Ursula Mary Venables

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Ursula Mary Venables and her husband Llewellyn Sidney Vaughan Venables, resided for a time from 1945 onwards, first at Whiteness, and then at Noss, Scousburgh.

Llewellyn Sidney Vaughan (Pat) Venables, a naturalist with a particular interest in birdlife, was a frequent visitor to Shetland during the 1930's, and in the summer of 1939 obtained a cottage at Whiteness with the intent of making it his Shetland base. Unfortunately WWII was to delay his return to Shetland and his cottage until later in 1945, by which time he had married, and his cottage had become uninhabitable and derelict.

After an initial fruitless search by him to obtain accomodation, mainly due to most vacant property still being occupied, technically at least, by the Armed Forces. Shortly after his return to England, a local contact was able to secure the tenancy of another house in Whiteness for him, and the couple travelled north and took occupancy later in 1945.

The following books were written during and as a result of their period of residence.

Tempestuous Eden, published by Museum Press, London 1952. Hardback. 239 pages. 16 B&W photos and several in-text line drawings.

Birds and mammals of Shetland, published Edinburgh 1955. (as joint author with her husband).

Life in Shetland: A world apart, published Oliver & Boyd, Edinburgh 1956.