J Storer Clouston OBE, 1870 - 1944

Joseph Storer Clouston was amongst other things a novelist and historian and played an active role in the Orkney community including as county councilor for Orphir and later county convener in 1930. He was a founder member of the Orkney Antiquarian Society. Lived at Smogroo house, Orphir. Novels include 'Vandrad the Viking' and the 'Lunatic at Large'. Including 'The Spy in Black' four of his novels were made into films.

Amongst his successful non fiction works was 'A History of Orkney' written in 1932

AOP (Another Orkney Production) is pleased to announce a new hardback limited edition of a popular classic ninety years after its first publication.

THE SPY IN BLACK by J Storer Clouston was first published in 1917. This highly successful novel later became the basis of the acclaimed 1939 film of the same name. Directed by Michael Powell with a screenplay by
Emeric Pressburger, it was the first of their many collaborations and is still shown regularly at cinemas and on television.

Last year, to celebrate the centenary of Michael Powell’s birth, the National Film Archive produced a new print.

This new hardback edition intends to do more than bring THE SPY IN BLACK to a new audience. It will offer an insight into author J Storer Clouston’s importance as a successful writer of fiction and historian as well as examine the state of the world in 1917 when the book was first published and compare it to when the film was released in 1939.

It will also offer a solution the hidden place names in the book, changed due to it being wartime. The book will have a map of Orkney and a selection of photographs of the period plus a full bibliography of Clouston’s work.

Dr Donna Heddle examines Clouston’s role as a writer of fiction

Donna Heddle has been programme leader for the BA (Hons) Culture Studies of the Highlands and Islands since June 1999 and is based at Orkney College as Head of the Department of Cultural Studies. She was previously employed by the Dept of English Literature and the Centre for Continuing Education at the University of Edinburgh.

Donna has been involved in a number of NPP cultural projects involving technology and education. A book entitled Northern Heritage has just been published as a result of these projects.

A new UHI research centre in interdisciplinary Northern and Nordic studies is being developed by Donna at Orkney and Shetland Colleges. Donna will also be developing a new postgraduate MA in Highlands and Islands Literature.

Her research interests are Scottish cultural history, language, and literature and Old Norse.

Dr Sarah Jane Gibbon considers his importance as an historian

Sarah Jane Gibbon was born and brought up in Orkney where she developed a great interest in the heritage of the islands. After completing a joint honours degree in history and archaeology at Glasgow University she did a research masters in archaeology, her subject being “Norse Castles in Orkney.”

She returned home and whilst working at the Orkney Archive began studying for her PhD with the UHI Millennium Institute at Orkney College. She completed this with the added distinction of being the first person to complete a PhD in the short history of Orkney College.

Her subject was to look into the formation of the medieval parochial system in Orkney by means of a landscape approach. She now works as a Lecturer in the Department of Cultural Studies, at Orkney College.

Geoffrey Stell sets the scene by describing the world in 1917 and 1939

Geoffrey Stell is an architectural historian with specialist interests in Scottish architecture and fortifications.

In 1969 he joined the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland where he was Head of Architecture from 1991 until his retirement in 2004.

He is now an Honorary Lecturer in the Department of History, University of Stirling, and Visiting Lecturer in the Department of Architecture, Edinburgh College of Art.

Author of numerous books and articles, he is currently engaged in, among other things, the preparation of The Defences of Scotland, to be published by Birlinn, and a series of 12 regional reports on 20th-century defences for Historic Scotland.

Pat Sutherland

Pat Sutherland was born in Malta while her father was there in the RAF. After living all over Britain the family settled back in Orkney.

From early days Pat has been encourage to be creative. She and her sister made jewellery to sell at their primary school. Pat studied “O” and “A” level Art, amongst others, then went to Aberdeen College of Education where she trained as a primary teacher, a job which enabled her to use her design and drawing skills. At the college she also studied Pottery.

Later Pat studied for a B.A. with the Open University including Art History in her studies. While working in retail and administration Pat has continued with her other interests - painting murals, designing sets for a local theatre group and writing a craft book. For over thirty years she has also been making patchwork quilts and quilted and appliquéd wall hangings. The Scapa Flow quilt is her largest piece to date.

Making the cover design for “The Spy in Black” has given her the opportunity to dust off her drawing and painting skills.
Pat has a website at www.moonspinners.co.uk

Historic Scotland Rangers Sandra Miller and Elaine Clarke will reveal the hidden placenames