat owner and the nationality of the boat. I am a bit perplexed why CANMORE is willing to take this information on trust - I would urge Shetlopedia to be cautious about using CANMORE in future. Brian 07:20, 20 March 2008 (MDT)