But what if it wasn’t??

This is the story of Donald Robertson who died at the age of 63 and was put to rest at Cross Kirk Cemetery in Eshaness on Shetland. So far there is nothing sinister or intriguing about the story.

It was the year 1848, a time for fascinating discoveries in medicine, the Antarctic was explored, Queen Victoria travelled by train. Everything seemed possible.

Well, maybe not just everything.

Eshaness is a beautiful, wild and dangerous peninsula on Shetland Mainland. Powerful storms batter the coasts in autumn, the fields need hard work to yield enough crop. Traditions are strong and manifold, the communities are close and disinclined to change. Not an ideal place to be different in.

Back to Donald Robertson, who became famous for being unfortunate. He died because Laurence Tulloch, a pharmacist in Sullom, gave him Salpeter (used as fertiliser and for making fireworks) instead…