Jenny's Arctic Diary

Hailed by John Grierson as 'one of the best descriptions of life in the country anybody has yet made', the film follows a young couple torn between the choice of emigration to Australia or remaining to work their croft in Shetland.

The first film made by Jenny Gilbertson (nee Brown), with a second hand 16mm cine camera on which she taught herself the rudiments of photography and editing. She stayed with crofter friends in Shetland while shooting scenes through the changing seasons during 1930-1931. The intimacy she established with her hosts, who are the subjects of the film, clearly comes through.

The rearing of Shetland ponies on island crofts, showing each stage of "a year in the life of Shetland ponies", from winter months to foaling and sale at market. An educational film that captures the strong nature of these small ponies.

Fishing and agriculture, transport, the archaeology and scenery of the Shetland Isles.

Film recalling the Norwegian government's gift of the car ferry 'Rovdehorn' to Shetland and historical links formed between Shetland and Norway during World War II. [Re-editing of original black & white footage shot in 1965, with colour prologue. Epilogue recorded in 1988].

A crofter in the Shetland Isles demonstrates how to make a 'keshie' to carry home his peat. This is one of a number of films made by Jenny Brown and bought by the GPO Film Library in the 1930s. It's shows Gideon cutting corn and then working it into a keshie, a basket traditionally used in Shetland for carrying peat. Looking back this short now has something really charming about it. David leads this film on his Martin concert ukulele, with Ian on soprano uke, and Allan on classical guitar. Alyth disgraces herself on kazoo. We have to finish the tune at the same time Gideon finishes his keshie, and we could swear that sometimes he deliberately speeds up to try to catch us out.

A portrait of life in Shetland, composed of clips from the films of Shetland filmmaker Jenny Gilbertson (aka Jenny Brown).

Scenes at a cattle sale in the Shetland Isles.

Footage of the seabirds found in the Shetland Isles. One of a group of films made by Jenny Brown and bought by John Grierson for the GPO Film Library in the 1930s.

A solan goose is caught by a crofter on Shetland, but is returned to the sea after a fortnight. One of a group of films mde by Jenny Brown in 1932 and purchased by John Grierson for the GPO Film Library.

How peat is cut using a "tushkar" and made ready to be used as fuel in a croft in the Shetland Isles.