Letters / Back to the drawing board

In his latest letter, Stuart Hill says that “the Crown does not, and never could have had ownership of Shetland’s land. Therefore it does not, and never has had sovereignty here”.

Stuart never does the necessary research. His grasp of this question is as feeble as his understanding of udal law.

In the 1620s James VI owned the whole of Heglabister in Weisdale and the whole of Aith in Bressay.

He had 62 percent of Funzie in Fetlar, 47 per cent of Scatness and 83 per cent of Clousta. There are hundreds of other examples.

Does this mean, Stuart, that nobody in Heglabister, but 53 per cent of folk in Scatness, have autonomy?

Do 100 per cent of the people in Levenwick (where James owned no land) have “sovereignty in the most complete sense”?

I live at Hellister. the northmost place in Whiteness. James VI owned 10 per cent of it. Does that mean I have 90 per cent autonomy? Back to the drawing board, old bean!

Brian Smith
Weisdale