The message
from Dave Ludlow contains these words:

On Sat, 30 Aug 2003 16:16:30 +0000 (UTC), "Anne Burgess"
wrote:

Not sure what a 'fairley' is - the unusual? unexpected?
A fairley or ferly is a wonder, a strange phenomenon.

I posted a reply to Dave but tried to cancel it when I saw your reply.
Mystery solved, thanks (I hate word mysteries!).

--
Dave

I knew I should have checked my bookshelf!

From John J Graham's 'The Shetland Dictionary' -
fairlie (n) a rare occurrence; a wonder.
"I'm seen fairlies afore i me time, but dis baets aa."

I'm not sure that I agree with those that suggest that the snow reported
in August might have been hail. Hail (virtually non-existent here
during summer) is extremely common in Shetland during the winter half of
the year. So I'm pretty sure that the 'Whalsay Correspondent' would
have been as aware of the physical difference between hail and snow as
we are in this age. You know about hail (in its various forms) in these
northern latitudes - try facing it in gale force winds and it's not easy
to forget!

Thanks to all for the feedback on this!

Dave
Fair Isle