Capital Sights in Kirkwall Montage by John Sinclair 2 NEWSLETTER of the ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY Issue No 54 June 2010
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NEWSLETTER OFSIB THE ORKNEY FAMILY FOLK HISTORY SOCIETY NEWSISSUE No 54 June 2010 Tankerness House 16th Cent. St Olaf’s Church Doorway 11th cent Moosie Too’er 16th Cent. St Magnus Cathedral 12th-15th cent. Victoria Street Orkney Library & Archive where OFHS is located Gow’s Folly Sports, arts, leisure and cinema complex Albert Street and the ‘big tree’ Capital sights in Kirkwall Montage by John Sinclair 2 NEWSLETTER OF THE ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY Issue No 54 June 2010 ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORY NEWSLETTER Issue No 54 June2010 CONTENTS FRONT COVER From the chair Capital sights in Kirkwall I am sure you are looking forward to your summer holidays whether PAGE 2 you seek the sun, beach and sand or a nice cruise, it is an opportunity From the Chair to relax with family and friends. Orkney will again see many visitors and, as in past years, the Society will welcome many who return to PAGE 3 find that elusive Orcadian ancestor or to experience returning to one’s Tumbledown– 'Newhouse' homeland. The Society’s Annual General Meeting was held in May and I was PAGES 4, & 5 honoured to be re-elected as your chairperson for another year. I was pleased to report on a very North Walls & positive year past and on how the committee have created more opportunities for members and better Brims 1861 access to resources via our website. This has been particularly beneficial to our overseas members population 10 years on who have seen greater benefits for their family history research. We have seen further growth in membership. Increased numbers of members now join, renew and make payment for their membership PAGES 6, 7 & 8 on-line. Over 2300 members have taken out membership of the Society since its inception. Two 19th century It was also an opportunity to thank the many “workers” who keep the services going – our office Lloyd's Agents in Stromness volunteers and researchers; the webmaster and the magazine editor; and to the management committee. Two of our committee did not seek re-election. We are indebted to Helen Manson and Davina Brown PAGE 9 who have been stalwarts in assisting the Society over many long years of service. The tragic loss of Paul Sutherland was our speaker in April and he enthralled a large audience with his well-researched the 'Maggie' story of “Sheriff Thom - the man who saved St Magnus Cathedral”. After the AGM, our May programme PAGES 10 & 11 was from George Gray on various family history enquiries followed by myself on “Using Maps in Mansie o' Family History”. Our June programme was an exploration “across the water” to Caithness – to the Queenalonga Castle of Mey and its gardens, Mary Anne Calder’s cottage and to experience “Caithness Horizons”. However my highlight over this last three months was in April to take the Society’s stand to the PAGES 12,13 & 14 Family History Fair linked to the Scottish Association of Family History Society’s Annual Conference Campston in Livingston, being hosted by West Lothian FHS. There was a warm welcome to Orkney’s participation to Onston with many people showing great affinity with Orkney whether it is from Orcadian ancestry or from a The story of a memorable holiday. Generally, visitors to the stand wanted help with research, some were encouraged Family to join the Society and others were amazed at the vast detail and resources on the OFHS website PAGES 15 Member’s Pages. Others showed their appreciation for what the Society does. Readers' and I was particularly grateful Archive's mystery for the help of Society member photographs No. 21, Bill Williamson from Edinburgh who is pictured PAGES 16 & 17 with me at our stand. He A tale iof three used his extensive knowledge Orcadian Families of Orcadian families and his in Manchester familiarity of using the OFHS PAGES 18 & 19 website to assist members with A new life their queries whilst I was beckons for the able to have lunch. Many Pottingers thanks Bill. PAGES 20 & 21 The Society has a Tofino Pioneers positive future; it is a strong Bill & Ann Stout organisation and is in good heart. I hope you all PAGE 22 experience a good summer. The Walls & Walds puzzle PAGE 23 Alan Clouston End of an era in Westray PAGE 24 Membership Thanks Bill—Your help was greatly appreciated Issue No. 50 June 2009 NEWSLETTER OF THE ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY 3 FEATURING ‘NEWHOUSE’ in ORPHIR CAN YOU STILL FIND YOUR ANCESTRAL HOME? Another ‘Tumbledown’ tale from our chairman, Alan Clouston, member 339 The ‘Tumbledown’ articles have a running theme The inhabitants in 1821 kept 5 Black Cattle; 2 Swine about derelict ‘old’ houses. This time, however, it is odd and also had 1 Boat. The occupants would have been that the property featured is still known as ‘Newhouse’. crofters/farmers drawing a living from an acreage that- I return, for this ‘Tumbledown’ to the Houton area of varied over the years from 6 acres in 1851, 10 acres in Orphir to two properties that were part of a small croft 1861 rising to 20 acres in 1871 and reducing to to 11 on the south side of the Midland Hill overlooking the Bay of Houton. This property was sometimes described again by 1881. as ‘News’ and, in fact, appears on some old maps un- If your family is linked to Newhouse or if you have der this name. I believe that this probably reflects the questions to ask or more information about the property phonetic spelling of names; if you say ‘New-House’ in the please contact me— [email protected] Orcadian dialect you get ‘New-hus’. If you say it quickly If you have a ‘Tumbledown’ tale to tell we’d love to it becomes ‘News’. read all about it in a future edition of our newsletter. RESIDENTS OF PARKHOUSE / PARK COTTAGE Residents of NEWHOUSE 1821 1841 1851 1861 1871 1881 1891 1901 NEWHOUSE # News NEWHOUSE NEWS NEWHOUSE NEWS NEWHOUSE Name age age age age age age age age Andrew Clouston (Head) B. Orphir 40 65 - - - - - - Jane (wife)(b.Orphir) nee Groundwater 30 55 - - - - - - Robert (son)(Orphir) 10 30 - - - - - - Andrew* (son)(Orphir)(see family below) 10 30 - - - - - - James (son)(Orphir) 5 - - - - - - - Jane (daughter)(B.Orphir) 1 25 - - - - - - William (son)(Orphir)(Shoemaker) 1 20 - - - - - - Edward* (son)(Orphir)(see family below) - 20 32 42 52 62 72 82 Margaret (daughter)(Orphir) - 14 - - - - - - James (son of Andrew*)(Orphir) - 7 - - - - - - John (son)(b.Orphir) - 5 - - - - - - Margaret Laughton - 25 - - - - - - Euphaim Goar (female servant) - 30 - - - - - - Hellen (wife of Edward* (b.Orphir) (nee Wishart) - - 27 37 47 57 John (son)(b.Orphir)(apprentice shoemaker) - - 4 14 - - - - Jean (daughter)(b.Orphir) - - 1 11 21um 31um - - Margaret Tait (farm/domestic servant (B.Orphir) - - 12 22 - - - - James (son)(b.Orphir) - - - 8 18 - - - William (son)(B.Orphir) - - - 6 - - - - Margaret Ann Tait (neice)(B.Orphir) - - - - - - 18um 28um William Tait (Head)(B.Orphir) - - - - - - 55 65 Isabella (wife)(B.Orphir) - - - - - - 44 55 William (son)(B.Orphir) - - - - - - 17um 26um Peter (son)(B.Hoy) - - - - - - 11 - George (son)(B.Hoy) - - - - - - 9 - Janet (daughter)(B.Graemsay) - - - - - - 8 - James Henry (son)(B.Graemsay) - - - - - - 3 13 4 NEWSLETTER OF THE ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY Issue No.54 June 2010 North Walls and Brims . the 1861 Population 10 years on Jane Harris, member No 1503 continues her postgraduate project in article No2 n my previous article I discussed the population of Incomers on the move North Walls and Brims as shown in the 1861 census. Two of the Melsetter estate employees had left Orkney. IIn many ways the transcription of the 1861census and William Gunn, gamekeeper in 1861, is back in his father’s its analysis was the easy part of my project; tracing the household in Halkirk, Caithness, along with his sister 1861 population in the 1871 census or an earlier death who had also been at Melsetter. The former shepherd at was a much more challenging task. Rysa, George Telford and his family moved to Orkney from Sutherland no earlier than 1857 as his twin sons, LOCATION IN 1871 NUMBER aged three in the 1861 census, were born in Sutherland. By September 1869, they were in Leith where one of the Still In North Walls or Brims 340 twins, Hugh, died of scarlet fever. His death came only Moved in parish (ie to South Walls, Flotta or Fara) 31 a few days after that of his niece, daughter of Alexand- Moved in Orkney 60 rina and Walter Wilson (son of John and Isabella Wilson, Scews). In the 1871 census, George Telford (now retired), In hospital (in Orkney) 1 his wife and two sons are recorded in Leith North, with Moved in Scotland 23 Alexandrina, Walter (a seaman) and their young family Seamen 5 listed next door. The two other Telford sons were mer- Moved to England 2 chant seamen on the Buda¹, berthed at Leith while Mary Telford was a cook in Avondale, Lanarkshire. Though Emigrated 2 Leith seems an unlikely destination for a retired shep- Dead 63 herd, the sea-faring side of the family is almost certainly Unknown 70 the explanation. Total 597 Men at sea The influence of sea-going husbands accounts for the At least four people were visitors on census night moves of two other women. Jessie Sinclair, The Muirs, 1861 so might be expected to have moved. With less married William Ritch, a sailor from Rackwick, in 1868. than 60% of the 1861 population of North Walls and In 1871, she, her three children and her brother and sister Brims remaining in 1871; this looks like a lot of change, (brother not at The Muirs in 1861 census) are all recorded even allowing for deaths and a number of short term in Ardrossan.