Old Photograph Crofters Fair Isle Scotland

Old photograph of Crofters on Fair Isle, Scotland. Before the 19th century, land on Fair Isle was often worked under a system known as runrig, but this was later divided into smaller crofting units. Crofters rented their small plots of land, typically around 12 acres, from a single laird, who held the land's ownership. Crofts were used to raise livestock such as sheep and cattle and grow food, ensuring the crofters' self-sufficiency. The harsh economic realities of island life and poor fishing and crofting seasons led to a significant decline in living standards and emigration in the mid-19th century. This is an island in northern Scotland, lying around halfway between mainland Shetland and the Orkney Islands. It is famous for its bird observatory and a traditional style of knitting.


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