Hetty Munro (1912 - 1989)
Henrietta Elizabeth Munro was born in Thurso on 26th October 1912. She was the eldest
of the family with two brothers, Ian and Alistair. The Munro family had a long connection to Thurso,
Henrietta's father owning Munro's wood yard. It was this connection to wood that lead Alistair to
take a keen interest in wood carving making small figures and various objects.
Hetty served in the ATS (Auxiliary Territorial Service) in various locations including Orkney and
was Montgomery's aide de camp for a time. Extracts from her War Diary can be found in the Caithness
Field Club bulletins of 2005.
She loved music and spoke warmly of singing with the John Lewis' choir whilst she worked for the
company in London. She later returned to Thurso to help care for her mother. Along with her brother
Alistair they opened their antiques shop The Ship's Wheel in 1950. It was located in High Street
before moving to Traill Street, where it remained until Alistair closed the shop after Hetty passed
away in 1989.
Alistair would go south to buy stock and always said "if you can't sell, buy," whilst
Hetty preferred being in the shop and meeting people. They could source a particular piece by
request and were well known near and far. They also owned a store near the riverside where furniture
would be cleaned and restored by various people like Tommy Davidson, Sandy Bannerman and
Henry Henderson.
Alistair was a great dealer and along with Hetty often travelled to Antique Fairs and formed the
Association of Highland Antiques Dealers giving valuation days, like the Antiques Road Show. They
were often asked to give talks. Alistair always having something interesting in his pocket to start
things off. Hetty was once having a lunch party and came home to set the table to find he had sold
the sideboard and the contents were on the floor.
She hated being photographed and wouldn't reveal her age, even to the policeman when they were
stopped in the van. She collected various antiques as well as Caithness books and postcards, the
latter of which was used in the publication Postcards from Caithness.
As well as her interest in antiques she also was a member of the Girl Guiding, The Society of
Caithness Artists, Country dancing, and had a keen interest in folk music and was a great supporter
of the Thurso Folk Festival and Live Music Association, she often put up visiting artistes. Keen
to promote the area she also assisted the Tourist Board.
When the late Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother bought and restored the Castle of Mey in 1952
both Hetty and Alastair were instrumental in finding a lot of the furniture for her. In return they
were granted a Royal Warrant and the Queen Mother always visited the shop and their home when she
holidayed at the Castle of Mey.
They moved from George Street to the house known as "Boorgatoon" in Durness Street which
has a stunning view over the esplanade and Thurso Bay.
As well as her War Diaries Hetty also wrote a number of articles which appeared in the Caithness
Field Club Bulletins and in national some magazines plus some books which included Legends of the
Pentland Firth, More Legends of the Pentland Firth, Shades of the Past, Pictures of Thurso and
District, and They Lived By The Sea, with Ray Compton. Most of her papers were donated to the
Caithness Archive in Wick as she had instructed.
Thurso Heritage Society is indebted to Hetty's family for allowing the use of her collection to
appear on the internet for the first time.
Design and programming by Marc Farr
