Heather was born in Canada to a father from Orkney, whose parents were both Orcadian as well. When she heard she heard about VIKING II, she chose to take part. Read her story here. Image My father was born in Sandwick, Orkney in 1897. As you may guess, he married late in life; otherwise I would not still be alive to participate in the study. He fought in France with the Seaforth Highlanders in WWI. Then with some veteran money from the British forces, he was able to study to get an MA from the University of Edinburgh. Not too long after graduation, he moved to Canada to pursue an academic career. I live in Ottawa, the capital city of Canada. When I heard about your project, the combination of Orkney and the University of Edinburgh caught my attention. I applied and with two Orkney grandparents. I was eligible. I have traced my Orkney ancestry back to Magnus Brass in the late 16th century. I have visited Orkney a number of times, most recently in 2019. My father grew up very near Skara Brae and played on the hills there before they were excavated. I was happy to be able to visit the site. I am following Viking II research with much interest. They are are doing a good thing. This article was published on 2024-01-25
