List of Lerwick Up Helly Aa Guizer Jarls

The Lerwick Up Helly Aa is the largest Up Helly Aa fire festival celebrated annually on the last Tuesday in January in Lerwick, the capital of Shetland, Scotland. A Guizer Jarl has featured in each Lerwick Up Helly Aa since the introduction of the position in 1906. The Guizer Jarl is the chief guizer, who (in the modern festival) leads a squad dressed as Vikings who are the primary focus of the festival's proceedings. Only the Jarl's Squad dresses as Vikings; the festival's other squads dress up in other costumes associated with the act they perform throughout the halls opened after the torchlight procession.[1]

It took until after the First World War until a squad of Vikings appeared in the festival every year.[2] As the festival developed, the Guizer Jarl began to portray specific individuals from the sagas, or the history of Shetland. Later again, each Guizer Jarl would select both a name for the galley, which is constructed from October the previous year and burned at the culmination of the torchlight procession, along with a tune played by the Lerwick Brass Band as the Jarl leads his squad up the ranks of guizers just prior to the torchlight procession.

Those wishing to become Guizer Jarl must be elected to the Lerwick Up Helly Aa Committee (elections are held during mass meetings which all squads' members can attend), and then serve the committee for 15 years.[3] Traditionally, women and girls were not permitted in any Lerwick squad, and as such were not able to become Guizer Jarl,[4] however in 2022 the Lerwick Up Helly Aa Committee lifted this restriction for future festivals,[5][6][7] and the first female members in the Lerwick Jarl's Squad featured in 2024.[8] While female guizers are permitted to varying degrees in the other Up Helly Aa festivals in Shetland, only two Up Helly Aas have had female Guizer Jarls: Angela Tait (now Leask), being the first female Jarl at the 1988 Walls Junior Up Helly Aa organised by the Brownies;[9][10] and Lesley Simpson, who became the first adult female Jarl at the 2015 South Mainland Up Helly Aa.[11]

List of Lerwick UHA Guizer Jarls

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Year Guizer Jarl Portraying Galley Name Ranks Tune Reference
1906 J. W. Robertson [12]
1907 H. J. Anderson
1908 W. Sinclair
1909 Jas. Laing
1910 G. T. Anderson
1911 E. S. Reid Tait
1912 E. S. Reid Tait (for H. Kay)
1913 McG. Scott
1914 Laurence Sandison
1915 Not held due to First World War
1916
1917
1918
1919
1920 Bertie Robertson
1921 A. P. Hawick Vikings
1922 George H. Burgess Balder
1923 John Campbell Frey
1924 Charles A. Petrie Heimdall
1925 Laurence Gray Njord
1926 Charles A. Manson Helgeland Vikings
1927 James McIntosh Olaf Tryggveson
1928 Robert A. Johnson Ullr
1929 P. Bruce Laurenson Vikings
1930 P. S. Goodlad Jom Vikings
1931 J. W. Irvine Jorsalafarers
1932 Peter Moar Vikings
1933 A. R. M. Mathewson Frithiof
1934 Tom Henry King Sverre's Birkbeiners
1935 John Gear Vikings
1936 J. W. P. Angus Varanger Guard
1937 Robert Gray Leif Erikson
1938 James Anderson Hjaltlanders
1939 Gilbert Halcrow Erik the Red
1940 Not held due to Second World War
1941
1942
1943
1944
1945
1946
1947
1948
1949 L. L. Johnson Jarl Rognvald Kolson
1950 G. W. Blance Torf-Einarr
1951 J. W. Hunter Sverre
1952 J. P. Smith Jarl Ragnvald Môre
1953 A. B. Williamson Eyskeggs
1954 L. T. Thomason Hakon Hakonsson
1955 J. M. McIntosh Thorfin Karlsefni
1956 J. P. Moar King Harald Harfagr
1957 A. G. Johnston Haakon the Jarl
1958 G. A. W. Manson Jarl Erik Haakonsson
1959 Jack Scott King Magnus Barelegs
1960 William L. Tait Olaf the Saint
1961 James Young Harald Hardrada's Vaerings
1962 G. W. Leask Olaf Kyrre
1963 G. A. B. Paton Sigurd the Crusader
1964 J. G. Hunter King Harald Graafeld Harald Grafel Our Director
1965 Thomas Moncrieff Ottar the Explorer Loki Our Director
1966 Joe S. Hunter Haakon the Good Feeyarsund Belphegor
1967 Douglas C. Smith Erling Skakki Bökesunden Stein Song
1968 Thomas Simpson Halfdan the Black Viggyrdil (war girdle) Scotland the Brave
1969 A. T. H. Tulloch Magnus the Lawmender Lagaböter (lawmender) Wark o' the Weavers
1970 William Peterson Einar Thambarskelver Ormrinn Langi (long serpent) Our Director
1971 Allan Anderson Tore the Hound Ulvin (wolf) Imperial Echoes
1972 John L. Laurenson Bonder Gula Ting Skib Erimus
1973 Robert Geddes Floki of the Ravens Geirhilda Standard of St George
1974 James Kerr Magnus the Good Bison Saints
1975 Maurice Manson Earl Thorfinn the Mighty Bifrost Rasmus
1976 John Johnston Kali Kolsson Fifa (arrow) Under the Double Eagle [13]
1977 George Hunter Sigmund Brestisson of Faroe Skuda Radetsky
1978 Peter Leith Bjorn of Mousa Thora Mangaster Voe
1979 J. J. Nicolson Egil Scallagrimsson Kveldulf (night wolf) Slantigart
1980 D. G. Leslie Jan Bjornejegeren Vår (spring) B/M Burgoyne
1981 Harry Jamieson Thorvald Thoreson Virda Blaze Away
1982 Kenneth Crossan Hakon's Fakkelbaere Ormen (serpent) Gerty Boys
1983 James Burgess Kári Solmundarson Njord (god of wealth, sea & fire) Fraternity
1984 Peter Malcolmson Eirik Bloodaxe Haraldson Bokies Blayden Races
1985 John Ratter Thorvald Inflyterre Laks Aces High
1986 Gordon Stronach Sigurd's Crusaders Nordlys (northern lights) Sigurd's March
1987 Magnus Simpson Ragnar Lodbrok Sungam Brown Girl
1988 Charles Simpson Thorbjorn Clerk Ravnur Holyrood
1989 Willie Black Halfdan of Brouster Jaruin Black Bear
1990 John Mathewson Svein Asleifarson Gareksey Colonel Bogey
1991 Andrew Johnston Thorstein Olafsson Sjøormen Anchors Away
1992 Laurence Moncrieff Magnus Erlendsson Shoormal Valdres March
1993 Ronald Gair Earl Rognvald Brusason Vagsoy Roll Out the Barrel
1994 Charles W. Grant Goturm the Dane Drakker Old Comrades
1995 Peter R. Leask Jon Petersson of Sogn Alasund Vienna Remains Vienna
1996 Jim Coutts Brúsi Sigurdsson Vågar The Happy Wanderer
1997 Willie Smith Sigurd Magnusson Garvor Gammel Jegermarsj
1998 Colin Summers Thorbjorn of Wast Burrafirt Lori Tafgen Jarl Summers Time
1999 Davie Mathewson Sigurd Hlodvisson Ásmundarvag Liberty Bell
2000 Billy Goudie Harald Maddadsson Hvit Lyn British Legion
2001 Michael Groat Gunnar Hamundarson Old Faithful Blaze Away
2002 Bruce Leask Harald Gilli Magnusson Vestmaenir Highland Laddie
2003 Alex Johnson Olaf Sitricson Aaksytrik Wilds o' Yell
2004 Stanley Manson Naddod of Faroe Bergholm Show Business
2005 Peter Fraser Earl Sigurd o' Gord Pete's Dragon Teddy Bears' Picnic
2006 Mark Manson Einar of Gullberuvik Moogi Blues on the March
2007 Graham Nicolson Gunnar Egilsson Jupiter Blaze Away
2008 Roy Leask Kol Kalison Breckon Dambusters March
2009 Stephen Mouat Othere Fra Hålogaland Is Bjørn The Great Escape
2010 Rae Simpson Sigurd "Snake-Eye" Ragnarsson Avie-Jane Killiecrankie
2011 John Hunter Johan Sanderrevet of Valsgärde Jägare The Regiment
2012 David Nicolson Böthvar Egilsson Per Ardua The A-Team
2013 Stephen Grant Gamle Eriksson Krisara On the Quarterdeck
2014 Ivor Cluness Ivar (The Boneless) Ragnarsson Congo Warrior Raiders March
2015 Neil Robertson Olav Harldsson Nils Olav Out of the Blue
2016 Mark Evans Solmund Sigurdsson of Tønsberg Lauren Grace Pride of Princess Street
2017 Lyall Gair Sweyn "Forkbeard" Haraldsson Falcon Gonna Fly Now
2018 Stewart Jamieson Thorvald Thorvaldsson Blaze Away Old Comrades
2019 John Nicolson Thorstein Egilsson Chloe Barbara The Magnificent Seven
2020 Liam Summers Odin - Lord of the Gallows Yggdrasil Erimus [14][15]
2021 Postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic [16]
2022 [17]
2023 Neil Moncrieff Njal Thorgeirsson Petingaer The Middy [18]
2024 Richard Moar Harald Olafsson Ethena
Gerty Boys
[15][19]
2025 Calum Grains
2026 Lynden Nicolson
2027 Ryan Leith
2028 Brydon Wright
2029 Graeme Garrick
2030 Robert Geddes
2031 Ryan Wright
2032 Neil Fraser
2033 Brydon Gray
2034 Gary Smith
2035 James Leask
2036 Jon Pulley
2037 Jordan Hunter
2038 Shane Jamieson
2039 Scot Goudie

References

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  1. ^ Shetland.org - Lerwick UHA.
  2. ^ UHA Programme 2020, p. 9.
  3. ^ Ruck & Hecimovic 2017.
  4. ^ Murrie 2018.
  5. ^ BBC 2022.
  6. ^ Cope 2022.
  7. ^ Nicolson 2022.
  8. ^ Cope 2024.
  9. ^ Robertson 2018, 01:35.
  10. ^ Shetland.org - Walls Jr UHA.
  11. ^ BBC 2015.
  12. ^ UHA Programme 2020, p. 10.
  13. ^ UHA Programme 2020, p. 11.
  14. ^ UHA Programme 2020, p. 13.
  15. ^ a b UHA Programme 2020, p. 5.
  16. ^ BBC 2020.
  17. ^ Shetland News 2021.
  18. ^ Up-Helly-A' Official Programme 2023. Lerwick: The Shetland Times. 2023. pp. 5, 13. ISBN 9781904746539.
  19. ^ UHA Programme 2024, p. 5,13.

Sources

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