Events for June 1, 2023

Our political decision-making systems, national and international, have developed over centuries. Sometimes – as with the many COP meetings – they operate extremely slowly. Sometimes with economic decisions they move dangerously fast. One difficulty is the sheer complexity and uncertainty of situations. But, says Prof. Iain Alasdair MacLeod, the discipline of system planning is standard practice for such situations, and is widely used. So could system planning also be used for political decision-making? And if so, how? Former Scottish Education Minister Peter Peacock chairs and welcomes questions and discussion.

Dr Tom Flett, born 100 years ago from an Orkney family in Glasgow, took his PhD at Cambridge under the supervision of one of the greatest mathematicians of the time, John Littlewood and went on to become professor of mathematics at Sheffield. But he is better known across Scotland and further afield as the co-author with his wife Joan of the classic book Traditional Dancing in Scotland, which gathered together a wealth of information about dances and dancers. Their daughters Jane Harrison and Lindsay Smith tell the family story, and a mathematician looks at the mathematical background.

The Fletts have long been to the fore in almost every aspect of Orkney life from Orkneyinga Saga times onwards, from farming and business to education and study, and not forgetting numerous victorious Harray teams in the Parish Cup. How far back can we trace them? And where did they originally come from? Prof. Jim Flett Wilson of Edinburgh University brings genetics together with family history to trace the story – and goes on to look at the Drevers, the Sinclairs, the Rendalls and the Linklaters, among others, as well.

Back in the 1950s Orkney has a pioneering wind turbine. It was situated on Costa head to get the full force of wind – which indeed in January 1953 destroyed it. But it showed what could be done and led the way for other wind developments in Orkney and elsewhere. Neil Kermode of EMEC looks at its story and significance, while archaeologist Dan Lee traces the clues from the remains.

70 years ago the Earl Thorfinn, on her round of the North Isles, was hit by a hurricane and had to run before the wind towards Aberdeen. Captain Hamish Flett and his crew coped with mountainous seas that smashed her steering gear and conditions that destroyed other vessels. How did the ship survive, and how has marine communication developed over the years to help in such situations? Prof. Tom Stevenson tells the story.