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"Survey return from Robert Hiddlestone"
Orphir, by Kirkwall.
1850.
RCP/COL/4/8/172
Robert Hiddlestone was a church minister in Orphir.
Orphir was a parish and a village on the Orkney Islands. In 1831, the population was 996. There was a lot of manufacture and trade activity, with many of the inhabitants employed in weaving and tailoring. There was also agriculture, some livestock breeding and fisheries.
[[Addressee]]
To
The Revd
Robt Hiddlestone
Orphir
by Kirkwall
[[Survey]]
QUERIES
1. How many Medical Men practice within the Parish of Orphir?
None
2. The Names and Addresses of these.
[no text]
3. Has the number increased or diminished of late years?
Neither
4. Have any left the Parish since you became connected with it? If so, for what reasons?
None because there were none to leave
5. Is there any complaint among the people of inadequacy in the supply of Medical aid?
None that I am aware of – but they complain of the expense of bringing medical men from Kirkwall and Stromness both of which towns are as near as maybe Nine miles from the centre of this parish and1 in which towns the medical men reside. The inhabitants generally speaking are very poor.
6. Do you know of any cases of protracted suffering, or of injury by Accident, such as might have been alleviated had proper advice been at hand?
I have no doubt whatever that there are many and that some even die from the want of medical aid because they cannot pay for a medical man and2 therefore don’t send for one.
7. To what extent is the deficiency of qualified Practitioners made up by the efforts of other parties?
A retired medical Practitioner and resident Heritor who has frequently in cases of accident and extremity given his attendance Gratis.
The midwifery department is attended to by a regularly bred female.
8. Does your experience enable you to suggest any measure – of general applicability – such as would be likely to relieve to some extent the evils (if they exist) of deficiency in the supply of Medical aid?
[no text]
9. What Heritors3 are resident, either generally or occasionally, in your Parish?
James Johnston Esquire of Coubister
Archer Fortescue Esquire of Swanbister
Charles Stewart Still Esq of Smoogrow
Mrs Hiddleston of Houton
John Wishart of Westquay
There are also several small proprietors
Explanatory notes:
1. Continues into answer box for query 6.
2. Continues into answer box for query 7.
3. A heritor was a landowner, under Scots Law, whose holdings were sizeable enough for them to be liable for the payment of public burdens such as Poor Law rates, road and bridge assessments and the church minister’s stipend.
Remote & Rural Remedies
