Talk on prolific Yell teacher

A TALK will be held next week in Lerwick about prolific Yell educator Andrew Dishington Mathewson, who taught in one form or another for over 70 years.

The event, which will be held at the Shetland Museum and Archives on Thursday, will see his relative Eileen Brooke-Freeman explore what she has learned about the teacher from studying his letters and documents.

Mathewson, who was born in 1799 and died in 1887, taught children to read while aged only six and he was in charge of a school in Fetlar by the age of just 14.

He later became the first schoolmaster at East Yell and he continued teaching in varying capacities until he was 78.

Outside of educating children, Mathewson also taught navigation and worked in a variety of roles such as land surveyor, postmaster, registrar and sessions’ clerk.

He was also known for helping those in need and he wrote letters calling for legislative change on a number of issues, such as the registration of stillbirths.

Mathewson was noted for his “meticulous” record keeping, which has allowed Brooke-Freeman to study his life in greater detail.

• Tickets for the talk are priced at £3.50 and they can be purchased from the museum and archives reception or online at: www.thelittleboxoffice.com/smaa