P&O

As far back as the 1700s, Gremista was the original fish processing station in Shetland. It was also the birthplace and home to another young fish processor, our predecessor, Arthur Anderson.

Arthur Anderson was born in the Böd of Gremista which still exists as a museum. Neil and I spent our first night near his house.

From these humble beginnings, Anderson went on to become the co-founder of Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation Company, (P&O). Following 10 years in the Royal Navy, he developed a shipping business between Britain, Spain and Portugal and then on to Egypt and eventually Australia. By the mid-1800s, P&O was the largest commercial fleet of steamships in the world!

“Anderson’s motto was “Dö Weel and Persevere” which he duly did.”

As a sideline, the ambitious young islander founded the Shetland Journal (1835), Shetland’s first newspaper of which he was editor and main contributor. He also set up the Shetland Fishery Company, encouraging fish exports to the UK mainland and as far afield as Spain.

Anderson became a Member of Parliament for Orkney and Shetland from 1847 to 1852 and was elected as the first MP for Orkney and Shetland who did not come from the land-owning class.

In 1838, he sent Queen Victoria a pair of Shetland lace stockings for her Coronation, a somewhat racy gesture, one might surmise but the Queen loved them, ordered another dozen pairs and kicked off a fashion in the upper echelons of English society and a huge increase in sales of Shetland lace.

Arthur Anderson was the co-founder of P&O Ferries, whose cruise ships regularly visit Madeira.

Today, Anderson High in Lerwick is the island’s largest school, founded in 1862 as the “Anderson Educational Institute” by Anderson himself. And would you believe, the school’s motto is “Dö Weel and Persevere”.