Stroma had been a thriving community for many years but by the twentieth century the people were forced to leave so that they could survive. Life everywhere was changing as new government acts were being introduced to protect working people; the education act in particular led to the depopulation of the island. Even though the people of Stroma did not depend on the mainland for much, as the years went on they became less self-sufficient and found that life was much easier there.

In a way as life improved everywhere else it became harder for the islanders of Stroma; the education act led to families with teenage children having to leave so they could afford to put their children to high school in Wick. The demise of the industries on Stroma (crofting and fishing) left little work and nothing on the island for the people, they had to leave to find work elsewhere. Many people say that the building of the harbour made it even easier for the islanders to leave, previously the island had not had one and after the work of building it was complete the fishing industry was already ruined.

I will conclude that the island of Stroma like many other island communities of the time was deserted because island life had become too hard. Standards of living were getting better and the island of Stroma could not offer such luxuries itself; the distance between the mainland and Stroma proved too far for people to cope with.