south havra
South Havra is one of the Scalloway Islands which are to be found west of Burra on the southern Shetland Mainland.
South Havra was once home to eight families, whose houses were built on the edge of the precipice, to enable them to use all the good land. Animals and children had to be tethered to keep them safe. The island had no running water, and had Shetland’s only windmill but alas this was ineffective in grinding corn and the grain was sent to the mill at Weisdale.
The island was abandoned in May 1923. Up until that time South Havra was a small but viable community who even had a full time schoolteacher to look after the islands children. The ground was fertile and productive, and although there was no peat for fuel, this could be found on the nearby mainland. However, it wasn't an easy operation gathering the peat and transporting it to South Havra and this was probably one of the reasons which persuaded the islanders to leave their home for good.
The island was abandoned in May 1923. Up until that time South Havra was a small but viable community who even had a full time schoolteacher to look after the islands children. The ground was fertile and productive, and although there was no peat for fuel, this could be found on the nearby mainland. However, it wasn't an easy operation gathering the peat and transporting it to South Havra and this was probably one of the reasons which persuaded the islanders to leave their home for good.
Books. DVD's and Videos
None available to my knowledge with any great content about South Havra. This is not an island which seems to have merited much space in the history of our country. Several Shetland/Scottish Islands books mention South Havra in passing but nothing to merit buying any of them for information on this abandoned isle.
As ever please contact Lonely-Isles if you know of any books you think would be of interest and we'll add them to the site.
As ever please contact Lonely-Isles if you know of any books you think would be of interest and we'll add them to the site.
Links
Sadly information on South Havra is almost impossible to find. Lonely Isles will continue to attempt to find as much information as possible on all of the islands featured on our site. Please continue to return to this page with the assurance that if any worthwhile links do appear for South Havra then they will be added to the page.
Please email Lonely Isles if you know of any suitable links.
Please email Lonely Isles if you know of any suitable links.