Anecdote about interest in Johnnie Notions; history of a bus...

Original Track ID

SA1970.240

Original Tape ID

SA1970.240

Summary

Anecdote about interest in Johnnie Notions; history of a bust he carved; his smallpox vaccine.

Brucie Henderson tells how a crowd formed in Lerwick as he spoke to two men outside Leask's café about Johnnie Notions. The police arrived and cleared the crowd. Later a man called Lowrie Laurenson hailed Brucie and offered to tell him more about Johnnie Notions. The two exchanged much information.

One of Notions' accomplishments was to make a bust of Sir Watson Cheyne's great grandfather from black oak driftwood. The bust was in the possession of a family who made berets and they would model them on the bust, which had one eye and a piece of the nose missing by then. The bust was later in Lerwick Museum. Tom Anderson adds that Notions' mother originally gave it to the Cheynes, who used it as a wig stretcher.

Notions was most famous for his smallpox vaccine. He was summoned to Foula, which was suffering a great epidemic, and saved 16 people of 24 who were on the isle. He made the potions and disinfected his own instruments. He also used blood horns to reduce swelling.

Item Subject/Person

Johnnie Notions [Williamson, John]

Recording Location

Item Location

Language

English, Scots

Genre

Story Information

Collection

SoSS

Source Type

Reel to reel

Audio Quality

Good