‘Robbie Tammie’ was first recorded at home in Brough, Whalsay on January 13^th 1974: at that time he was working at Whalsay’s fish factory.  Born in 1919, he began fishing at the age of 14 and later went to South Georgia to work at the whale fishery for a few seasons before joining the merchant navy.   Robbie died in 2006.  He learned several of his fine songs from his two uncles James and Peter Hutchison. They were both able-seamen; Uncle Peter went to sea at the age of 14 and spent three years on his first voyage when his ship was dismasted off Cape Horn. He rounded the Horn many times after that.