NEWSLETTER OFSIBTHE FAMIFOLKLY HISTORY SOCIETY NEWSISSUE 34 JUNE 2005

A quiet pier on the waterfront 2 NEWSLETTER OF THE ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORYSOCIETY Issue No34 June 05

ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORY NEWSLETTR Issue No 34 June 2005 We’ve now reached CONTENTS 800 paid up members FRONT PAGE A Stromness Pier The Society is looking very healthy now with over 800 paid up members , which is very encouraging PAGE 2 for the committee and volunteers. I am pleased to From the Chair. see more local people starting to use the office , PAGE 3 hopefully with our advertisement and leaflets being distributed the Just a minute word is spreading where to find us.

PAGE 4 & 5 Those of you who have logged on to our web-site lately will see that The two there is a lot more information available for you. If you haven’t Sergeant Stoves logged on yet please do at www.orkneyfhs.co.uk, thanks to David PAGE 6 & 7 Higgins’ design it is very user friendly. The Shearers of We have finally finished transcribing the deaths off the Old Parish . Help a Moodie Records on to computer, many thanks to Ian and Betty Cameron for ploughing through the one. I don’t envy them that task, I PAGE 8, 9 and 10 had enough trouble with the ones I did. Vedder Part 4 Its good to hear from all our members who are planning a visit to

PAGE 11 Orkney this year and we are hoping to have some information for Ernie all at sea you when you arrive. Anyone who is planning a holiday in Orkney is

PAGE 12-14 very welcome to visit us in our office, upstairs in the Orkney Library General Custer & Archive. and the Orkney Our last two monthly meetings were very interesting with “The connection Orkney Lad” film being shown in March about a girl from PAGE 15 & 16 The will of John who signed up for the Hudson’s Bay Co. dressed as a boy. In April we Wallace had an open night at the Archive , with a very interesting display of PAGE 17 photos, maps, school registers etc. just a very small sample of the Help another records they have stored there. I am sure they will get a few extra Moodie visits from the members who were lucky enough to be there. PAGE18 & 19 Anne , Chairman. Hazards of Climbing a FamilyTree PAGE 20 ‘Well I never knew that’ Robbie in the And we’ll never know what it was that sharn caught Elsie’s eye when our April open PAGE 21 meeting visited the archive.We are for- An Orkney tunate to have such a facility with Wedding unrestricted access to the records of the PAGE 22 local authority; the sheriff and the justice Malcomson of the peace courts; custom and excise; claptrap presbytery and kirk session. You can also access the family and estate PAGE 23 papers of local businesses and prominent Now that’s Orcadians; see census schedules; view Strange local newspapers on microfilm; see thousands of photographs or listen to PAGE 24 items from our oral history archive Membership We are grateful to the archive staff for the trouble they took in providing so many interesting items for our visit. ■ Issue No34 June 05 NEWSLETTER OF THE ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORYSOCIETY 3

introduce the film which he had arranged to Just a Minute have sent over by Phil Astley. Alan then explained how he remembered Minutes of the Orkney Family History when the film was made in Orkney and how Society Open Meeting held on Thursday he was disappointed that they hadn’t filmed 10th March 2005 in the Supper Room, the house in Orphir where Isabella Gunn had lived with her family. He also showed Kirkwall & Town Hall the book which had been written about her Chairman Anne Rendall welcomed story and said the film was slightly different everyone to the meeting and congratulated but he thought that probably the film was the people who made the journey from the most accurate as the film makers had outside Kirkwall on such a stormy night. used the records held at the Hudson’s Bay Apologies were received from Gillian Co. The film starts with Isabella’ s brother If you are a young lady Mooney and Helen Manson. arriving home injured from the HBC. with an urge to tell the Anne made a plea for anyone interested in Isabella then decides to go to Stromness, future a visit to the being on call for office duty especially to dressed as a man, and signs on with the Orkney island of Stronsay could well cover holiday periods. HBC under the name Foubister. She stayed provide the answer. On Future open meetings were confirmed for and worked for the Company until she gave Stronsay you will find April 14th in the Kirkwall Library & Archive birth to a boy. The film assumed that the many magnificent where it was planned to have an open night father was probably her immediate boss beaches and the one in the Family History Office and the John Scarth. After the baby was born she that faces Mill Bay is Archives will put on a display that they stayed for a time working in the Fort but particularly beautiful. At thought would interest our members. eventually came home and she is found in its centre is the The AGM was set for May 12th in the the 1821 Stromness census living with her ‘Maidens Chair’ and it is Supper Room, Kirkwall Town Hall & the son John Scarth. said that the girl who speaker is to be Sarah Jane Grieve. Anne thanked Alan for arranging for us to sits in the ‘chair’ will be granted the ability to Our annual trip in June is booked for see the film. The evening ended with foretell the future. Sunday the 26th June for . everyone having a cup of tea served by Mags As with all these tales, Anne then asked Alan Clouston to and Annie.  somewhere along the line there is a witch. Minutes of Open meeting held on Thursday hotels and B&B s in their area. Anne also True to form Stronsay had a witch too; Scota 14th April at 7.30 pm in the MacGillivray asked for articles for the magazine . George Gray then read out a list of queries Bess, a storm witch no less, who used the chair Room at the Orkney Library & Archive he had received by e-mail and letter asking Chairman Anne Rendall opened the meeting as her throne and there for help in tracing families. she sat, casting spells and welcomed everyone. The staff in the Archives had also arranged Apologies were received from Ian & Betty and dreaming up all for the The MacGillvary room to be lined sorts of devilment. Cameron, Frank Eunson, Olaf & Gillian with photographs from the Park At that time Stronsay Mooney and Mrs Mahoney. collection and the Archivists had a very had a large fishing Anne announced that the June trip to Eday interesting display of books, photographs, population and Scota’s has been arranged for June 26th . The boat maps and scrap books which was of great tricks were playing fare would be £12 or £6 concession. Lunch of interest to the OFHS members.Tea was havoc with the catches. soup, sandwich and tea would be in the served during the evening by volunteers and Negotiations, if any, failed and and without School at £4 per head. The cost of the the meeting ended all too soon.  Transport on the island is to be advised. Sui further ado Scota was Generis admission charge is £2.50. However, beaten to death and we are not able to contact Mrs Joy about buried. But Scota would not stay in the ground. seeing Carrick house until the end of May. Life on Time and time again she The list for names of people wanting to go on was interred and next the trip along with a map of Eday was at the morning there she was back of the room. SOCIAL HISTORY RECORD again disinterred. In the Anne also announced the timings for the c 1851 to the present day end burial was evening saying that tea would be available abandoned and they I am trying to build up a picture of the lives from 8.45 and if possible for people to be out chucked her body into of the people who lived on Swona, last of the Library by 9.30 the Meikle Water. inhabited in1974, and I hope to involve as Anne also mentioned that the OFHS advert This did the trick; well many people as possible. that was now in the Islander and said the hopefully, because one The family names I believe to be of these days she might committee was very pleased with it .It is associated with the island are: Budge, just pop out of the quite colourful and hopefully would catch Gunn, Norquoy, Rosie, Sabiston and faucet, for Meikle Water the eye. She also thanked John Sinclair for Cromarty. is the main source of designing the advert and the OFHS leaflets I would be grateful for any information . fresh water on Stronsay. that we have had printed They have now Eva S Donald, 9 Glenhome Walk, Dyce arrived and ready for distribution. Anne Aberdeen AB21 7FJ Tel.01224 723440 asked for members to distribute them to 4 NEWSLETTER OF THE ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORYSOCIETY Issue No34 June05

“Hi - I am a great- great-great- grand-daughter of The Sergeant: the Part one—The Sergeant Robert Stove and his son. By Judy Stove second Sergeant’s “Stove” is a local name found in the Robert was tall, at five feet ten inches, son, also Robert Orkney and islands, from the Old with black hair, brown eyes, and a fair Stove (1889- Norse word ‘stofa’, meaning a room or house. complexion (although by the end of his army 1971), was my It is therefore reasonable to suppose that the career, which took him to Spain and grand-father, and his son David ancestors of James Portugal, his com- Stove (1927- Stove (married 1758), plexion is described as 1994), the the earliest known of dark). Robert worked Australian philo- my line, came from at whatever job sopher, was my Scandinavia to Orkney presented itself, des- father. (or possibly Shetland) cribing himself as Having studied during the period of “labourer” on his enlist- Latin and classic- Norse influence. ment. He probably al Greek, I have , that part worked as a weaver worked as a of eastern Mainland also. teacher, defence analyst, and - where James was In 1793, Robert most recently - as married and his des- joined the Orkney and a full-time mum, cendants farmed for Shetland Fencibles, part-time school the next two centuries, under the command of assistant, and was certainly well on Major Thomas Balfour. occasional writer. the Viking map.In With France in turmoil, I have been res- chapter 20 of the the British Govern- earching my fam- twelfth-century Ork- ment was taking steps ily history for neyinga Saga, we are to improve security, about five years. I told that Earl Thorfinn and to this end the am always de- lighted to make cast anchor off Deer- Fencible units (a kind contact with dist- ness to await his enemy of home guard on a war ant relatives and King Karl: battle footing) were formed. new friends.My ensued, east of From 1795 until 1802, Orkney surname Deerness. The King he belonged to the interests include: was roundly beaten, North Lowland Fen- STOVE, and retreated south to Robert Stove 1832 - 1918 and his second wife cibles. 1802 saw the Ann Bichan. Photograph taken about 1900 SINCLAIR, the Moray .In Peace of Amiens sign- FOUBISTER, chapter 92, Anakol, the foster father and ed, and many sodiers, including Robert, were PETRIE, counselor of Earl Erlend, ‘was at Deerness’ released, but the illusory peace did not last. HOURIE, HALCRO, when Svein and his men app-roached from Robert then served in the 36th Regiment LEASK. My with a view to arranging a truce of foot, otherwise known as the Wor- postal address is: with the Earl. cestershire Regiment, from 26 February PO Box 14, It was off Deerness that a shipload of 1806 to his discharge on 14 March 1817. Mulgoa NSW covenanters, destined for slavery in the New The 36th served in South America in 2745, Australia. World, was wrecked in 1697 (Scott’s novel 1807, and Portugal in 1808, “where Sir Email: The Pirate (1821) indicates that shipwreck - Arthur Wellesley [the future Duke of sgwilsonact@hot and the illegal looting of wrecks - was a Wellington] described it as ‘an example to mail.com feature of Orkney and Shetland life.) the whole Army’”. It served with Sir John I visited Orkney Deerness’s age of adventure, however, was Moore in the retreat to and evacuation from with my family in the 1970s, and am past by the time James Stove and Christian Corunna, then at Walcheren. The 36th looking forward (or Catherine) Leask were married in 1758. rejoined the Peninsular Army in 1811, and to returning one Their children were James, christened in fought in Wellington’s great eastward sweep day. 1759 Robert, christened in 1769, Margaret, back into Napoleon’s France, from christened in 1771, and John christened in Salamanca, through the Pyrenees, the 1775. Nivelle and Nive,  Issue No34 June 05 NEWSLETTER OF THE ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORYSOCIETY 5 at Orthes, and at Toulouse. Sergeant, thus, had an heir, and farming A family tradition, known to my father, continued at Little Millhouse. said that Robert was killed at Waterloo. On census day in 1851, the old Sergeant, This was quite incorrect: he lived until 1858, “Chelsea Pensioner”, and Isabella were at dying at home at Little Millhouse. But did Little Millhouse alone. It is possibly their he even fight at Waterloo? The 36th does eighteen-year-old son Robert who is shown not appear to have been in the British order as “Servant” at the farm Barns of Ayre, of battle at Waterloo. Evidence suggests farmed by William Tulloch and his family. that it arrived at Ostend after the battle, in His future wife, Margaret Foubister, aged 15, July 1815, and accompanied the victorious was still with her parents at New Grindigar. army to Paris, but was not actually involved In 1858 the Sergeant, aged 89, died, while in the battle. his widow Isabella survived to appear in the Possibly the suggestion that Robert was at 1871 census. She died in 1873, at the age of Waterloo arose from a confusion with 80, at home. In both the 1861 and 1871 another soldier from Deerness, Lieutenant censuses, Isabella had occupied a separate James Tait of South Windbrake, who, house at Little Millhouse. according to a recent writer, was the man to The Sergeant’s son Robert took steps to whom Napoleon surrendered after the add to the income generated by the farm: he battle, and to whom the Corsican gave his opened a small shop there , and in the 1861 greatcoat. census he described himself as “Drainer”. A “On parting,Napoleon gave his greatcoat number of neighbouring farmers did the to Tait, who brought it back to Deerness, same; presumably the term referred to where it was a ten-day wonder. reclamation of previously unusable land for Unfortunately, with time its origin was farming. In addition, on the birth forgotten, somebody borrowed it on a cold registration of his son Robert in 1859, he Two up and winter’s day, and it was never seen again.” described himself as “Fisherman and one down The 1841 census shows James Tait, his labourer” . An Orkney farmer of the time wife Hannah, and their daughters farming did whatever he could to earn extra income. There’s a sinister relic at South Windbrake: the old soldiers and Robert and Margaret, who married some which can be found in sailors of Deerness must have enjoyed many time between 1851 and 1855, had two sons, the south triforium of a chat, over a dram, together. In addition to David, born in 1856, and Robert, born in the nave in St Magnus Tait and the Sergeant, there was Magnus 1859. Margaret died of typhus , aged about Cathedral. Tait from Ploverhall, aged 70, “Navy 30, in 1872, and the widowed Robert It’s a double ladder pensioner”. married a second wife,Ann Bichan, in 1874. which was used at the The Sergeant’s discharge proforma leaves In 1877, young David and Robert Stove hangings at Gallow Hill, a space for the reason for discharge, and made the decision to leave Deerness and Kirkwall. after the words “in consequence of” Captain settle in New Zealand. The young men The rungs on one side R. Cross, in command of Robert’s company, farmed north of Christchurch, and according of the ladder are twice and acting Colonel, has written in “being to one family report, loved the new life. as worn as the ones on worn out” before the printing commences Meanwhile, half-brothers and sisters were the other side. again with “is rendered unfit for further born at Little Millhouse. The farm had Well they would be, Service.” The same Commander added “and about 21 acres attached, in the early to mid- wouldn’t they. One side I recommend his very long Services and nineteenth century. In the twentieth was one way only. faithful Conduct for the most favourable century, Robert and Ann’s son William Gallow Hill is now Consideration.”From a Commander who farmed there, then his son Jimmie Stove known as the Clay Loan knew him, this is sound evidence of the bought a couple of small crofts, increasing and the site where the esteem in which the Sergeant was held. the acreage to about fifty.William and hangings took place It is not clear when the house which Jimmie will be known to many readers. is a flower bed. became known as “The Sergeant’s”, or “Little Little Millhouse, still known as The Millhouse”, was built. A census for 1821 Sergeant’s, stands today, but since Jimmie exists for Deerness, but the information on Stove’s death in 1996 has had no Stove farm names is incomplete, and may be living there. Jimmie is buried in St Ninian’s incorrect. Little Millhouse does not appear churchyard, Deerness: “a much loved brother in it, either because it had not yet been built, and uncle”, says his headstone.  or because the data is limited. Perhaps the house was built for the In our next newsletter Judy tells of the Sergeant’s marriage. Isabella Matches, the second Robert Stove, also a sergeant daughter of William Matches, a labourer, and Jean or Jane Stove, was born in 1794; but not in the army. she was therefore twenty-five years younger Robert Stove became a senior ser- than her husband. Their marriage does not geant in the police force in Australia appear in the records, but probably took where he had an illustrious career place in about 1830. A son, called like his that spanned 37 years. father Robert, was born in 1832. The 6 NEWSLETTER OF THE ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORYSOCIETY Issue No34 June 05

Did you know? During the Napoleonic By John P Shearer. Member No 1118 Wars shipping bound for the Scandinavian and ike many others I came to Family Tree I realised that I would face some Baltic ports avoided the Research later than I would have disadvantages in doing more than simply dangers of the English Lwished, but unlike most I started with adding some more “Signposts in Cyberspace” Channel by making their my Mother’s Tree – for the simple reason since my immediate Shearer Ancestors had way round Orkney. that a cousin of hers, who had already either been Overseas or “Doon Sooth” for This route too came extensively researched their Lanarkshire & several decades, losing some of the under threat from both Perthshire Willison ancestors, was looking immediacy of family Folklore. My Stronsay French and US privateers for someone to publicise his researches on Grandfather, Professor Ernest Shearer, had when America declared war on Britain in 1812. the Internet. To my dismay another cousin been one of many Orcadians keen to travel – The Admiralty, seeking a had put my name forward! Initially reluctant firstly to India in the early 1900’s and later safe haven for shipping I fortunately soon discovered that it was not to Egypt (where my father Harold was born, using this route, selected necessary to have either a Family Tree Soft- in Cairo in 1915). To complicate matters Longhope Sound at the ware programme or Website Publishing further my father, after graduating at south end of . Skills, as this task could be easily acc- Edinburgh University, joined the Colonial This was originally omplished through www.genesreunited.co.uk Service pre WW2 - so I and my older Sister protected by a battery of which at that time was still in its infancy.It & Brother were born in Lesotho, later 24 pounder guns but in was certainly an instructive process, as I moving to Kenya, before my family 1814 defence was learned for the first time that some of the “returned” to Orkney in 1962. However I was increased by the building of twin Martello towers; oldest Willisons proved to have been keen to make this Shearer Tree more widely one at Hackness and the Covenanters in the 1600s, however once I available, so I set to, verifying the details as other at Crockness, to had completed this project I imagined that far as possible through the Orkney Archive, protect the harbour. would be it – but for three things … and then adding them to my Online “Genes The towers were self Firstly I discovered that I had created a Reunited” Tree. Shortly after beginning this contained with their own “Signpost” in cyberspace! Gradually other process I received an e-mail from a lady in water supply, living GenesReunited members began to e-mail me Johannesburg, who after further detailed quarters, storerooms and to ascertain whether a name in my tree checks, proved to be a previously unknown magazine.They are might be a possible match to an equivalent distant Stronsay Shearer cousin via family slighty elliptical in shape name in theirs, of similar dates or localities – in the Liverpool area for a while. Since then although the interior floors are round. This is leading in due course to my first definite further e-mail enquiries in response to my the result of the seaward match! Secondly, soon after that, distant “Genesreunited Online Family Tree” have wall being twice the cousin Stewart Shearer phoned unexpectedly drawn more blanks than successes (apart thickness of the one afternoon to say that some Stronsay from a striking success recently, which landward side. Access is Shearer descendants from Buckinghamshire revealed several generations of Eday Leslies on the landward side, had dropped in on him, and were very keen —by original Shearer marriage). Sig- 4 m above ground level, to visit my Mother and me as they were nificantly, however, the unproven Orkney and was reached using evidently more closely related to my Late Shearer queries/matches, from other Orkney a portable ladder. Father’s Stronsay Shearers than his own. A Parishes such as & Holm, seem to In 1866 renovations were delightful 2 hour visit ensued, during which suggest that there may have been 2 or more carried out and 68 pounder canons were it transpired that one of this party had cor- unique Orkney Shearer lines. installed as a safeguard responded a while back with my Father, The original Stronsay Shearer in Pat’s against Irish- American Harold Shearer, about their mutual ancestry Researches was Peter Shearer, b Stronsay privateers but this threat before he died in 1991. Thirdly, when 1766 – who married a Margaret Laughton, never materialised. thanking Stewart for passing these visitors and had 3 known sons…. Peter (b1784 m Despite all the precaut- on to us he offered to loan me our mutual Helen Tulloch on 22 Apr 1817, with 7 known ions the guns never fired large Stronsay Shearer Family Tree res- children born in Stronsay) …. John (c1787 in anger and were ob- earched, in pre Internet days, by his older m Jean Cormack, went to Eday, with 8 solete before WW1. The brother—the Late Peter Sinclair “Pat” known children there) …. and George (bapt Hackness (south tower) Shearer—I accepted his kind offer, this time 24 Oct 1797 m Helen Miller, with 5 known is open to the public with much more enthusiasm! children born in Stronsay ).  Issue No34 June 05 NEWSLETTER OF THE ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORYSOCIETY 7

Through both my own researches at the to any of the other 11 Shearer (or variant WEEL BEUY Kirkwall Archive and thanks to cross- Sherar/Sherer etc spellings) previously THIS IS GAN checked respondents from the Genes tested, which wasn’t that surprising since I TO BE AN AAFIL Reunited Website I currently have extended understood that most of these were in the TRACHLE my Tree to 137 individuals born as Shearer, United States. However I very recently dis- a fair number of whom including me were covered that in fact one of these 11 is an NZ born “Sooth” or Abroad – but almost all are Shearer with a well-documented Parental descended from the Stronsay 1766 Peter Shearer lineage from Canisbay, . Shearer (the rest are Shearers who married Closer comparison of our respective “12 his descendants). Overall there were 3075 Marker” DNA results showed that only 1 of Shearers as at Feb 2005 in the Genes these 12 match each other! So DNA testing Reunited Site, some of which I know from does indeed seem thus far to have proved experience are duplicate entries to mine, but that there must have been at least 2 un- there are also at least 90 other Orkney related Shearer Lines in Orkney, Caithness, Shearers so far who are unconnected with & Shetland. I am now very hopeful that some In June of 1806 a 26 year my Tree. The majority of Shearer entries in other male Shearers of Orkney origin, not old man John Fubbister this Website are either from elsewhere in thought to be connected to the Stronsay from the Parish of St Shearers, may also be willing to participate Andrews in Orkney sign- the UK or from the former “Dominions/ ed on to work for the Colonies”, this being a UK Based Site.In in DNA testing (at a cost of US$ 99) to Hudson Bay Company. Feb 2005 I searched the Site for Shearers establish whether or not these separate It was not only young born in Orkney, and likely Orkney Parishes branches are indeed genetically linked, albeit males who sought for Shearer families, and the highest probably before the 1700s! Currently I am adventure in Canada as awaiting the results of an additional test of became evident to Alex- categories were Stronsay (68 entries); ander Henry a fur trader Orkney generally – ie parish not shown (38 my DNA sample to establish which and head of the Com- entries); Shapinsay (31 entries); Kirkwall “Haplogroup” my DNA is compatible with. As pany’s Pembina Post. & St Ola (19 entries), and Eday (11 entries). I understand it this is the test that should One evening there was a indicate whether my older Shearer ancestors knocking at his cabin Recently I also chanced upon the website door and someone www.familytreedna.com, which includes an were likely to have been Norse, Pict or Scot begging for assistance. active “Shearer Family DNA Project”. I in origin.Since its inception there has been He opened the door and couldn’t resist taking part, and ordered a sur-prisingly little in the Orkney Family admitted a distressed Cheek-Scrape Kit, which I duly returned to History Newsletter about the Orkney John Fubbister who was Shearers.I hope that this submission will soon stretched out on the the Test Laboratories at the University of hearth begging for help. Arizona. After an impatient 2 month wait help to stimulate further discussion & Henry soon discovered my DNA test result was duly e-mailed to me articles about the Orkney (& Caith- that Fubbister was not the – only to confirm to a very high level of ness/Shetland) Shearers! John P Shearer, Orkney lad but was in e-mail: [email protected]  fact a heavily pregnant certainty that “My Shearers” are not related Orkney girl called Isobel Gunn who soon gave birth to a son. It transpired that back in Moodies looking for Moodies Orkney Isobel had an affair with John Scarth ollowing up Alastair Moodies enquiry baptism record of his great great from Firth. Scarth signed about the Moodies of Sanday we now grandfather,John Moodie, the son of John on for the Hudson Bay have a picture of his grandfather David Moodie and Barbara Miller, back to the Company at their offices F in Stromness and Isobel Garrioch Moodie in his capacity of Baillie of Cross Parish Sanday 26.8.1792. John not wanting to be left Glasgow in charge of high- married Janet Milne and behind signed on too. ways. He was responsible for had 8 children including Isobel was the first Eur- the building of the King Alastair’s great grand- opean woman in Canada and the first to give birth George V Bridge in the city father,Peter who was born to a white child in North and is seen here at the in Cross Parish 18.8.1827. Dakota. official opening with the Peter married Barbara She remained for 3 years King and Queen Mary. Garrioch in the Free working as a nurse and David married Janet Gray Church Schoolhouse, Lady washerwoman. In 1809 returned to Orkney with on the 24th May 1890 and Parish and they had 8 her son where she is they had 7 children. children including grand- believed to have died a His grandsons, Alastair father David Garrioch, the pauper in Stromness and Peter, will be visiting subject of the photo- aged 80. The son returned to Orkney in June and hope to grap.The Moodie brothers Canada in his teens but be at our offices on the 9th. are keen to find out more drowned in the Red River They will follow this up with about the Moodies of near his birthplace. visits to Sanday and Orkney and of the siblings There is no record as to Melsetter House where they of the two Johns. If you what happened to John Scarth. . . but some hope to learn more about have any information you reader may tell us their forebears. can e-mail to: otherwise. Alastair has traced the [email protected]  8 NEWSLETTER OF THE ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORYSOCIETY Issue No34 June 05 The Smiths, The Foubisters, John Chalmers, The Turfus family; what fine neighbours and friends we had at Vedder By Isabella Tomlinson Muir

he Smith’s of Cockleha’ were our border, and here again honeysuckle ran riot nearest neighbours, and they were very right over the ‘fealy’ dyke and into the ditch Tnear too, only a few yards and across that divided our lands. Many a posy of the ‘brig’ at the corner of the the garden of honeysuckle I have gathered there, and Cockleha’. many a posy of flowers Jeannie gave out of It is of Jeannie and her garden that I wish her garden. I have only mentioned a few of in particular to write about. Not many the flowers I liked best, but Jeannie was people in the country cultivated flowers to always getting plants from the south and the extent that Jeannie did. Each house had also raised them in a cold frame. a kale yard where the early potatoes, In the wintertime she had her flowers as cabbages and vegetables and a few flowers well, snowdrops and crocuses, and a large were grown, but Jeannie’s garden was a bush of Christmas roses. the middle of the delight to the eye. It was a very large garden garden was devoted entirely to vegetables; bounded on two sides by a stone and earth potatoes, carrots, leeks, with strawberries dyke (a ‘fealy dyke’ it was called), on another and gooseberries along the side. Against the side by a stone built dyke, and the back of south wall, willow trees grew, and James the house of Cockleha’ nestled into the east Smith made baskets from the willows in the side of the garden. winter time, beautiful baskets of all shapes Coming in at the little gate, there was an and sizes.He also made little wooden models outer yard with a ‘ducky house’ in the corner of full-rigged ships, and several of these and a stack of hay in the centre. The gable of adorned the ‘ben’ room. James Smith was a the ‘ben end’ was covered with honeysuckle fine looking man. I can only remember him and when you went in by the little gate as an old man, of course, but with his white leading to the garden there was more and hair and whiskers, fresh complexion, more honeysuckle inter-spersed with bushes aquiline nose and benign blue eyes, he of fuschia and purple veronica. At the ‘ben’ looked like a patriarch. Jeannie was very window some ivy and cotoneaster grew, but like her father in feature. most of the back wall of the house was Many years before I was born James covered with honeysuckle. The path along Smith experienced a terrible blow in the Part 4 of Isabella the back of the house was of little stones death of two of his brothers on the ill-fated ‘Flowery Land’. Tomlinsons remin- from the Ayre. There was a broad border of His brother John was Captain of the iscences which she flowers running along this path: London Pride and Dusty Millers with daffodils, vessel. completed in 1942. tulips and narcissi in their seasons. Along The chronometer of the ‘Flowery Land’ in which she tells of the north dyke there were black currant stood on top of a chest of drawers in the ‘Ben her happy years at bushes and rose trees, and although there Room of Cockleha’—a very wonderful thing the farm of Vedder were several other roses of different shades, to my childish eyes. in . it was the homely white cottage rose that I am sure the Smiths must have been Here Isabella writes grew in abundance. And there was a sweet- tormented with us when we were of her neighbours,; briar whose perfume filled the air on a dewy young–although I never knew them to say names and families summer evening. so.Jeannie was guide, philosopher and which will no doubt Under the trees grew lily of the valley and friend to each of us in turn, and many were her deeds of kindness to us, and her advice be familiar to many forget-me-nots in sweet profusion, and always sound. of our readers. cheeky-faced pansies and velvety violas. Along this path ran a border of deep red Then there was Miss Smith as we called If you can add double daisies. The paths on the north and Jeannie’s younger sister, Mary. She taught in anything to west sides were grassy and in the corner Deerness, and came home at he week ends, Isabella’s story we grew lumps of honesty which Jeannie dried walking the eight miles on the Friday will be delighted to and pressed for winter decoration in the evening after school and returning again on hear from you. house.Polyanthus grew along the west the Sunday evening.  Issue No34 June 05 NEWSLETTER OF THE ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORYSOCIETY 9

chief engineer and away fairly long voyages, She was a handsome woman and a very she made her home at Swarsquoy after she fine woman too, but we never dreamed of married, and went to Antwerp to meet him taking the liberties with her that we took each time his ship came there.Swarsquoy with Jeannie.I often wondered why mother, was a cheery house to visit, and Lily had a who was some years older, always called her sense of humour that never failed to Miss Smith too. It was, of course, because entertain us. In later years, when one of the she had taught in the Tankerness School Oddie girls was at home,I went a great deal before she went to college, and because it to Swarsquoy and became very fond of Mrs would not have done for us children to call Oddie, who was a very fine looking woman her by her Christian name when she was a and, more than that, a very discreet woman. teacher. But I believe it was really Hannah Her husband. James Oddie, may have been of Cringlefield who made mother so impatient with other people, but I never saw particular about the Miss. him anything but kindly and considerate to Hannah Foubister was a first cousin to the his wife. Jimmy Oddie, the elder son, worked E Smiths of Cockleha’: and an excellent at home, but was also a stone mason and in woman in every way. She lived an exemplary great demand as such owing to his quick and life and was liked and respected by all in the good workmanship. neighbourhood. One day, Hannah called The folks of Swarsquoy and the folks of along Vedder on her way from Cockleha’ and Vedder visited each other frequently. mother asked her if Marick was at home. (Mother affectionately called Jeannie The Turfus family Faster than a ‘Jeanick’ and apparently she called Mary Then there was the Turfus family of speeding ‘Marick’ in the same way.) Well before Wethick. Mrs Turfus, senior, was a stout, bullet.....it’s replying to mother’s question, Hannah ruddy faced woman who did a great deal of EXCISEMAN smoothed her skirt with her hand and said entertaining of both town and country quietly “Is that Miss Smith you mean?” people, and her ‘Muckle Suppers’ were noted Ian Cameron was Instead of being snubbed as she was meant for their liveliness and fun. Her son James to be, Mother saw the funny side of it, but was a frequent visitor at Vedder. In the intrigued by two controlling her laughter, she replied “Yes, it winter time when he visited us, he and entries he found while was Miss Smith I meant.” But ever after father used to play draughts (or checkers as researching material in that Mother never failed to call her Miss the game is called in Orkney) all evening the 1871 censuses for Smith both behind her back and to her face. with scarcely a word. Then when supper was the islands of Sanday I can close my eyes and see Cockleha’ still, on the table, the checkers were put away and . and Mr and Mr Smith—James Smith with and he and father were ready to discuss 3rd April 1871 his fine, unlined face, and Mrs Smith crops, cattle and markets. Sanday Census (mother called her Marget) whose face was James Turfus was a quiet man, and very rather creased and wrinkled, but whose obliging to his neighbours. He would come Robert Rae, Lodger, brown eyes had still a sparkle in them and either day or night when anything was South Myre, u/m, whose smile was always kind. Dear folks, wrong with our cattle and he had very good occupation Inland good neighbours, the salt of the earth. I do skill. His brother Richard, or Ritchie as he Revenue, Excise not think of Cockleha’ as it is today—lonely was called, was a bit of a wag. He was a Branch., Born Airth, and empty, with Jeannie’s garden over-run batchelor and he and Jimmie Oddie were Stirlingshire. and neglected. No, no, Cockleha’ as it was popular at dances and the like.Ritchie had a 3rd April 1871 with its honeysuckle and its atmosphere of soft, tuneless voice and his masterpiece as a warm friendship; the Cockleha’ without solo was the ‘Campden Races’. He took Westray Census which even Vedder would seem incomplete. liberties with the key whenever he sang, but Robert Rae, Lodger, I’m sure he never knew he did so. He played visitor in the Inn Our other neighbours the fiddle too, tunelessly as he sang, and yet Westray, u/m, There were other neighbours besides the with a rhythm easy to dance to. occupation Inland Smiths—good neighbours too.I cannot speak Maggie Jane Turfus married George Scott of Revenue, Excise of them all, but I want to mention a few of Netherhill when I was at school and I was at Branch., Born Airth, them. her wedding. It was held in the large barn of Stirlingshire. The Oddies of Swarsquoy were nearest on Wethick and there was the usual fiddling the west side. Our land dipped down to the and dancing, with an occasional solo, and of ‘Now that’s what you burn, and we had to cross it to go to course food galore. There was always an call a fast inter-island abundance of food at an Orkney wedding. service’ says Ian ‘Has Swarsquoy, which we very often did. Loganair been around There were seven Oddies, and Anna, the longer than we think? youngest one was ages with my sister, The Foubisters of Brigafea Maggie, so that I had playmates in that The Foubisters of Brigafea were all older family. The Oddies were a handsome family, than I too, although Aggie, the youngest, was and had style and carriage that no one still at school when I first went. I do not re- would have termed ‘countryfied’.Lily was at member much about them except Aggie, for home a good deal. As her husband was a they all went south as they grew up.  10 NEWSLETTER OF THE ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORYSOCIETY Issue No34 June 05

Ina Foubister came home to be married pails, basins, mugs or ‘tinnies’ of all sizes. while I was at school and I was at her And very good articles they were too. wedding too. There were five Foubister girls, Then there were rag gatherers and china all striking looking girls. There was not what hawkers.One Joseph Cruise, came regularly the Americans call a ‘homely’ girl in the with a ‘dishy cairt’ when I was young, whole district. collecting rags, horse hair and rabbit skins, Burnside and in return gave dishes. Then there was Mrs Lovell, a little There was no family at Burnside.John Cockney woman, who travelled the country Chalmers was a great friend of my father’s, with a pack of soft goods for many years. and a frequent visitor at Vedder. He was a There were many others who travelled the dapper little man, fond of fun and very country from time to time, but one I Skatehorn inoffensive. Often when he visited us he remember in my early youth was Willie would sing a little song and dance a few steps or to give him his Loughton or ‘Skatehorn’. He was a big gaunt before leaving. looking man, always with stubble on his correct name William The Smiths of Smiddyquoy Loughton was born in chin. He sold needles and begged food and Kirkwall in 1840. His James Smith of Smiddyquoy visited us of a clothes, and slept in outhouses and barns. parents were itinerant winter evening and played checkers too.Mrs There were fish hawkers too, who came pedlars from Smith paid us regular visits. round with a cart that had a little red flag Aberdeenshire but their After I left school I used to help Mrs Smith flying from it. Matthew Fox and his wife son was an Orcadian. on their peat cutting day, going to the hills in came around with fish for many years. He was what would be the cart with James Smith or Hughie with There must have been a big profit on tea termed a ‘dropout’ and hot food for the workers.I helped her too for numerous ‘tea men’ went the rounds.A a layabout living on his when the steam mill came to Smiddyquoy, man, John Simpson by name, commonly wits and what he could and baked pancakes, helped to set the tables called ‘Shetland John’ came occasionally.He earn going round the and wash up afterwards.James Smith was a was very religious and fond of making long doors in Orkney. rosy cheeked man with a kindly smile.I think prayers. Ritchie Caithness, a cheery faced, Work did not fit into perhaps Mrs Smith was the ruling factor in and somewhat cheeky old man came round William’s agenda the house, but she was a woman of sound with tea for several years.He always had a although he was common sense and spoke her mind without little joke to tell. Pedlars were not always of supposed to have had a fear or favour. The Smiths of Smiddyquoy our own nationality.I remember a Russian spell in the Naval Coast completed our nearest neighbours Jew coming regularly for years, selling Volunteers. cheap jewellery. He was a very inoffensive He was a social misfit The pedlars and the tinkers were man, with a black beard and sad black eyes. who slept under the regular visitors too. He told us about his family in Russia and of dykes in the summer Besides the tinkers, several other beggars their hardships.We did not often buy from and scrounged a corner and pedlars came round periodically. The him, but he always got food when he came to in a warm barn during tinkers were great beggars. They often the house. Beggars were seldom sent away the winter. camped on our hill ground and on without something to eat. He was adept at boxing, Smiddyquoy’s hill or their quarry. There were There were two or three people belonging fencing and swimming, two families of tinkers, Isaac McPhee and his to the Parish who came to the house skills he had no doubt wife Nellie Newlands, and Andrew Newlands periodically for meals and other things. acquired during his and his wife,Becky McPhee.Nellie Betsy Cock was one of these, and she came stint with the was an inveterate beggar.Mrs often. Once when she came in the spring volunteers. Smith of Smiddyquoy used to say time for potatoes, mother It was said that he was laughingly that Nellie was a good told her to go to the pit also an expert dancer house-keeper as she was such a (potato pit) and gather as and no doubt showed grand beggar. She certainly got many as she could carry. And off these skills at the more out of people than any other did Betsy gather a sackful! Harvest Homes. tinker, and I don’t think her She was bent almost family ever went hungry.Nellie, double going down the in common with Becky, smoked road for Swarsquoy, and a clay pipe and begged as mother remarked upon fervently for a ‘bit o’ baccy’ as seeing her that she for a bannock or an egg.If the would never get home tinkers did not get what they with her burden. But Vedder wanted by begging, they were not Betsy was fly. When she above pilfering. got out of sight of the In our next newsletter The peat stack and the hen house, she divided her Isabella tells of the part house were by no means safe spoil and came back for religion played in when the tinkers were in the the second lot later. people’s lives, her first vicinity. They were tinsmiths by  dance and leaving trade, and when they were in the William Loughton ‘Skatehorn’ school neighbourhood they went round the about 1900. From a Tom Kent farmhouses with their goods for sale—tin photograph. Issue No34 June 05 NEWSLETTER OF THE ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORYSOCIETY 11 Ernie “shoe’d” have known better! Thanks to Marion McLeod, Member No 58, for this tale first written by her father Ernie Did you Wishart in 1993, but well worth retelling. know? n the summer of 1937 I was 17 years old. other one. What am I saying - this all that the oldest preserved My older brother, Jim, had an old boat happened in 1937 and it is now 1993!!! No, dwelling houses to be about 9 feet long which he spent his no, forget it! found in northern I Europe are on the island spare time doing up and fitting an engine My wife thought this was a good story so of in and propeller to.We decided we would take entered it in some magazine. After some time had passed, I received a Orkney. it out to Scapa Pier and give it a trial run. This neolithic site, known We managed to get a set of wheels and we shoe and a letter in the post. The writer as the Knap of Howar, pushed it out by ourselves. The next day explained that he often sailed past the was a farm and the two was fine and calm so we decided to go for a Barrel of Butter but had never stopped and preserved oblong sail and launched the boat and set off. The gone ashore on the rocks. He later had buildings are the house engine was a great success and made very sailed there with his son. The son had run and barn of the good speed. We then noticed we were not far around the rocks looking for something to settlement. from a pile of rocks called the Barrel of take back home as a momento of being there It is known that they kept Butter in the middle of so we and had noticed an old shoe stuck in a rock. cattle, sheep, pigs and The story I had written about losing my shoe goats and quernstones decided to investigate. As we sped along we found on the site indicate discovered we were taking in water and we came into the father’s mind and the son was that they ground seeds had nothing with us to bale the water out of told to take the shoe. When they got home and grain and probably the boat. I took off my shoe - which did the the father posted the shoe and his letter to grew wheat and barley. job quite well. We decided to pull the boat me to explain what had happened. I check- Evidence shows that sea out of the water onto the rocks to find where ed out the shoe and discovered it was the birds, including the Great it was leaking.We found that 2 boards same make as mine had been and also the Auk, fish and shellfish required caulking between them. We same size.I was delighted to think that my also formed part of their searched and found a bit of wood on the old shoe had been stuck under a rock in the diet. rocky island and, with the help of Jim’s middle of Scapa Flow all through World War It was during the gales 2 with all the Naval activity there during and storms of 1929 that pocket knife, he shaped it. I took off my sock a corner of the site was and ran some wool off it and, with the help of the war years and that it had survived. I revealed and excavations a stone as a hammer, Jim did a good job of was quite proud of my “found” shoe and, began. sealing the leak. We relaunched the boat while showing it to my wife who was looking It was not until the and got back to Scapa Pier before dark. Only both shoes over, there was a knock at our 1970s, however, that then did I realise that I had left my shoe on house door.I went to the door and let our further excavations were the rocky island. It was not so nice walking friends inside and they both looked at the undertaken and radio back to Kirkwall with only one shoe. shoes and then my wife’s friend asked me carbon dating Anyone who reads this and thinks of having what I was doing with two left footed shoes! established that the site a look at the Barrel of Butter, would they I must make an appointment with my would have been occ- upied sometime between take my shoe back to me as I still have the Doctor to have my medication altered.  3700 and 2800 BC. Although now on the shoreline it would Met your “brick wall”? originally been some distance inland at a time Lots of ideas in when Papay might still have been connected to Westray. Trace your The site is beautifully preserved and is just one Orkney Ancestors of the many spectacular archaeological and by wildlife sites to be found James M Irvine in the immediate area; seabird city, ancient Signed copy with update sheet chapels, saga sites, a £8.50 post free (surface mail) puffin paradise, seals to OFHS members, direct from and otters. The list is endless and they are all [email protected] worth a visit. or 11 Agates Lane, Ashtead, Surrey KT21 2NG 12 NEWSLETTER OF THE ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORYSOCIETY Issue No34 June 05 Issue No34 June 05 NEWSLETTER OF THE ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORYSOCIETY 13

put my interest in General Custer and the American be persuaded that perhaps, just perhaps, there may be Cusiters of the Orkney Islands. through his veins. West down to a boyhood spent in the cinemas of post- an element of truth in the story after all and you can But it got even better because on pages 291-2 of the His name was John Iwar Kent where I was weaned on a diet of cowboy understand that I was eager to see the graffiti for myself. same volume there appears an extract taken from a Cursiter, son of George films, many of them ‘B’ movies, which were part of the Needless to say, immediately on my arrival in Kirkwall, I letter that Custer had written to his wife,Libbie, from Cursiter, a slater and staple fare for the Saturday morning cine-clubs. This made straight for Victoria Street, number 66 to be Washington, D.C., on 23 April 1876, in which he said: Catherine Heddle, latent obsession was finally released in a most precise, an ancient dwelling that stands back from the I received a letter from a gentleman at Kirkwall, in the who was born in extraordinary and unexpected way during the summer road in a small close next to the offices occupied by the Orkneys, of the name of Custer.He traces our relationship Kirkwall, on 7 of 1997 when a fellow passenger on board a delayed Red Cross. The inscription, which is somewhat smaller to the family, back to 1647, and gives the several changes June 1819. Most of his flight from Aberdeen to Orkney informed me that he had than I had expected, was nevertheless easy to read the name has undergone,- Cursetter, Cursider, Cusiter, boyhood was spent in the seen the name ‘Cusiter’ carved on the gable-end wall of a except, that is, for the third number in the date that was Custer, all belonging to the same parish. He writes “I have town, where he attended house in Victoria Street, Kirkwall which, from the difficult to make out. Was it 1842 or 1862? See been established in business here for 33 years (sic). I have James Copland’s school, and at 13 years of age began an description he gave, was almost certainly the very house illustration. noted your name, conspicuous as a General, and apprenticeship as a slater with his father. in which my father was born some 88 years before.[The occasionally as author, and from descriptions of you I am Around the age of 18 he joined his elder brother surname ‘Cusiter’, more commonly spelt ‘Cursiter’, was convinced we are of the same stock….” James in Edinburgh, who was then a divinity student at always pronounced ‘Custer’ in the old days.] In Philadelphia, while visiting the Centennial the University there. After spending two or three years I had read in the Islander, a buildings,I discovered another branch of the Custer tree - in further education and learning the trade of Peter Russell beside free newspaper for visitors Custer Marker, Little I enclose their business card - I sent in my name and was shoemaking with his cousins, he went to work for the to the county, that the Bighorn Battlefield most cordially received……. The family resemblance is merchants,Richardson Brothers, 105 West Bow, legendary Indian-fighter, National marked. Tell Maggie that when I come into my Orkney Edinburgh, and spent the following five years in their General George Armstrong Monument, inheritance…. warehouse. He also gained valuable experience in Custer was of Orkney Oct 2004 Now 1862 could be very significant, not only because it Not only build and height and coloring, but they were London before returning to his former employer and for stock and apparently his fell during the height of the American Civil War [1861- nice, like me. the next nine years travelled all over Scotland, including father’s parents’ house was 65] but it was just twelve months before the 23-year-old Orkney and Shetland. Just nine weeks later, on Sunday, 25 June 1876, near the end of the George Armstrong Custer was promoted to Brigadier On 19 September 1848 John Cursiter married Lieutenant Colonel [Brevet Major General] George Road where it General of Volunteers, the youngest ever to attain that Margaret Scott, daughter of John Scott, a merchant in Armstrong Custer, 7th U.S. Cavalry, and all 209 officers joins the Kirkwall- rank in the history of the United States Army. Kirkwall, and sister of the Reverend Oliver Scott, of St and men under his direct command were wiped out by an Stromness road. I So who was James Cusiter? And why should he choose Andrews Parish. They were to be blessed with three sons overwhelming force of Lakota Sioux and Cheyenne must confess to the year 1862 to carve his name on the gable-end wall of and two daughters.Five years later he returned to having been ext- Indians, in what has become to be known as ‘Custer’s a house that would become my father’s home? I assumed Orkney and obtained employment with a general remely sceptical Last Stand.’ that the single letter ‘J’ stood for ‘Junior’, which clearly merchant in Kirkwall. However, owing to some unknown about this rather Merington intimated that a few of the more personal pointed to one man, James Cusiter, son of James Cusiter dispute with his new employer he was ‘fired’, but no dubious claim, letters were to be deposited in the library at Yale (1798-1863), a tailor, and Mary Balfour Bankier (1811- sooner than he had received his ‘marching orders’ his which has always University but the bulk of the correspondence was 1856), who was born in Kirkwall in 1838. natural flair for business came up with an alternative been vigorously destined to gather dust in the archive at the Custer Of course, if the words were actually carved in 1842 then plan of action. That same evening he hired a boat to contested by the young James would only have been four-years-old and Battlefield, since renamed the Little Bighorn Battlefield Sanday and purchased from the well-known antiquarian vast majority of his father, son of James Cusiter and Marion Pottinger, National Monument. As this collection had yet to be and folklorist, Walter Traill Dennison, of West Brough, Custer was the one most likely to have been responsible. indexed there seemed no alternative other than for me to the adjoining property in Kirkwall. Gradually, as each scholars. To date,I have been unable to find any further fly out to Montana and undertake the research myself. opportunity arose, he extended his business until it information about this particular branch of the family or Although the Archivist, Kitty Belle Deernose, a member A name became one of the largest and most progressive in the even a tenuous link with the General and, perhaps not of the Crow Indian Nation, was most helpful I failed to carved in islands. stone unexpectedly, my first line of research came to an abrupt find Cursiter’s letter but this did not detract from a truly end. Both questions therefore remain largely memorable trip that led indirectly to me becoming In 1854, he was foremost among those who persuaded In view of the young James Anderson to start The Orcadian information unanswered. Founder Secretary of the Custer Association of Great Britain and Co-editor of its biannual journal, The Crow’s newspaper and, a year later, the revival of Freemasonry gained on the A Letter from Orkney Nest.I subsequently contacted the curator of the in Orkney was almost solely due to his enthusiasm and flight from In spite of falling at the first hurdle I was more Beindecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library at Yale, influence. Aberdeen, determined than ever to solve this enduring mystery but again without success. Like many other successful businessmen of his day, however,I and, on returning to London, I read everything I possibly John Cursiter took a philanthropic interest in the allowed could about the General’s heritage. My hopes were John Cursiter (1819-1886) welfare of his local community.For more than 20 years myself to surprisingly soon raised, for on page 3 of The Custer Despite having been unable to trace the original of the there was scarcely a public body in Kirkwall with which Story, by Marguerite Merington, [for many years the correspondence referred to above, there can be no doubt he was not connected. The Town Council, the Police nearest friend and literary executor of Custer’s widow], as to the identity of the Kirkwall businessman who Commission, the Harbour Trust, the Artillery Volunteer she wrote: appears to have convinced the General that it was Corps and the Combination Poor House all benefited The Custers were of English origin, descended from the Orcadian and not Teutonic blood that was flowing from his generosity and hard work  14 NEWSLETTER OF THE ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORYSOCIETY Issue No34 June 05

Together with Thomas Traill of Holland relief...... Mrs Peter Oddie, the carpenter’s and James Williamson, a distant relative of wife, had cured several at that time. I spoke mine, he was a prime mover in improving of it to neighbours in the Clayloan, where I local sanitary conditions and, at remained at that time and to Mr John Traill, considerable personal expense, laid on a the jailor there. But I hear he is butcher in piped water supply from Grain to his the slaughterhouse on the Crofety(?) grounds aerated water factory in Junction Road now.Mrs Traill provided me a two-pint bottle [1881]. From this source he provided a of juice boiled from certain roots. I remember the kinds she used for I asked her all the If you are fascin- reservoir for public use, which pre-dated the Council’s water and drainage scheme by particulars.The roots dug and thoroughly ated by my life, several years. washed and boiled and strained, then, 1 the Plains Indians Of all his many achievements, he is dandelion or doggy flowers called in Orkney and the Battle of probably best remembered for his bakery in 2 bull thistle or those wild Scotch thistles 3 the Little Big Albert Street, Kirkwall, which was the first nettle roots or those common nettles 4 tirsack Horn, log onto commercial undertaking in Orkney to use roots or long-legged yellow flowers that grow www.custer- machine power, in the form of an Otto silent on marshy ground, thus 4 kinds of roots in equal parts, use a little pure spirits to association- gas engine. In 1925, Cursiter’s bakehouse and shop were purchased by James preserve from souring, to be taken 3 times a gb.org.uk/ Groundwater, grandfather of the present day before meals, a common tablespoonful This will take you proprietors, who had previously run his own each time is which I took and I was better to the homepage bakery business from more modest premises before the bottle was half done.Mrs John of the Custer at the corner of Albert Street and Traill, if alive as I trust she is, will Association of Mounthoolie Lane.I believe that one of the corroborate my statements here.I am Great Britain. You four original ovens is still in regular use persuaded. Now Mr Cursiter you may try.It is a simple medicine and only costs a little will find loads of today. time to look and find out where they do grow information Margaret Scott Cursiter died on 16 May 1862, and sixteen months later he married and give the thing a trial and hope for the including Eliza, daughter of Hugh Inkster, a Kirkwall better….. photographs, joiner, and sister of John Inkster, a But, alas, it arrived too late to save the life articles, book steamship owner and agent in Leith. Eliza of old John Cursiter. reviews and died on 27 November 1873: there were no Conclusion children of this second marriage. details of We have no reason to doubt that “the In the autumn of 1885 Cursiter was association gentleman at Kirkwall” sincerely believed he gatherings plus diagnosed as suffering from an infection of the liver, which subsequently developed into shared a common ancestry with the great links to jaundice. In spite of receiving the best legendary Custer but his supposition is not other Custer sites. possible medical attention available the borne out by the facts and, to my mind, it illness proved fatal and on 23 April 1886, was a classic case of adding two and two to exactly ten years to the day that Custer had make five! written to his beloved Libbie about his There is compelling circumstantial Orkney heritage,John Cursiter died evidence, though not entirely conclusive, that peacefully at his Kirkwall home, just six Paul Küster, who arrived in the colony of weeks short of his sixty-seventh birthday. He Pennsylvania from the Rhineland of was buried with his two wives and infant Germany in 1684, was the General’s direct daughter, Catherine, in the grounds of St. ancestor, and it is this version of his heritage Magnus Cathedral, where a fine granite that is universally accepted by present-day headstone marks the spot. Custer historians. On the other hand we Several months after his father’s death, shouldn’t forget that no less than three of his John Cursiter,Junior, received a letter from mother’s grandparents emigrated from James Heddle (probably an uncle), who was England to America as late as the second then farming along the banks of Black half of the 18th century, which gives him an Creek, near Sombra, Lambton County, even closer affinity with this country, if not Ontario, Canada, which contained the recipe with Orkney. As far as Custer himself was of a cure for jaundice that he hoped would do concerned, I contend that he probably knew for his old friend what it had done for little or nothing about his family’s early himself many years before, it read: history and, consequently, was quite happy I am very sorry indeed to see in your letter to accept John Cursiter’s claim of kinship.Of that your father is sick with that disease I course, we cannot be certain that the words had while I was in Kirkwall, namely the he wrote to his wife about his Orkney jaundice.I recollect that the old man John ancestry were not made with ‘tongue in Holland, mason, Clayloan was affected with cheek’, but it is my considered opinion that the same and several besides but we all got General George Armstrong Custer rode to Custer’s personal better. It was generally believed among the his death at the Battle of the Little Big Horn guidon carried into people that the doctors had little knowledge genuinely believing that his roots lay deeply the Battle of the about the nature of the complaint and that embedded in the West Mainland of Orkney Little Big Horn certain women had more knowledge about it and, until such time as someone proves than anybody else.I found immediate otherwise, we should be proud of that.  Issue No34 June 05 NEWSLETTER OF THE ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORYSOCIETY 15

An intriguing tale from William J Taylor Member No 712 John Wallace, a retired chief engineer with was John’s half brother as John revealed in the Cunard Shipping line, died in 1924 at his will and was born to a yet earlier and 113 Herschell Street, Everton, Liverpool. unknown wife and Robert born c 1805 as The Crew List and Agreement of the computed from later censuses. Saragossa (October 1886 – January 1887) The family does not appear in the Glasgow obtained from the Maritime History Census of 1851, but we know they were in Department of the Memorial University of St Dublin in 1852. After waiting twenty Johns Newfoundland gave his place of birth Chart’s Index to the 1851 Census for Dublin years for the authorities as Glasgow and his given age confirmed he does list two Robert Wallaces as heads of to investigate a tomb he was born in 1835. The Cunard Archive at household and one of them is in the parish of had discovered on his Liverpool University showed that he had St Michan, but that is all. land, Ronnie Simpson joined the Company in 1863 and sailed on Half-brother Robert was firstly married in gave up and decided to various ships on the Mediterranean run Dublin on the 10th Dec 1852 at the Pres- excavate the site until 1892 and that he had been chief byterian Church in the parish of St Michan himself. When he had engineer since 1879. to Catherine Lennie born 12 April 1831, uncovered the low narrow entrance he He was the son of Robert Wallace also a daughter of Andrew Lennie and Jean/Jane entered the tomb and marine engineer and his wife Jean. Firth of Stromness. After Catherine’s death found a stalled cairn A Robert Wallace married a Jean Custer on in Liverpool in 1879 Robert married secondly with two side chambers 22nd August 1835 as recorded in the Old in Liverpool in 1884, Jessie Lennie born 24 and alcoves at each Parish Register of Govan. (Custer, Cusiter, February 1841 in Stromness; Catherine’s end of the main Cursiter were some of the variant spellings younger sister . chamber. What Ronnie of an old Orkney family name) There is no evidence that any of the Wallaces had revealed was a 1835 August 22nd Robert Wallace in Tradeston & Jean were from Orkney, whenever Robert (and for 5000 year old neolithic tomb which contained Custer in Hutchisontown. Married by ———Paid three that matter Robert his father or John his half-brother) appear in the censuses the the bones of some 350 shillings. (no Minister’s name given) humans together with Tradeston & Hutchisontown. are adjacent place of birth is given as Scotland, whilst animal and fish bones. districts in the Gorbals. Robert’s wives are listed as from Orkney or An unusual find was the Whilst there is no corresponding baptism of Stromness. carcasses of ten sea a John Wallace the 1841 Glasgow and When John died he left a significant amount eagles and it is Lanarkshire Census lists a family that of money amounting to over £9400 including thought that the sea circumstantially fit the evidence. a pension from the Cunard Steam Ship eagle might have been a totem of the people Gorbals Tradeston [ref 644/2 book 9 page 15] both in the County Company’s Sea Going Engineers Mutual of Lanarkshire. Benefit Society, which would have been due who built and Nelson Street to his wife Mary nee Connell of Dublin had subsequently occupied Robert Wallace 35 Engineer J* Not born in the county she not pre-deceased him in 1890. the tomb. The site is perched on a cliff top Jean Wallace 30 do. John and Mary also married in the Robert do. 13 Born in County (c 1828,) at the south east John do. 6 do.(C1835) Presbyterian Church in the parish of St extremity of South Wm. McIntosh 30 Writer Not born in county Michan on 16 June 1860. Mary’s address was Ronaldsay and a wild The ‘J’ may well be an abbreviation of Journeyman. 51 Queen’s Street, Dublin, but John was of day can send the sea Wm McIntosh who was possibly a lodger.His occupation was Cemetery View in Liverpool. spray flying over the Writer to the Signet or solicitor. A family Solicitor has stated that as a entrance. It is only 30 Neiher Robert the father nor Jean the general rule the beneficiaries of wills minutes from Kirkwall mother were born in Lanarkshire, which inherited either from love or through a and well worth a visit; still allows the possibility that she was born family relationship, although hopefully all the more exciting in Orkney. There are a considerable number both, and the basic question was to what when you discover that you are allowed to of Robert Wallace baptisms and births listed degree did John’s bequests conform. in the appropriate period, especially in handle a number of the Specific bequests named: original neolithic Renfrewshire and Ayrshire. The parents’ ●John Barnett Pemberton, his nephew as artifacts at the visitor ages may have been rounded down, but the the principal individual beneficiary.After centre. ages of the children neatly fit the ages this lad’s father died prematurely in the recorded in the Censuses in Liverpool from USA it appears John and his wife Mary, 1861 onwards. childless, unofficially adopted him whilst the The thirteen-year- old Robert born c1828 boy’s mother brought up her other children. 16 NEWSLETTER OF THE ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORYSOCIETY Issue No34 June 05

Did you ●John Connell a nephew and the widow speculate that she was a child of John know? of James Connell another nephew. Cursiter and Ann Gray and step sister of ●The children of Agnes Buchanan Temple Magnus Cursiter. If so was she the Jean In 1852, Peter Shearer, a (nee Gordon) a niece, who lived with John Custer, who married John Wallace’s father blacksmith from Holm in and Mary at the time of the 1871 Census In Robert in 1835 ? Her death certificate in Orkney, together with Liverpool. 1865 and the 1861 Census in Liverpool his wife Mary (nee ●All but one of the children of his half suggests s he was born in 1802, three years Kirkness) and their five brother Robert; the omitted one had left the earlier than her husband, which does not children left Orkney on quite accord with the 1841 Census entry, their way to Plymouth, Presbyterian Church to marry a Roman where they boarded the Catholic. suggestive of a birth between 1807 – 1811. emigrant ship ‘Omega’ ●Nieces of his wife Mary living in Belfast, As yet there is no concrete proof of any bound for Australia. Troon and the USA. kind, We suspect she may have been the Three months’ later they There were also small amounts to his second wife of Robert Wallace 1803 – 1881 arrived in Port Adelaide. housekeeper and to the Bootle Free and therefore mother of John Wallace 1835 The family settled in Unitarian Church. – 1924 and step-mother of Robert Wallace Robe, 200 miles south These specific bequests amounted in total 1828 – 1915. Confirmation of our suspicions of Adelaide, where Peter to something over £3000, but the bulk of his would tie the Cursiters to the Wallaces and obtained employment at estate, ‘The residue of all aforesaid monies explain the connection to Magnus. his trade. Ken Smith and Mrs Chris Elstob, two of my Three of the sons to be equally divided amongst the children followed in their father’s of the late Magnus Cursiter who had a farm cousins and also keen Wallace researchers footsteps and became named Hurtiso in Holm Orkney’.John knew made great progress making the blacksmiths. Two of that David Cursiter had already died and connections between the Cursiters and we them, John and David the amount he would have received was to have established a Cursiter/CusiterCusstar/ specialised in the be equally divided amongst his children and /Custer line back to William born c 1716 manufacture of agri- information about them was to be had from and we have had invaluable assistance from cultural Implements at William Cursiter their uncle who has a Mrs Margaret Watters in Orkney. Kilkenny in Adelaide and farm named Quotquoy in Firth Orkney. Ken, with the great help of the Orkney Mannum respectively. The children of Magnus and his wife Jean Library and Archives, has also followed up David appeared to be the the transfer of the residue of the money more innovative of the Robertson have been identified as: two and by 1896 he was Jean Moar, nee Cursiter 1854 – 1915, James from John’s will to Orkney. It is likely that developing a steam car, Cursiter 1856 – 1919, and Mary Cursiter the money was transferred to a local bank years ahead of its time, 1858 – 1858, David 1866 – c 1901/2 who all in Kirkwall, and according to Peace’s with a differential inside predeceased John Wallace; Almanac of 1924 there were in existence the left wheel hub and and those that survived him: the National Bank, The Commercial Bank, rack and pinion steering. Agnes Harvey nee Cursiter 1860 – 1945, both later becoming part of the Royal Bank It may be that once he William Randall Cursiter 1862 – 1931, of Scotland; and the Bank of Scotland. had created the vehicle John Rae Cursiter 1864 – 1927, There were three firms of solicitors who he lost interest for after And the children of David, Agnes Jane born may have been intermediaries Two of them only two years the Drever and Heddle; and Lows Orkney, are engine was fitted to a 1895 and Maggie b1897 and possibly Annie paddle steamer ‘The b 1890 but she may have died young. still in existence, but sadly records of that Keith’. But what was the connection between John kind of transaction seldom survived for ten The brothers’ main inter- Wallace and these Orcadian Cursiters ? years. The third firm, Macrae and est was agricultural Nothing directly suggests itself, although Robertson, deposited their records, but machinery and they when the money was transferred to Orkney, these do not include any personal records. were notable inventors Uncle William, presumably William Randall About the time of John’s will landowners and developers of many Cursiter, was described as an engineer.Was were finding it difficult to raise an economic implements that con- he a possible former ship mate and close return from their properties and lands and tributed greatly to friend of John? That would however be a farms were available for purchase and Australia’s arable although tenants may have made money farming. very tenuous reason for leaving money to The car however sur- the children of Magnus, and there must be supplying military establishments on vived and it was partially the likelihood that William and Magnus Orkney during World War 1 few ordinary restored in the 1960s and John Wallace were blood related and folk were able to buy real estate. The and donated to the state that the relationship was via John’s late question then was did any of the of SA in 1975. Members mother. beneficiaries of John’s bequests purchase of the Sporting Car Club Magnus 1824 – 1904 was son of John property ? of Australia completed a Cusiter and Ann Randall and five siblings The land transfer documents - Sasines - are full restoration in time are listed in the Kirk records, and from his held at the National Archives of Scotland, for the 1984 National father’s first wife Ann Gray there were but copies of abridgments are held in Rally Kirkwall and they reveal one significant The Shearer Steam another five half siblings. The Kirk may be Automobile can now be incomplete although it is not known Cursiter purchaser in John Rae Cursiter, seen at the National whether some of the records failed to son of Magnus born 1864 died 29 July 1927 Motor Museum at survive the split in the Church c 1843/4. at Gorn. On 1 December 1925 the purchase Birdwood, South There was no record of a daughter Jean of Gorn where he was located in the 1901 Australia. Cusiter born to John although we may Census is listed.  Issue No34 June 05 NEWSLETTER OF THE ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORYSOCIETY 17

 664 (No. 8 Dec. 1. 1925. 10–10.30. Can you help Disp. by Trustees of deceased JAMES ROBERTSON, Sheriff-Substitute of Orkney–To this Moodie John Rae Cursiter,Farm of Gorn,–of the Farm and lands of GORN extending to 105 400 Acres, in the Parish of 1000 reach further Rendall, with Teinds and Foreshores, and right to Peat from part of the 12 Penny King’s land of Isbister and others. Dated back than 1763? Nov.14 and 18, 1925; with Warrant of y name is Registration theron, on behalf of said Charles Grantee. Transmitted by Post and MMoodie and I Did you presented by R.G.Pottinger, Register of live near London. I know? Sasines. was born in England but my great grand- in His sister Agnes Harvey, nee Cursiter, and father was born in Kirkwall is renowned as her son John Cursiter Harvey were also Shetland. I have being the only cathedral listed, but in their case it was as lenders of traced my ancestors in Britain to have its own £300 to Donald Laughton Spence as they back to 1763 and hope dungeon. It was transferred 12 acres of land to him. that some of my fellow created in the mid 14th members might help century in the time of Bishop Robert Reid and me get back even 489 (No 16 Sept. 1. 1924 1–2 if you look above eye Bond for £300 and Disp. in security, by further. level at the window DAVID LAUGHTON SPENCE,Farmer, I believe that my Charles Moodie aperture between the Cruesday, Parish of Deerness—To John ancestors lived in Member No 1137 south wall of the choir Cursiter Harvey and Agnes Cursiter or Orkney before moving and the south transept Harvey, both at Verdun, Parish of ,— to Shetland but I have not been able to trace you can still see where of the lands of NORTH WINDBRECK a link to Orkney as of yet; I know that there wrongdoers were 576 extending to 12 1000 Acres, in Parish of are Moodies in Orkney and have been for imprisoned. At one time Deerness. Dated Jul. 7, 1924; with Warrant hundreds of years. they were thrown down of Registration theron, on behalf of said I have visited Melsetter House in Hoy, and a chute into the Grantees. Transmitted by Post, and pre- as I wandered through the rooms of this old darkness from an upper sented by J. Lambert, Register of Sasines. mansion house that had for many years chamber but that been the Moodie family home, I was struck method was eventually abandoned, by the Shortly before John Wallace’s death on 16 by my resemblance to members of the family Protestant clergy in March 1924 William Cursiter completed the whose portraits are still much in evidence. favour of a ladder up to purchase of business premises complete In some cases I found the similarities so the cell. with house in Stromness.Perhaps this was uncanny that I feel sure I must be related somewhere along the line. Although many because he had finally received his hundreds, perhaps inheritance from the will of Magnus. I have also visited the Moodie burial place in Hoy looking for clues. If I could trace my thousands suffered ancestors to them it would enable me to go cruelly a more romantic back many centuries which would be great. story is that of Janet 83 (No. 2) Feb. 9. 1924 !0.30–11. Forsyth, the so called Disp. by ALEXANDER SMITH, sometimes Are there Moodies in Orkney today who are related to them? I know they moved to South Westray Witch. Local Fisherman, Stromness, now residing there— tradition has it that on Africa about 150 years ago. To William Cursiter,Engineer, Stromness,— the eve of her execution of Dwelling House, with shop on the ground As part of my quest I have also taken part in for witchcraft she was Floor and Washhouse and Garden behind, the Shetland DNA survey and it has shown rescued from the hole bounded on the east side of the Street , in that my distant ancestors hailed from by Ben Garrioch and Burgh (south end) and Parish of Norway in Viking times.I am very proud of escaped with him to STROMNESS. Dated Feb. 5, 1924: with this as I know that the Moodies are known England. Warrant of Registration thereon, on behalf of to have roots stretching back to the Viking the said Grantee. Transmitted by Post, and era. B.H.Hossack wrote: presented by J.Lambert. Register of Sasines I understand that there are plans to do a Many a time has the DNA survey in Orkney and I hope that one Cathedral echoed with or two Moodies will take part; I am by the the screams and There are still lots of unanswered questions way DNA type R1A. imprecations of rel- and speculations which may be well off the If any Moodies would like to contact me I uctant women and men mark, but there was obviously a very strong would be delighted to hear from them. I can on their way, however link between the Wallace family and Orkney be contacted via e-mail at: short as it was, to the and if any other member can cast any light [email protected]  dreaded Marwicks Hole. on it we would be delighted  18 NEWSLETTER OF THE ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORYSOCIETY Issue No34 June 05 The hazards of climbing one’s family tree By Janette M. Thomson, (Foulis) Member No 121

Climbing the fam-ily brothers, Thomas Campbell & Robert Slater. tree can be fraught with Anne SLATER was the seventh & dangers! Especially when youngest child , fourth daughter, of James there are THREE lines SLATER & Elspet/Elizabeth MUIR. She of MUIR , at least three was born on 25th December, 1818 & lines of SLATER with multiple use of the baptised 10th January, 1819 at Lady Parish, common given names and names such as Sanday. Siblings were David, b.1804; Did you GROUNDWATER and FOULIS that reach Elizabeth,b.1806; Robert,b.1810 & 1812; know? convenient brick walls. Margaret, b.1841; & Mary, b.1816,all Lady On my father’s side, my forebears, who Par. It would be interesting to make contact A joint venture between migrated to Australia, were either born with descendants of these, although I am in the Royal Mail and and/or married in Orkney. touch with Robert, b. 1812 descendants. Australia Post has res- The first family to arrive here were Shortly after their marriage they began ulted in the launch of a my great great grandparents William the adventure of their life. They left their range of stamps featur- CAMPBELL & wife Anne SLATER. They families in Caithness and Orkney to travel ing World Heritage married in Kirkwall in 1838 , leaving shortly to the unknown distant colony of South Sites. afterwards for Adelaide. Australia. Adelaide, the main settlement, The Royal Mail range The second Orcadian to come was great was less than three years old. Little did they features eight UK and grandfather James Cumming FOULIS who know that they would experience a vastly Australian sites with arrived about 1870, also to Adelaide. He was different climate, one of extreme temp- Stonehenge and the a sailor, so may have come as a crew eratures, drought and flooding rains, hot West Tropics of member.I can not find his arrival on any of northerly winds and months if not years of Queensland appearing the indexes for that period. little or no contact with family at home. on the first class issues. Thirdly, sailing from Edinburgh, in 1884 to The young couple sailed from Liverpool on Second class stamps Sydney, via Melbourne, were great grand- 9th November, 1838 on “Fairfield”,a three feature Hadrian’s Wall parents William McLEOD & his wife masted barque of 434 tons, built in 1833 in and the Uluru - Kata Barbara GROUNDWATER. Hull, with Captain Robert Abbott as master Tjuta National Park. The All of them had the pioneering spirit as and 44 other passengers, bringing with 47p stamps show well as great strength of character to not them many provisions and a much Blenheim Palace and the Greater Blue Mountains only survive the voyage but to endure the cherished wedding present, a silver biscuit and on the 68p issues hardships of the early days of colonisation. barrel. you’ll find The Heart of We, their descendants, are extremely proud “Fairfield” arrived at the Port of Adelaide Neolithic Orkney and of them and owe a lot to their tenacious on 30th April, 1839, (ref. Migrant Ships for Purlnululu National Orcadian spirit. S. A., 1836—-1860 and A Free Passage to Paradise? 1836—1840.), although it is listed Park. A FREE PASSAGE TO PARADISE ? Ian Mckay, director of as arriving on 4th May, 1839 in the “South Scottish Affairs at the No doubt it is wise to commence with the Australian Gazette” & in Opie’s “S.A. ~Royal Mail Group said arrival of the first family, the CAMPBELLS Records Prior to 1841“, a voyage of some 177 that the Ring of and hopefully continue with the Foulis & days . Brodgar’s inclusion Groundwater stories for later editions. William Campbell worked as a tenant underlined its cultural William CAMPBELL was the third child, farmer for the South Australian Company, importance. He added second son of William CAMPBELL & who sponsored the trip out. Originally they that Orkney boasts Elizabeth HORNE. He was born on 13th settled at Old Port, now known as Alberton, some of the most March, 1811, & baptised on 15th March, of about a mile from the port of Adelaide. They outstanding testimonies the same year at Halkirk, CAI. He was one were here in 1841, at the time of the census, of cultural achievements of 13 . one of the few surviving censuses in by the Neolithic people William moved to Kirkwall sometime Australia. William, Anne & baby Elizabeth of Northern Europe. before he married Anne SLATER as he was are listed. Then, in the 1844-1848 on St Magnus Communicant Roll in 1836, directories they farmed at various locations 1837 & 1838. They married in Kirkwall on such as Islington, Tam O’Shanter,(named 6th September, 1838.Witnesses were their after a ship that went aground in the Port Issue No34 June 05 NEWSLETTER OF THE ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORYSOCIETY 19

to apply for a land grant from the S.A. Creek in 1836 ) and Woodville, in the district government to farm for themselves instead of of Albert Town. (all in the same area). In continuing as tenants with the South 1851 William & Annie were farming 134 Australian Company. acres fronting Port Road, 56 acres were Soon William was travelling north to take up under wheat & 67 fallow with water from a the grant at Roseworthy, near Gawler. well and on the property was a cob hut. By It was a larger amount of land than he had 1855, 118 acres were under wheat. (Ref. been used to. The certificate of title states “Tenants of the South Australian Company“) “granted Section No. 83, four hundred and In the 1960’s a descendant, Jim Campbell, nine acres in the Hundred of Mudla Wirra, described the farm as being a part of the County of Gawler, on the 12th day of March, present Woodville Gardens. Currently there 1856 under the hand and seal of Sir Richard is a Campbell Street in this area. Graves McDonnell, Governor in Chief of the Did you It was during this time that the Campbell said Province to William Campbell.” know? family welcomed other Orcadians to the new He built a house before sending for Anne and Oliver Cromwell (1599-- shores and into their home. Family the family.(1857) They decided to call it 1658)country gentleman knowledge tells that Anne wrote numerous “Quindoo” because as he was building it, and one time member of letters home, encouraging relatives & friends local Aborigines were watching and talking parliament for to join them by making the long sea voyage to him. He thought they were saying Huntingdown led the to the other side of the world. Evidently they “Quindoo, quindoo” which translated was parliamentary forces were happy and at home here. Most “big fella wirly,(very) big house.“ The that defeated Charles 1 importantly, was the arrival of Anne’s bro- property is situated on rising ground, the at the battle of Naseby in ther, Robert Slater, (the elder), (baptised on house built high on the property. 1645. 22nd March, 1812, Sanday.) He was married A few years later William and other locals, In 1649 Charles was to Margaret Christian in Orkney.With their including the Slaters, built a log cabin on his found guilty of treason to the country and two young sons, Angus & Robert, they property, so the local Presbyterians could executed. Cromwell took arrived in Adelaide on 7th September 1851, worship there, rather than travel to Gawler. the reins of power and on board “Thetis.“ William led a busy life apart from farming abolished the House of Fellow passengers were Elizabeth Slater and the land. While at Woodville he was lords. He refused the her brother James and brothers Thomas interested in improving the breed of horses offer of the crown, Lines,William Lines & cousin John Ayres and in 1854 was one of the original adopted the title of lord Lines. Elizabeth & James were children of shareholders of the Society for Improving protector and his William Slater & Jane Guthrie, who Draught Horses and at Roseworthy was a supreme rule was migrated to Adelaide in 1854, on member of the Gawler Agricultural Society & backed by the army. “Hyderabad” with four of their children; in 1860 was vice-president . He ruled as a dictator, suppressing uprisings in Robert, (the younger) William,David & Today, the property, now known as Quindoo Wales, Ireland and Margaret. Thomas Lines later married Park is a rich thriving farm, having had only Scotland. This extended Margaret Slater, and Orcadian Robina three owners in its 149 years.David Kerr to Orkney where Skethaway, daughter of Wm Skethaway, bought it in 1872 & in the 1950’s it was sold support for the Royalist (family arr.1849), married James Slater. to the Kemp family. Some of the original cause and the exploits The Campbell family met and welcomed all stone buildings have been restored by the of the Marquis of these people into their home at Port Rd, present owners, to pristine condition. Montrose had come to Woodville. Anne and William were called It was here at Quindoo, Roseworthy that the his attention. As a result aunty & uncle by all. remaining children were born. troops were sent to Later William’s brother Peter Campbell and A daughter, Margaret was born on 12th Kirkwall in 1651 to ‘keep order’. brother Alexander’s son John - both of Hal- December, 1857 and died on 18 January, As a result of the siege kirk, migrated. 1859. St Magnus Cathedral It was in the Campbell home at Port Road Emily Grace was born on 14th January, 1860 was damaged and that Elizabeth Slater married John Appleby and Agnes Petitia was born on 18th January, suffered further when in 1853. 1863. the roundheads used it Anne’s brother Robert Slater (,the older), Unfortunately fate was not kind to William as a barracks and stayed in Woodville until after the death of as he died at the young age of 51 years, some stables for their horses. his wife Margaret in 1866, moving south to four months before the birth of their 11th They also built two forts Millicent with family about 1874. child. (One wonders what would have been if in the town but neither Here at Woodville many of the Campbell William had not died so early…paradise of these survives today. To all accounts the army children were born. might have been theirs!). The death got on well with the Elizabeth 1840, Annie 1842, ( baptised 13th certificate stated that he died of spasms on locals and taught them April, 1842 at Wakefield Rd., Presbyterian 27th August, 1862 at Mudla Wirra. The skills such as lock- Church, Adelaide ), followed by Janet on 15th informant was Robert Slater, the younger, of making and horticulture. June 1844, Mary on 27th September 1846, Mudla Wirra in the District of Barossa. What Many went on to marry Jemima on 22nd December 1848, William was spasms ? Gwen Brown, (Blesing ), Emily local girls. Horne on 28th June 1851, Catherine on 22nd Grace Campbell ’s grand-daughter says she August 1854 and James 1856. was told by her that he died from In the mid-1850’s William and Anne decided appendicitis.  20 NEWSLETTER OF THE ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORYSOCIETY Issue No34 June 05 Robbie and the Peerie Blue Coo Another disaster for poor Robbie o’ Northoose, told by Allan Taylor, Member Number 1055. id wis this aaful weet winter efter wir bonny summer, an noo wir intae spring an’ things are startan tae come Heven through the weet. This is anither winter when the auld folk keep sayin “Bairns I niver saw hid so weet”. Bit Robbie o’ Northoose’s mither hid in her washan doon the ubby floor shouted “Whit haid that she wid try twa dreels o’ early are thou daein noo?” an’ tryin tae come to tatties in the far corner o’ the yard whar the her feet in a hurry an’ bein an auld buddy Did you peedie kail plants are startin tae come. an’ the ubby floor no bein aafil even she pit So she ordered Robbie tae tak twa boxes o’ her hand on the edge o’ the bucket. know taties doon aaf the couples aboon the twa Weel the whole thing gaid ower; the bucket Within the tower of St kye. They hid stood there for twa months or nearly went through the byre door an’ the Magnus Cathedral hang better an’ he wis as usual bidden tae be swab cloot saved the auld wife’s haid aff the three bells, the gift of canny an’ no fleg the kye. flags. Bishop Robert Maxwell He stood on a bushel measure an’ took a box So there wis Robbie lyan among the sharn (1526-41). The largest o’ tatties oot o’ the couples an’ jist at that on the byre floor an’ his mither on her back bears the inscription meenit the peedie blue coo cam ower an in the ubby end. Thankfully they both got ‘Made by Master Robbie gaid fleein’ amang the sharn an’ the up. Robbie got telt aaf an’ his mither wis Robbert Maxvell, tatties gaid anither, wae maist o’ the peedie sore fur a day. If thoo spiered how she wis; Bischop of Orkney, the white sprains on the back o’ the peedie coo. “O’ am ower weel; it’s Robbie that needs yaer of God MDXXVIII Robbie’s mither that wis on her knees the year of the reign of luckan efter—the gappus.”  King James V. Robert Borthwick made me in It is not known where William’s last township. Anne went with them, probably the castel of Edinburgh.’ resting place was, but family thought is that living with the boys until their marriages, In a storm during 1671 the cathedral was struck he may have been buried on his property at Willian Horne Campbell in 1876 & James in by lightning and the Quindoo, Roseworthy. 1880,when she moved to the township of timber work of the tower During this time Robert Slater, the elder, Laura with daughter Agnes & Emily,who and spire was destroyed helped Ann administer the property, by fire. ( William had died intestate) and eventually married Henry G. Walter in 1881. Catherine The bells fell and alt- discharged the debt that had accumulated to had married James Speers in 1876. Anne hough the towns people GBP £758/15/4d. on 20th November,1862. remained in Laura, except for frequent trips had the foresight to Later, he sold the property to Robert Slater spread earth under the to Adelaide and by ship to Melbourne to visit bells to cushion the (the younger). daughter Anne and her family, until her landing, the largest bell Family history tells that the Wm. Slater death on 17th December, 1900, eight days family and Anne’s Slaters were related, was cracked and had to before her 81st birthday. be sent to Amsterdam to maybe cousins ? be recast by Claudius It is thought that Anne and the children Her obituary in The Laura Standard of 21st Fremy. remained at “Quindoo” until at least 1872 as December describes how she migrated to The damaged spire was my great grandmother,Anne was married to Adelaide with her husband, her life in the repaired and the bells James C. Foulis at this residence on 24th rehung in 1679 thanks early years, and mye move to Laura to to the generosity of September,1872. continue farming Kirkwall’s neighbouring Previously marriages of her sisters, It was stated that “ she was a much loved Elizabeth to Robert Slater,(the younger) on parishes. and respected resident of Laura, and held in In 1982 they were again 16.2. 1865; Janet to Henry French on 8th removed and sent to the April, 1868 and Mary to Thomas Lawson on very high esteem by the townspeople” After a Bell Foundry at 25th August, 1870. service in the Laura Baptist church, (there Loughborough for reno- It was in 1872, that the sons ,William Horne was not a Presbyterian church in Laura), vation. The bells were Campbell, aged 21 years & James Campbell, not tuned; so the sound where she had worshipped with her family, heard today remains aged 16 years as well as Robert and she was buried in the Laura Cemetery. Elizabeth Slater, (Campbell) took up land almost identical to that After 62 years of pioneering life, 38 of them heard over 400 years being allocated in the Hundred of Booyoolie, ago. about 170 kms to the north. as a widow,Anne was laid to rest in the So the families moved to establish them- peaceful bushy cemetery at Laura, (her selves in this new area of Laura, north of the paradise?, alongside her daughter.  Issue No34 June 05 NEWSLETTER OF THE ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORYSOCIETY 21 Grandpappy is on his feet again. . . and looking wonderful, thanks to his g g granddaughter

started researching my Family History just over two years Iago, knowing that my roots were in Orkney. I had always wondered how we came to be in Middlesbrough, in the north east of England and eventually I found that my g.g.granddad, a master mariner, had arrived here as a young man. On finding his grave stone in a local cemetery, its condition Maureen shows off Grandpappy quite good considering it had stood since 1887, I decided to after his ‘makeover’. He’s looking arrange for it to be cleaned and reset as it was leaning . pretty good after standing here I approached the council office and was advised that I needed for 118 years. to arrange for a stonemason to do the job, as Council workers no longer do this work. I was also informed that the council was in the process of laying down stones that were leaning. I stated that on no account was this stone to be laid down and that I would contact the stone-mason immediately to have it repaired. I left and went the 200yds across the road to the Mason’s which overlooks the cemetery. The Mason sent me a quote and contacted the council regarding the work to be done. Then it had to wait approx 10-12 weeks as it was the winter months. On visiting the grave some weeks later I was horrified to see the council had laid the stone and in doing so had snapped it off the deep plinth. The mason had previously said it would not fall (probably would stand the rest of his lifetime) he was about 30yrs old. After a lot of letters and inspections the council accepted res- ponsibility and agreed to make good their damage. I am so Happy to see Grand pappy on his feet again, He looks wonderful, and we have a great bond between us (even if we never Have you met) I look after his grave on a regular basis and I know how special contributed an my visit to Orkney will be later this year, knowing I am where his article to our roots are. I am sure if any other member is researching my family line, the newsletter yet? Linklater\Browns of Sandwick, then they will be pleased to know A page or two Poor Grandpappy before this grave exists and is in super condition. pages would his new ‘lease of life’. Maureen Baines (nee Linklater) No 1226 be ideal or you could ease yourself in by writing a ‘Did The Dons of Westray you know’ ur June newsletter included an a item conquests. As a sideline he was said to be snippet for the on the Spanish Armada which testing in Westray for Spanish DNA. I have narrow Oprompted this query from Margaret tried to find out more about this without columns which Polack, Member No16. success and I would be most interested to appear on I was most interested in the narrow column hear if any of my fellow members have come page 23 of issue no33. My paternal ancestors across the project. most pages. were Hewisons and I was brought up on the My grandfather, George Hewison, came to It could be as stories of the Dons. England in 1882. His great grandfather was short as 50 Many of our family are short & swarthy, William Hewison, master of the Brigs Peggy words or as with short necks ,hazel eyes and black hair. and Isobella and then the Pomona, working long as 200 Some years ago I read that a Dr Godbere (I for William Watt and Co. It was at this time words. think that was his name) was doing DNA the spelling settled to Hewison. In the OPR research, not the recent Viking research but his father is given as John Hughison. movements of prehistoric European tribes Margaret Polack.My e-mail address is that may have left Orkney out of their [email protected]  22 NEWSLETTER OF THE ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORYSOCIETY Issue No34 June 05 Malcomson of Longhope bankrolled Henry Ford — ‘Claptrap,’ says David Armstrong. ‘My cousins got it completely wrong.’ see from the December edition of SFN informed her that I had investigated the that the furphy of Alexander Young claim and had found the story to be without IMalcolmson’s Longhope origins has basis. She was unable to give me any detail arisen once again. This “posthumous to substantiate her story.A few months after promotion” has been doing the rounds for I left Orkney to return to Western Australia I quite some years now. learnt that she had instigated The Orcadian As a descendent of the Malcolmsons of newspaper to publish her version of the story Did you Longhope,I was most interested to hear the which they did without apparently checking know? story of how Alexander Young Malcolmson the story for accuracy. In 1679, the slave ship had bankrolled Henry Ford in 1903 and that In 1995 I was again in Orkney, and I found ‘Crown’ was wrecked on his family originated from Longhope.I that the Orkney Tourist Office was now the rocks of Scarveting learnt this story when I made contact with a peddling the myth in their annual brochure. in Deerness, Orkney. 4th cousin who was then living in Sydney, I made sure to inform their staff of the Two hundred Covenant- ers, who were being New South Wales back in 1988. I was also results of my research. transported to the informed at the same time that another I believe that the myth originates from a colonies after their defeat Malcolmson had had an early franchise for “posthumous promotion” of the sort that at the Battle of Bothwell Ford in Winnipeg, Manitoba. family historians can often find in their Bridge just outside Glasgow, died. To be Naturally as a budding family historian I research. I suspect that its origins lie with more accurate they were was interested to see how Alexander George Alexander Malcomson who was born murdered by the captain Malcolmson connected to my family.My first in Ontario in 1876, the son of Hugh who ordered them to be step was to consult a biography of Henry Malcomson and Emily Wood. Hugh was born shut below decks while Ford and this informed that Alexander in 1835 in Longhope, Orkney and died in he and his crew escaped by cutting down the mast Malcolmson was born in Dalry,Ayr in 1865. 1919 in Chatham, Ontario where he was and using it as a bridge His birth was listed on the IGI. Following up both Mayor and a successful businessman. to the shore. on this, I obtained a copy of his birth When his widow died in 1937 in Winnipeg, The few who did escape certificate which stated among other things George Alexander Malcomson was also in were mostly recaptured and ended up as slaves that his parents William Malcolmson and Winnipeg.I have yet to research George in the new world. Bridget Rodger had married in Belfast, Alexander Malcomson’s life, but I suspect Some 200 years later it County Antrim in June 1842. The 1861 that it is he who was “promoted” from was agreed to erect a Census also confirmed the Irish origins of Winnipeg businessman, possibly with the memorial to their mem- the family. Ford franchise, to being the Detroit backer of ory, 33 yards from where they perished, close to The IGI also enabled me to see that the Henry Ford. where many are buried. Malcolmson surname was distributed in Yours sincerely The memorial is 40ft three groups in the British Isles. By far the David Armstrong,(OFHS 133)  high and made of blue largest group originates in Northern Ireland stone with an inset Well there you have it. Thanks to David’s granite tablet bearing the where it is a well established surname. The inscription: second group originates in Shetland and the Orcadian cousin we have been labouring For Christ, His Crown smallest of the three groups is from the under a delusion; along with Ancestral and Covenant, Erected by parish of Walls in Orkney. In both Orkney Scotland, the Orcadian, and the Tourist public subscription, Aug and Shetland the name originates as a Office, to name but a few.Thanks David for 1888, to the memory of setting the record straight and that should 200 Covenanters who patronymic that was adopted as a surname were taken prisoner at in the 18th century. end the myth— unless of course any member Bothwell Bridge and It was quite clear to me from this basic has anything else to add. sentenced to transport- research that Alexander Young Malcolmson Now Orkney may have lost out on the ation for life, but who American connection but I can assure read- perished by shipwreck did not have Orcadian connections and thus near this spot on 10th there is no Orkney link through him to the ers that Australia’s first automobile was Dec. origins of the Ford Motor Company. produced by Orcadians and you can find The monument stands In 1989 I visited Orkney and among the out a bit more on page 16. today still as fresh as people I met was an elderly cousin (now By the way I was looking through an old when it was built, a Sanday census and discovered the name tribute to the covenanters deceased) in Kirkwall, who was I believe the and the 3 Orcadian person who told the story to my New South Kelly.....now I wonder if there was a Ned who masons who built it. Wales cousins.When she raised the story,I went to Australia...... Ed. Issue No34 June 05 NEWSLETTER OF THE ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY 23 Now that’s strange– writes Isobel Irving was Robert Strange’s mother a daughter or a brother of John Scollay of Hunton? was interested to read the article about Sir Thomas Cooper. Robert Strange (OFHS Newsletter March The four-year apprenticeship included I2005). I first saw his name when I was engraving of seals, crests, coats-of-arms, etc. trying to make a Scollay family Tree. In 1745 Robert Strang, who was now known I had been given photocopies of an article by as Robert Strange, engraved from life a portrait Dr. Hugh Marwick, entitled “ Some Notes on of Charles Edward Stewart. an Old Orkney Family- The Scollays.” Sir Robert later studied in France and Italy. I found a Malcolm Scollay, born circa 1648, He achieved distinction in London for the who married Barbara Elphinstone. reproductions of masterpieces. They had, I think, seven children, including In 1787 King George 111 knighted him for Jean/ Jane Scollay, who married 1st, Thomas his work from a painting by Benjamin West, in Dishington, Skipper, and 2nd, David Strang, the Royal Collection.” Internet sites Litster (Dyer of cloth and yarn). Since writing the first part of this letter I you may Jane and David had a son, Robert Strang, decided to have a look in Hossack’s “Kirkwall in born 1721, died 1792. the Orkneys”. have missed Dr. Marwick says that he married Isabella On pages 299 to 306 you have Robert Lumisden, but he doesn’t mention their Strang’s whole life story, but it differs from James Irvine has asked me to draw your family. Dr Hugh Marwick’s account, in that Robert attention to two web A few years ago there was an exhibition Strang’s own words are quoted, and he says sites that may have in the Tankerness House Museum about Sir that his mother was a daughter of John Scollay, escaped your notice. Robert Strange, as he became, and I took note Esquire, of Hunton. The first of these is the of the following short history. In Dr. Marwick’s account John Scollay is one Mike Bostwick site . “ Robert Strang was born and brought up in of her brothers, and their father is Malcolm This has a new feature a house in Victoria Street, Kirkwall. Scollay. ‘Orkney - Old Parish He abandoned his lawyer’s apprenticeship No doubt some other readers will have more Records’. James says when his aptitude for drawing secured him accurate information, and I can’t wait till next that care should be a place with an Edinburgh steel engraver, issue! taken in selecting the Select/Exact/Contains/ Sondex but that once mastered it is a How to send material for your article powerful and comp- Your newsletter depends on a constant flow of articles, LINEART or BLACK & WHITE IMAGES rehensive tool that long and short, from members. Twenty to twentyfour These should be scanned at a minimum of 600dpi. avoids the IGI agenda.. pages requires around 17,000 words, even allowing for VECTOR GRAPHICS James adds that for pictures and headings. Can be sent as EPS files with any text converted to Westray folk Mike has LENGTH curves or paths. added another index. Submissions can run over one or two pages or if lon- PHOTOCOPIES You will find Mike’s ger can be serialised. Generally about 750 words make These are not suitable and cannot be used. site at http://www.// up a page and this allows for the inclusion of a picture. tilley.dynodns.net:8000 Shorter submissions are welcome too; even a The second site is paragraph can fill a corner. the Orkney Today DID YOU KNOW site; lots of Orcadian These fit well into the narrow columns on each page. SUBMISSIONS information and the LETTERS visitor downloads are I would still like to establish a letters page so this is especially helpful. something to keep in mind. FOR You’ll find this one SUBMISSIONS at http//www. If possible please type your article, ‘Word’ is fine and SEPTEMBER orkneytoday.ltd.uk send on floppy, disc or as an e-mail attachment. If possible let me have a hard copy in case I cannot open BY THE your attachment. Remember hand typed submissions have to be retyped and may be delayed. 18th JULY PHOTOGRAPHS If possible please provide an original image ( but not your only copy). If you want to provide PLEASE scanned material, pictures should be scanned as greyscale. 300dpi images. Do not send 72 sending JPEGs they should be saved at the highest quality, largest or 96 dpi JPEG files. If setting or at highest resolution–240-300dps The Orkney Family History Society rkney Family History Society was formed embership of the Society runs from 1st in 1997 and is run by a committee of March to 28th/29th February and Ovolunteers. Msubscriptions should be renewed during It is similar to societies operating worldwide the month of March. All subscriptions should be where members share a mutual interest in family sent to the Treasurer at the OFHS address below. history and help each other with research and, New members joining before the 1st December from time to time assist in special projects con- will receive back copies of the three magazines for cerning the countless records and subjects the current year.From 1st December new members available to us all in finding our roots. will receive membership for the remainder of the The main objectives are: current year, plus the following year, but will not 1. To establish a local organisation for the receive the back copies of the magazine. study, collection, analysis and sharing of The present subscription rates are as follows: information about individuals and families in ORDINARY Orkney Family membership £10.00 2. To establish and maintain links with other family history groups and genealogical societies FAMILY MEMBERSHIP throughout the UK and overseas Spouse, Partner and Children under 18 £15.00 3. To establish and maintain a library and other SENIOR CITIZENS reference facilities as an information resource for Single or couple £7.00 members and approved subscribers. 4. To promote study projects and special OVERSEAS interest groups to pursue approved assignments. Surface Mail £12.50 We are located on the upper floor of the the new OVERSEAS Kirkwall Library adjacent to the archives Air Mail £15.00 department. Our own library, though small at the moment, Overseas members should pay their fees in holds a variety of information including: sterling or its equivalent. If it is not possible to The IGI for Orkney on microfiche. send pounds sterling please check the exchange The Old Parish Records on microfilm. rate. Our bank will accept overseas cheques The Census Returns on microfilm transcribed without charging commission. Receipts will be on to a computer database. issued with the next magazine.Members residing Family Trees. in the may pay their Emigration and Debtors lists. subscriptions by Bankers Order and if they wish Letters, Articles and stories concerning Orkney can have their subscriptions treated as gift and its people. donations.Forms will be sent on request. Hudson’s Bay Company information. Cheques should be made payable to: Graveyard Surveys (long term project) ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY This material is available to members for ‘in and forwarded to house’ research by arrangement. ORKNEY FAMILYHISTORY SOCIETY Locally we have monthly Members Evenings Orkney Library & Archive with a guest speaker. 44 Junction Rd, Kirkwall, Orkney KW15 1AG We produce a booklet of members and interests Telephone 01856 873166 extension 3029 to allow members with similar interests to General enquires should be addressed to the office in writing or correspond with each other if they wish. to Gen. Secy. Mrs Gillian Mooney (e-mail [email protected]) We also produce a newsletter 4 times a year Treasurer. Mr George Gray (e-mail [email protected]) and are always looking for articles and Research Secy. Adrianne Leask (e-mail [email protected]) photographs of interest. A stamped addressed Editor. John Sinclair (e-mail [email protected]) envelope should be included if these are to be Orkney Family History Society website— www.orkneyfhs.co.uk returned. Back copies of the magazine can be Articles in the newsletter are copyright to the Society and purchased at £1 per copy. its authors and may not be reproduced without permiss- We can usually undertake research for ion of the editor. The Society is a registered charity in Scotland and a member of the Scottish Association of members who live outwith Orkney but this is Family History Societies.The Society’s newsletter,Sib dependent on the willingness of our island mem- Folk News is registered with the British Library under bers giving up their spare time to help. the serial number ISSN 1368-3950. subscriptions etc MEMBERSHIP