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The Orkney Express
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The Orkney Express
A slightly mocking postcard entitled: The Orkney Express, depicting an ox-drawn cart carrying peat and a local farmer Date: 1910s
Mary Evans Picture Library makes available wonderful images created for people to enjoy over the centuries
Media ID 7211867
© Mary Evans Picture Library 2015 - https://copyrighthub.org/s0/hub1/creation/maryevans/MaryEvansPictureID/10425285
Cutter Cutting Drawn Express Farmer Gathered Gatherer Islander Orkney Orkneys Oxen Peat Powered Wagon Yolk
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The Orkney Express: A Peat-Powered Journey Through the Islands of Yesteryear This charming postcard, titled "The Orkney Express," offers a glimpse into the past of the Orkney Islands, located off the northeastern coast of Scotland. Dating back to the 1910s, this image captures the simple yet effective method of transporting peat from the fields to the homes of the islanders. In the foreground, a local farmer stands proudly beside his oxen, ready to begin the journey. The oxen, adorned with yolks to protect their eyes from the sun, are harnessed to the cart, which is piled high with freshly cut peat sods. The peat cutter and gatherer, dressed in traditional clothing, have gathered the sods and loaded them onto the wagon, ensuring a steady supply of fuel for the coming winter months. The Orkney Express was not a company or a commercial venture, but rather a testament to the resourcefulness and ingenuity of the islanders. Peat was, and still is, a vital resource for heating homes and cooking meals in the often harsh Orkney climate. The oxen, strong and steadfast, provided the power to transport this valuable commodity from the fields to the towns and villages. This image offers a charming reminder of a bygone era, when life moved at a slower pace and the simple pleasures of daily life were cherished. The Orkney Express may not have been fast, but it was a reliable and sustainable means of transportation, connecting the people of the Orkney Islands to their land and their heritage.
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