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Single Person record details
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Back
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Person Code
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NA12397
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Forenames
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Edwin Seymour Reid
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Surname
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Tait
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Dates
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1884-1960
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Epithet
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antiquarian
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Activity
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Edwin Seymour Reid Tait was the only son of George Reid Tait, merchant, Lerwick. He entered the draper's trade and took his apprenticeship in Edinburgh. He took over his aunt's business and set up as E.S. Reid Tait and Co. Reid Tait was recognised as the 'greatest living authority on Shetland' on account of the vast Shetland bibliography he compiled which was constructed on a card index system. He edited historical texts on Shetland and also produced numerous pamphlets and books, including 'The Statistical Account of Shetland, 1791-1799' and the five volume 'Hjaltland Miscellany'. Many of these publications were reprints of original documents in his collection. Edwin was a member of the parish church choir and took part in many Gilbert and Sullivan productions. He was associated with the Shetland Literary and Scientific Society and was President of the Shetland Folk Society from 1946 to 1956, as well as editing the society's first two volumes of 'The Folk Book'. He was member and chair of Lerwick Harbour Trust, and Belgian consul for Shetland. During the First World War he served in the navy. He married Jemima Brown, daughter of Tom Brown, fish curer, and together they had a son George and daughter Freyja. He died on 6 November 1960.
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