SIB FOLK NEWSISSUE No 47 September 2008 NEWSLETTER OF THE ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY Kirkwall. The busiest cruise liner port in Scotland On the 10th May the first of the visiting cruise ships returned to Orkney when the Marco Polo tied-up at Hatston Pier in Kirkwall Bay. Over the year 44 vessels have visited the islands, some as many as 5 times. The smallest carried just 25 passengers; the largest over 2500. The total passenger capacity was in the region of 40,000 and many disembarked to explore Kirkwall and visit the 12th century St Magnus Cathedral. Others took the tour to the 5000 year old village of Skara Brae which also allows time to visit the chambered cairn of Maeshowe, the Standing Stones of Stenness and the Ring of Brodgar. Some will return in the future, the first of many visits they will make as they fall under the spell of the Orkney Islands. Perhaps we can welcome you too? The Minerva, Silver Cloud and Marco Polo visitrd Kirwall on August 7th Photograph. John Sinclair. 2 NEWSLETTER OF THE ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY Issue No 47 September 2008 ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORY NEWSLETTER Issue No 46 June 2008 CONTENTS FRONT COVER Echoes of a From Bygone Age PAGE 2 From the Chair the chair PAGE 3 Tumbledown With the summer over, the Society now looks forwards No 4 to our forthcoming winter programme. How quickly Page 4 & 5 this summer appears to have gone! I recall a story Stromness linked to Robert Louis when I was a small boy about how quickly “time flies” - it was said to have Stevenson originated in a well known house in the parish of Stenness when the “man o’ the PAGE5 hoose” retorted, “Heh-heh Time Flies” after his wife had flung the clock at him. I Robbie the Sholtie hope that summer has been reasonable for you and you now find the time to get back into your family history. PAGE 6 Fiery Bill Inkster Ancestral tourism is certainly alive in Orkney, as the office has continued to PAGE 7 Last Ranch welcome visitors from all over the world. On occasions simultaneous enquiries PAGES 8 & 9 result in the instant meeting of family kin. There is no doubt that returning to The Spences Orkney to find that link to Orcadian ancestry is as popular as it has ever been. If of Cumming & Spence you have experienced a worthwhile visit why not send our SFN editor your story. PAGE 10 I found my The Society will not be promoting any special events during 2009, which is Tumbledown Scotland’s Year of Homecoming. With existing demands, we recognise that the PAGES 12–16 best service we can provide for visitors is to ensure we can cope with the normal DNA in Genealogy users as well as those who will, throughout the homecoming year, wish to access the Society’s resources and pick the brains of our stalwart researchers and PAGE 17 In memory of volunteers. Walter Sinclair PAGES 18 & 19 The Society will celebrate its first event of the programme, being the Annual HBC Blankets Dinner, in September. The series of monthly events is being planned and the PAGE 19 programme will appear as soon as possible on the OFHS website. The training News from events programmed for members in Orkney will take place over the autumn. Janette Thomson PAGES 20 & 21 May the autumn and the lead up to Christmas be a positive time for you all. The Abernethys of Stromness PAGE 21 James Cambell Alan Clouston Bruce Inkster PAGE 22 An encounter with Sept 2008 Moby Dick PAGE 23 Can you identify the Photographs PAGE 24 Membership etc Issue No. 47 September 2008 NEWSLETTER OF THE ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY 3 By Alan Clouston - Member No 339 Overlooking the ‘Gateway to the New World’ and steeped in history, the Hall of Clestrain, although not quite tumble- down, is and has been uninhabited for 50 years. It is recog- nised by Historic Scotland and the Scottish Civic Trust as an ‘A’ listed building, a critical ‘at Risk’ building. The land of Clestrain was once part of the vast estates of the Honeyman family and the original house was ransacked in 1725 by the infamous Orkney pirate John Gow who was to end his days hanging from a rope at Execution Dock in London. The original building was replaced in 1768 by an entirely new Georgian building built by Patrick Honeyman, third Laird of Graemsay. In 1813 John Rae was born at the Hall of Clestrain. Re- HALL OF CLESTRAIN 1821 1841 1851 1861 1871 1881 1891 1901 Name age age age age age age age age cently the BBC TV docu- John Rae (head) 40 rama ‘Passage’ related Margaret Rae (wife) 30 the stories of the endeav- James Rae (son) 15 ours of Rae, considered by Jess Rae (daughter) 10 Marion Rae (daughter) 10 many to be the greatest William Rae (son) 10 Arctic explorer of all time. Richard Rae (son) 5 The programme highlight- John Rae (son) 5 ed his service as a medical Thomas Rae 1 doctor to the Hudson’s Bay William Mackay (head) 30 42 53 62 Company, his charting of Fanney Mackay (nee Sinclair) 35 43 54 67 northern Canada, his dis- Jennet Mackay (daughter) 15 covery of the ‘North West George Mackay (son) 11 Passage’ and his uncover- James Mackay (son) 9 Isabella Mackay (daughter) 6 15 ing the fate of the Frank- William Mackay (son) 4 13 23 lyn expedition. This later Margaret Mackay (d’ter) 1 11 discovery was to deny Rae John Mackay (son) (head) 9 28 39 Betsy Mackay (daughter) 6 17 35 Dr John Rae his place in history as Vic- torian Society attempted Frances Mackay (daughter) 4 14 33 Richard Mackay (head) 36 to conceal the horrific truth of what actually happened to Christina Mackay (wife) 37 Sir John Franklyn’s illfated 1845 expedition. Richard Mackay (son) 7 The Hall was also highlighted in the BBC2 ‘Restoration’ John Mackay (son) 5 series in 2004, with hopes of it being restored into commu- Francis Mackay (son) 2 nity use as a heritage facility to tell the John Rae story and Jane Robina Mackay (d’ter) 5 wks within its grounds to erect a new Boat Hall and other facili- James Baillie (head) (ret’rd) 77 ties to house Orkney’s boat collection telling stories of ‘Ork- Margaret Baillie (wife) 69 ney and the Sea’. This project continues to be advanced and James Baillie (son) (head) 37 hopefully the Hall will not be left to ‘tumble down’ and will Jemina Baillie (wife) 29 John W Baillie (son) 6 be restored for the use of future generations. Jessie Baillie (daughter) 3 Are you perhaps related to the Rae family in some way? William B Baillie (son) (head) 43 Do you have any stories or inforemation about Rae’s sib- Mary Baillie (wife) 33 lings and their families? James S Baillie (son) 12 Frances M Baillie (daughter) 10 If so Alan Clouston would be delighted to hear from you. William D Baillie (son) 9 You can contact him at [email protected] or at the Isabella J Baillie (daughter) 7 Orkney Family History Society office. Eleanor M Baillie (daughter) 4 Alexina J Baillie (daughter) 2 Space does not allow for the inclusion of the census details of the servants Thomas L Baillie (son) 1 mth who worked at the Hall between 1821 and 1901. If these are of interest to you Peter Maxwell (head) 30 Alan will e-mail a copy on request. Ellen Fotheringham ( hlf sister) 41 4 NEWSLETTER OF THE ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY Issue No. 47 September 2008 Scottish Association of Family History Societies 19th Annual Conference Saturday 26th April 2008 in Motherwell Concert Hall. Nan Scott reports This year’s SAFHS Conference was hosted by Lanark- Postcard” stall that had a big bundle of Orkney postcards shire Family History Society in association with Glasgow for sale. If anyone is interested I can pass on an address. and West of Scotland Family History Society. The Conference was opened by Gilbert Cox, Lord Lieu- On the Friday night, 25th April, North Lanarkshire tenant of Lanarkshire. He had been at the Civic Reception Council kindly put on a Civic Reception and Dinner which the night before and had expressed an interest in family was hosted by Provost Tom Curley. It was in the Civic history researches. The first speaker was Dr Irene O’Brien Centre, Motherwell. As I was the only OFHS member to whose subject was “Scottish Poor Law”. She is well known enrol for the Conference I was invited to represent Orkney all over the Scottish Archive scene and is a Senior Archi- Family History Society. When Mr Bob Stewart, chairman vist in Glasgow City Archives. She told us how the Poor of the Lanarkshire Family History Society, replied to the Law Act came into being in1845 and continued until 1948. welcome and presentation by Provost Tom Curley I got a She went on to tell us of the records that had to be kept to special welcome as the furthest travelled guest. A lovely comply with the law such as names, ages, birthplaces, de- meal was served by College students after which an enjoy- pendants, marital histories, other relations and addresses. able time was spent talking to old friends and meeting new She also told us where they could be found. It was very in- ones. The company began to break up at 9.30pm. teresting how several of the examples that she chose to use Then at 9.30am, the next morning, we congregated in came from Orkney.