Sib Folk News No 12 December 1999 Orkney Family History Society Cure for wheat rust discovered by son of Orcadian immigrant Contents Read about it on page 13 From the Chair and the Editor 2 Correspondence & OFHS Membership hits 435 Queries 3 Fair Isle Emigration Did your ansces- How to use to Orkney 4 tors hail from Stronsay Statistical the Report Part 8 10 Fair Isle? Internet Oldest Pioneer Dies 11 Read from page 4 onp!6 The Wyiies of Burray 12 THE BLACK & RED Orcadians WYLiES OF BUHRAY of Nova Scotia 13 Read about them on page 12 Two great great grandfathers 15 The Internet Page 16 Who cuene the Qth The Beattons of Vetenen Battalion Clowegarth & Langsacle 18 of KmkamLL I Find out on page 15 1 years earlier. I was the eldest From the of three. If we sometimes felt From the Editor Chairman's Desk that Dad was a bit impatient with us Mum would remind I suppose the phrase "this is us that we were the second the last issue of the century" This edition is going to find has been used in many jour- us at the end of another year, family that he had had to bring up.. He was naturally nals recently. For the another century, and another Society, this , the 12th issue, millennium. To look back is shy but had a great sense of humour, and he did play represents three years of no new thing to any genealo- publication. Hasn't time gist but those of us who can games with us as children. I never heard him complain of flown by? It does not seem recall the iast fifty years are long ago since the first issue left wondering if things can the hardships of his earlier years was being published. Our change as much in the next membership keeps on fifty. growing and as readers will Although he lived to be nine- see from the latest Directory A look at my own family tree ty-two he was not interested which accompanies this leaves me thinking that I am in recalling the old days or in issue, membership stands at probably lucky to be of an genealogy. Instead he was around 430. age to see the turn of the interested in the news of the day. He often asked who was century. I could have been I have to thank the many twenty years older and here dating who among the young folk hereby demonstrating contributes to the newslet- is the story. My Pottinger ters. This issue, a 20 pager, grandfather met an untimely that he preferred to look to the future. makes up for the last rather death, and that too is a story. small 12 page issue. I am He had a croft of 52 acres As a society we are looking pleased to say that I have had with kelp rights and he left a more than enough contribu- wife and thirteen children, back with gratitude at the progress of the last three tions for this issue and as a the youngest still unborn. result I have a good supply The oldest son had died years. We are indebted to a great many people for of material left over for issue young, the second, at the 13. However do not stop time of his father's death had support in many ways. However we are now looking sending in articles as some of just married and of necessity the materials sent in may not was preparing to go to to the future with a measure of excitement. At our last be used, not because they are Canada where land for uninteresting but because of fanning was to be had. My committee meeting we saw the plans for the new Orkney their size. One article is father was now left with the about 24 pages long. Even if sad task of seeing his mother Library and for the O.F.H.S. room therein. It will be good I break such long articles through her last pregnancy down to three pages per issue and looking after his brothers to have more space for our equipment and better condi - it would take 8 issues or two and sisters who were still at years to complete. home. It was to his credit tions to store our books and papers etc. Contributers will agree, I am that the youngest sister, who sure, that each issue must never knew her father, said contain a good mix of arti- that, "Tam was always good I would like to send cles, some of which will be to us". His name was Christmas greetings to all our of interest to the general Thomas Mowat Pottinger readers and I hope the year reader. One solution would and he was called after his 2000 will be a special year be to summarise such an grandfather, Thomas Mowat, for us all. My sincere good article and have full copies who moved to Westray from wishes for a relaxing holiday available from the Society. Dunrossness, Shetland in the season to all the volunteers, Recently when I received early part of the nineteenth researchers, correspondents such an article, I submitted it century. and our editor Gavin and his to the ORKNEY VIEW who wife Pearl who work hard to published it — see Adam The outcome was that my produce this magazine. Cromarty's article on father was almost forty years Alexander Cromarty, Master old and my mother was thirty Mariner and Marine Artist in seven when they married and the Dec/Jan Issue of this is why I reckon that I ORKNEY VIEW. might have been born twenty "RutcbUl 2 Correspondence and Members' Queries From Mrs C J Whit ham, to Australia and married her 4, Airdale Drive, cousin James Scott, son of Horsforth, Leeds, William Scott, brother of my LS18 5ED Peter Scott. found several MERRIMAN Does anyone know anything HARCUS families in different parts of extra on Betty Liddle, Peter Can anyone in the Society Orkney and I have resear- Scott and Barbara Dearness, shed some light on the fol- ched the OPRs, the IGI and or Peter and Barbara's lowing people? the Census returns for infor- daughter Mary? mation, I would welcome James Harcus (Hercus), born any lead or link to a in Scotland, 1820, a seaman Shapinsay SHEARERS Merriman who left the who eventually settled in Orkneys in the first half of Cumbria. I am also endeavouring to the 19th century. compile information on the James Irving Harcus (son of Shapinsay Shearers who In the mid 19th century my the above) born 18 Dec came to Victoria and South great great grandfather went 1856, North End, Stromness, Australia. If any reader can to the West Indies/British Orkney. help I would be most grate- Guiana where he was ful. engaged in government I am anxious to go back in building and construction time as I have a lot of infor- work. From my research his mation about the family after From James Louttit (299), name may have been "W they moved to Cumbria, Durham, NC, USA, Merriman" (possibly although I am unsure as to William or Wallace). I have when that was, other than it LOUTTIT been able to gather a great was after 1856 and before My name is James Louttit, deal of family history of the 1880. and I am still seeking the Guyana Merrimans but I birthplace of my great grand- would now like to trace the father, William Louttit, who family history back in the From Gloria Cant, (375), was born 17 October 1827 Orkneys. Can anyone help? South Australia. either in Orkney or perhaps the USA. My postal address From George Matthew SCOTT was incorrect in the Brown, Florida, USA September (No 11) edition of My ancestors are Peter Scott Sib Folk News. My address Rendall b 20.6.1800 and Betty is James Louttit, 3546 Liddle, their parents being Hamstead Court, Durham, I have a cousin whose father James and Margaret Scott NC 27707, USA. was William Rendall and and James Liddle and g-father, George Rendall Charlotte Leask. Their From Mrs Coreen A married to Eliz. Taylor and natural daughter was Jane Merriman, (311), thought to have hailed from Scott b 29.10.1828. Loughton, Essex Orkney. George lived in Blantyre in 1894 before No record has been found of MERRIMAN moving to Leith. William Peter Scott and Betty Liddle had two brothers, Magnus marrying, but Peter married I have been researching this and David. Help please. Barbara Deerness on name for several years and 13.2.1834 and had a child have gathered much reliable [email protected] Mary Scott b 5.5.1836 at information from British Fort, Eday. Jane Scott came Guiana (Guyana). I have 3 Emigration from Fair Isle to Orkney Preface to the Article by George Stout I am delighted to write a paragraph or two about Jerry Eunson who was one of life's characters. A veritable "magpie" when it came to collecting Fair Isle and Shetland lore. He had an encyclo- paedic knowledge about the northern isles and family histories. He and I were related, as all people with Fair Isle ancestry tend to be, and, of an evening with a dram or two in his hand, he had the most fascinating and hilarious tales to tell. A native of Fair Isle, Jerry left the island to spend a career with the Royal Bank of Scotland and, for a time, he was in Orkney where he worked on the floating bank which went around the islands in the 1930's.