To Orwell Today,

I am a photographer working in Scotland and I have recently been photographing George Orwell's Cottage on the Island of Jura from the air. I attach one of my images as an example.

Might you be interested in seeing and using some of my images? If not could you possibly tell me if there is a George Orwell Society whom I could try?

Thank you so much,
Iain Thornber

Dear Iain,

Wow, that's a beautiful photo of Orwell's house on Jura. Yes, I'd be very interested in seeing your other images and if you don't mind I'll share this first one with ORWELL TODAY readers to give them a taste.

I don't know of the existence of a George Orwell Society but there are many little Orwell grassroots groups of people working on projects dedicated to him who may be interested in seeing your photos as well. Perhaps someone will write into the website and I can forward on your info.

All the best,
Jackie Jura

Dear Jackie,

Thank you for your email. I have no objection to you sharing the image I sent with your readers but please ask them to respect my copyright. I have further images of George Orwell's House available if anyone requires them for publications for which I would charge the standard fee.

Kind regards and best wishes,
Iain Thornber

Greetings again Iain,

Thanks a million for sharing that great photo of Orwell's "Cottage on Jura", otherwise known as "Barnhill", the farmhouse Orwell rented from the laird who lived in the manor house at Ardlussa, nine or so miles south.

Looking at your photo I can almost feel the experience of being in the plane and looking down at Barnhill.

Below is the photo I took of the first view of Barnhill seen from the road during my JOURNEY TO ORWELL'S JURA in August 2004.

And next to that is a photo of my husband at the top of the hill that leads down to Barnhill (taken from about the halfway point so the hill is longer than what's shown). See VISITING ORWELL'S BARNHILL

A photo from the air that I'd love to see (if you snapped one) is of the Corryvrecken Straight between Jura and the island north of it, Scarba, and the little island in between that Orwell scrambled onto after being sucked in and spit out by the Corryvreckan Whirlpool in June 1947. See ORWELL'S CORRYVRECKAN WHIRLPOOL

A previous reader hiked to the top of Jura and took a photo looking down on it from there. See PETER PICS ORWELL'S WHIRLPOOL

I wonder, Orwell being the great reader that he was, if he was familiar with the 1871 poem: THE BALLAD OF CORRYVRECKAN ("...The emerald hills of Jura, Watch o'er the foaming tide, Swirling and eddying eve, Around the ships that ride, Towards the fatal vortex, Vigilant for its prey; Little they heed the sea-god's boast, 'Ye shall not pass this way.'...")

Again, thanks for sharing your Barnhill photo with ORWELL TODAY readers.

All the best,
Jackie Jura