15/06/2026
We’ve enjoyed sharing the images from the Sheila Urquhart Collection, today we’ll share a little about the lady herself.
Sheila Urquhart was a much loved primary school teacher, born in Shetland, whose family later moved to Orkney and then to Portree where her father was Postmaster. They lived above the Post Office (now the Backpackers Hostel). She completed her schooling in Portree before training as a teacher in Edinburgh and Stirling.
Returning to Skye, she married Roddie Urquhart, a joiner, and together they formed Roddie Urquhart’s Scottish Dance Band, performing locally with accordion and piano. They lived at Braeside Cottage in Bernisdale, and Sheila taught Primary One at Portree School.
Keenly interested in photography, she documented local life using her Rolleiflex camera, developing prints at home and later selling them to newspapers. After moving to Inverness, she continued teaching, eventually becoming Deputy Head of Infants at Drakies Primary School.
Music remained a constant throughout her life. In Inverness, Sheila and Roddie established the Glenbern Trio, performing at weddings and dances for many years. In her later years, Sheila expanded her musical talents further by teaching herself not only to play the fiddle but also to make them. She also completed a Higher National Certificate (HNC) in Music at Highland College.
Image of Roddie Urquhart’s Scottish Dance Band
