We visited Bryan and Jackie in Orkney in the Summer of 1985. In those days we used to keep a family holiday scrapbook and diary as a way of encouraging our children, Tim and Rachel, to do some writing. Tim was then 12 and Rachel was 10 so they were much closer in age to Magnus and very much younger than Julian who was 19. There are, however, fleeting references to him in our record.

We stayed at Everybust for a few days. We took the ferry from Tingwall (fare 75 p). When we got to Rousay pier, “Bryan was there to steer us onto a white minibus. He went back on Julian’s red motorbike having briefed the driver about where to set us down”.

At one point in our diary we noted that: “Clare and Julian often disappear down to the farm, Langsceill, where during the day Julian helps with the silage.”

These were early days at Everybust. We noted at one point that: “Bryan was poring over the prospectus for a 12V wind generator system which arrived in the post today”. While we were there, Bryan, Jackie slept in the loft with Magnus who, one evening: “…became so aggrieved by an excess of adult conversation that he started showering objects down from the loft”.

The Annual Rousay Horticultural Society Show took place at Sourin while we were staying on the island. Our children and Magnus submitted artworks. “Magnus won lots of prizes, Clare a second prize for her chutney while Tim and Rachel won ‘visiting children’ prizes - not that there were many visiting children.

There was a dance in the evening: “Clare and a few friends went to the dance. It seems that she only came back to collect Julian and never went to bed at all”.  So it is no surprise to read the next day: “Still no sign of Clare who has not slept properly since the dance”.

On another day: “To get home for lunch Bryan and Andrew went on the bike and found Julian and Clare just getting up after a night of watching shooting stars from Jasons tent. That afternoon: “Bryan had a delivery of wood from Kirkwall that was brought from the pier by Alastair. Bryan, Jackie, Julian, Jo and Andrew carried it up to the house”.

So fleeting glimpses of Julian, but we remember him being very friendly and kind to us and our children.