Sib Folk News Issue 19 September 2001

Contents

Page

2 From the Chairman and the Editor

- 3 A FlawsFamil y 8 A Dearness Family Canadian Archaeologist leads 9 A Grandson's Legacy 13 Summer Outing

team excavating Viking 14 The Story Tellers long house at Quoygrew, 15 William Groundwater 17 Correspondence

20 finding the Best Westray Genealogy Programme

Dr Barrett explained to the Editor that the remains of Pictish, Viking 22 Orkney's Gravestones and medieval remains have been found at Quoygrew. 22 Westrays Lost The Viking middens (refuse heaps) containing, ash, shells and large Mariners fish bones, have been exposed by the sea. There is also evidence of soil having been transported to the site to deepen soil depth in adjacent fields.

The Newsletter of the Orkney Family History Society 1 usually few and far between spondence but there are lots Frcm the though! of stories that could be Apart from the ongoing work shared. One just has to do a Chairman in the office we have kept a bit of eavesdropping at the low profile in the public this public meetings to know that. "Read any good books summer. As usual we have We are considering entering lately?" had many callers whom we our next journal into the com- I have just started reading yet were able to help. There were petition run by the Scottish another Orkney book which many from Australia. One of Association of Family History came out this year. "In My our visitors this year was none Societies. There's a chal- Small Corner-Memories of other than our trusty editor. It lenge! an Orkney Childhood" is writ- was good that Gavin Rendall ten by Margaret Aitken (nee was able to join us at the com- Nan Scott Donald) whom I knew at mittee meeting in August. school. She writes very well and her sense of humour, The excursion to Stronsay in From the Editor which I recall, continually June was a huge success. shines through. The Stronsay members and In August I took two of my their families went out of their grandsons, Jamie (12) and She remembers, in detail, all way to see that we all had a Andrew Rendall (10) to Ork- her relatives and the people good day. It was interesting ney for the first time and we she knew who lived near her to visit Papa Stronsay when it had a wonderful holiday. They home at the "Munt" She re- was about to undergo a major thought it the best holiday members the people she met change in its history. Perhaps they had ever had. I have to when on excursions on the next year the society could confess that I was so busy mainland and on holiday in have a Papa Stronsay night. with my grandsons that I did the North Isles. It is interest- practically no genealogy re- ing too how she adds lots of There will be no meeting in search. However I did attend Orkney's ancient history in a September but on October the committee meeting of the very readable form. 11th 2001 Tom Muir OFHS in their new offices in We could do with a copy in the will speak on George Mar- the Strynd. I was very im- 0 F H S office! wick, Yesnaby's storyteller, in pressed with the work of the the St. Magnus Centre, Kirk- committee and the facilities Just recently we received a wall. In November the annual they have built up. They have package of Orkney books and dinner is to be in the Royal had a very busy time this maps from Allan and Dorot- Hotel Kirkwall. summer helping visitors with hea McKenzie, Niagara Fails, their research. Canada. This was very kind Some speakers are already of them and we want to thank booked for next year. There Readers of this issue will ob- them. We appreciate ail the will be a members night in serve the increased number books, pamphlets, and papers January. Phil Astley who is of articles and correspon- that we have received in the working in the Hudson's Bay dence. Keep it up. Editors are past. Company Archives at the mo- never satisfied and my plea ment may be with us in this time is for photographs, if One of the highlights of the March. James Irvine will possible, to create interest. summer for me is the "Sale of speak on "Contemporary Pages of text tend to be bor- Orkney Books" held in the Sources in the National and ing. Orkney Auction Mart every Orkney Archives for local and July. I attend, when I can, family history" in April. Also Two members, in this issue, hoping to pick up a bargain for Cameron Taylor has offered have made suggestions for our office or for myself. The to speak on "Genealogy Tour- articles in SFN. If you haven't sale is regularly supported by ism" at some point put pen to paper or attacked interesting and interested your keyboard why not have a people. Members who live My last word to you on this go for the December issue of outwith Orkney and are book occasion would be to please SFN. collectors should try to be at think of sending some items this annual event or at least for our journal. The last SFN get a catalogue. Bargains are had lots of interesting corre-

Issue 19 September 2001 Sib Folk News 2 Flaws An Unusual Orcadian Name by Bob Flaws

laws is not a common surname, at least not that's where we needed to look. Unfortunately, we in the U.S. When I was growing up, my had nonrefundable plane tickets back to the U.S., Ffather and I had a sort of game we played. so a trip to S. Ronaldsay was not possible that visit. Whenever we visited a new town or city, we would However, I did remember what Margaret had told look in the phone directory to see if any Flawses me. were listed They never were (until I visited Auck- land, NZ 8-10 years ago). Not only is my last name A few years later, I was poking about in my relatively rare, its English meaning caused no end mother's attic among my father's belongings, of teasing and embarrassment when I was a child. looking for genealogical clues. In an old trunk, I However, I always knew my surname was not found my grandfather's obituary and his father's English but derived from Norse. My father had told before him, which said they had both emigrated me about our family's Orcadian heritage early on. from St. Margaret's Hope on S. Ronaldsay. Unfortunately, his father had lived far from us and Around this same time, I also discovered the gene- died when I was only five or six. So I never got to alogy records at our local Church of the Latter question my grandfather about his parents. When Days Saints (Mormons) as well as on-line geneal- my father was in his 60s or early 70s, he had tried ogy. Through these means, I was able to get back to track down his Orcadian forebears, but, by then, another generation to my great-great grandfather. I had grown up and moved away, and he never Then one day, my mother sent me a newspaper discussed this with me while he was alive. That clipping from the New York Times about a B & B meant that, for most of my life, I knew my family in St. Margaret's Hope. I wrote to the proprietors was from Orkney, but I had no idea from what asking them if they knew of anyone who might island, parish, town, or croft. help me with my Flaws genealogy. Fortunately, these good people put me in touch with Helen One of the perks of my profession (I'm a writer and Manson of Sellardyke who was able to get me back teacher) is that I get to travel in Europe at least once another couple of generations. Helen is a member a year. When my own son was young, we tried to of the Orkney Family History Society and a distant arrange these travels in the summer when my son cousin. I've also received help from other distant was on vacation so that our whole family could go. cousins over the Internet, such as Lisa Conrad and Seven or eight years ago, I asked my son Ian (who Pam Thompson, both OFHS members. Below is was 11 or 12 at the time) where he'd like to visit what I've been able to learn about my Flaws line to when we were in Europe that summer. To my date. surprise, he replied Orkney. After my wife's and my initial surprise, we said, "Why not?" The name Flaws originated in the 15th century when Orcadians adopted the Scottish practice of When we got to Kirkwall, the proprietor of the B & surnames as opposed to the older Norse patronym- B in which we were staying learned we were inter- ics. Like many Orcadians at that time, the family ested in meeting any Orcadian Flawses, so he which came to be known as Flaws adopted the called up Magnus Flaws, a friend of his who lived name of the farm they lived on Flaws in Norse or on Wyre. Magnus was the captain of the ferry that Norn seems to refer to a piece of arable land at the ran from Mainland to Rousay to Wyre and Egilsay. foot of a hill. It has variously been spelled Flaus, Magnus said his wife, Margaret, was also a Flaws Fiause, Flauis, Flauies, Flais, Flavis, Flawys, and and knew the most about the family history. He Flawes. In Norwegian, the name would be spelled said we should come on the ferry and have lunch Flaas or Flas, and is pronounced in Orkney closer with Margaret on Wyre, so off we went in the to Flaas than to the American rendition of Flaws. pouring rain to meet the first other Flawses in my This family seems to have existed on the second life. When we got to the dock at Wyre, Magnus lent tier of Orcadian society and never seems to have us his car (he had to continue to Egilsay) and we been either very prolific or prominent According went to find Margaret. Margaret told us that the to Robert Marwick, the Flawses on Rousay and Flawses had originated on S Ronaldsay and that, if Wyre must have emigrated from S. Ronaldsay we really wanted to find out about our forebears before the 18th century, since there are no written

Sib Folk News Issue 19 September 2001 records linking the Rousay and Wyre families to S. christened on Apr. 15, 1810 in Kirkwall/St. Ola. Ronaldsay after that time. Likewise, Flawses also His father was Edward Chalmers, and his mother seem to have emigrated to Shetland by the end of was Rebecca Sinclair. the 15th century. Although some Shetland Flawses say they are descended from a Spanish sailor named Children of ROBERT FLAWS and MARY Flores shipwrecked from the Armada, it is clear the CHALMERS were: name Flaws pre-existed the Elizabethan era by almost 100 years. Other Shetlanders say it was two ROBERT FLAWS, b. Dec 3, 1858, S Ronaldsay; Norwegian brother fishermen who first brought the d. Mar. 12, 1936, Watertown, NY surname Flaws to those islands. However, Flaws is MARGARET HELEN FLAWS, b Jan 8, 1865, S. not a Norwegian surname, and it is probable that Ronaldsay, m JAMES MACPHER- this story is derived from the fact that the two SON. Margaret came over on the brothers were Norn-speakers, not Norwegians per Anchoria with her brother and hus- se. band in April 1886. James was a tailor in Watertown, NY Although James Flawis was a tacksman in the JESSIE SINCLAIR FLAWS, b. Nov. 10, 1870, S. urislands of Marwick in 1492, Adam Flawis ap- Ronaldsay; m HENRY LEWIS pears as a juror at Kirkwall in 1509, Magnus Flawis Jessie Flaws is mentioned as the sur- witnessed a charter of confirmation in 1545, and viving aunt of Robert Wallace Flaws. Nicholl Flavis was a juror on an assize court at She is described in his obituary as Tankerness in 1559, my line of Flawses seems to be living in Moosomin, Saskatchewan. descended from the Robert Flaws who married MARY FLAWS, b. about 1864, S. Ronaldsay Mary Arnot on S. Ronaldsay on Jul. 2, 1756. Who JAMES FLAWS, b. Sept. 3, 1872, S. Ronaldsay Robert and Mary's children were is not completely clear at this point in time My best guess is that the JAMES FLAWS (SAMUELi, DONALDi, ROB- Donald Flaws who married Margaret Duncan in ERTi) married ELIZA WHITWAY on Mar 28, Cleat was Robert's son. However, it is likely that 1850, daughter of ISABELLA WHITWAY She these two had more than one son since I was always was born on Jan. 18, 1824, and died on Apr 29, told while growing up that I was the eighth genera- 1898. According to Helen Manson, James was a tion in my direct line which had a son named tailor in St. Margaret's Hope. Helen Manson gives Robert. In any case, Donald and Margaret gave James's wife's name as Elizabeth Wethaquoy Her birth to Samuel Flaws who was born on S. Ronald- surname has also been spelled Whitquoy. The 1851 say in 1786 and died on Sept 10, 1858, He married Census shows James and Eliza newly married and Helen Budge on Feb. 18, 1815 in S. Ronaldsay, living with Eliza's mother, Isabella Whitway. daughter of James Budge and Janet Duncan. She was bom before Mar. 3, 1789 in S. Ronaldsay and Children of JAMES FLAWS and ELIZA WHIT- died Jan. 27, 1870. The 1841 Census lists Samuel's WAY were: age as 55, occupation fisherman, residence No 25, Clett According to Lisa Conrad, Helen and Samuel JAMES FLAWS, b. 1853; d. Apr. 9, 1920 Flaws's marriage was witnessed by James Budge ELIZA WHITQUOY FLAWS, b Jan. 20, 1856 and John Flaws. HELEN FLAWS, b. Oct. 23, 1858 JOHN WHITQUOY FLAWS, b Jul. 31, 1864 Children of Samuel Flaws and Helen Budge were: MAGNUS FLAWS (SAMlIELi, DONALDi, ROB- 1 ROBERT FLAWS, b. Oct 1829, S Ronaldsay ERTi) married MARGARET MURDOCH TOMI- 2 JAMES FLAWS, b. Mar. 28, 1825, S. Ronald- SON on May 3, 1849 Magnus was christened on say; d. Dec. 10, 1910 Jan 8,1824 in S. Ronaldsay. His age is given as 15 3. MAGNUS FLAWS, b. Jan 1824, S Ronaldsay in the 1841 Census. 4 BARBARA FLAWS, b. Aug. 18, 1822 Children of MAGNUS FLAWS and MARGARET Generation No. 2 TOMISON were

ROBERT FLAWS (SAMLIELi, DONALDi, ROB- HELEN BUDGE FLAWS, b. Oct. 1851 ERTi) married MARY CHALMERS on Jan. 1, HENRIETTA FLAWS, b. Oct. 1853 In the 1881 1858 in St. Andrews. Mary was the daughter of Census, Henrietta is listed as Harriet, PETER CHALMERS and JEAN PETRIE She was 27 yrs., a dressmaker. She was chris- born in September 1838 in Evie. Mary was chris- tened Oct 19, 1853 on S.Ronaldsay. tened in Kirkwall/St. Ola. Peter Chalmers was

Issue 19 September 2001 Sib Folk News 4 JOHN TOMISON FLAWS, b Apr 19, 1857, S. bara, and Suzie are all buried in the North Water- Ronaldsay town Cemetery ELIZABETH TOMISON FLAWS, b. Mar. 2, 1859, S. Ronaldsay Children of ROBERT FLAWS and BAR- ISABELLA SUTHERLAND FLAWS, b Mar. 4, BARA WALLACE were: 1866, S. Ronaldsay. In the 1881 Census, Isabella is listed as a 14 CLARA FLAWS year old scholar, i.e., student. She ROBERT WALLACE FLAWS, b Nov 21, 1882, was christened on Mar. 4, 1866. St. Margaret's Hope, S Ronaldsay; MARY KENNEDY ALLAN FLAWS, christened d. Jan. 1951, Watertown, NY on Jul. 9, 1850, S.Ronaldsay WILLIAM J FLAWS, b. Nov. 24, 1886; d. Nov. WILLIAM FLAWS, b. about 1862 1969, Buffalo, NY. William ran away to sea at 16 years old and did BARBARA FLAWS (SAMUELi, DONALDi, not have any contact with his ROBERT\) married WILLIAM SINCLAIR on brother after that. Many years later, Dec. 23, 1852 in S. Ronaldsay, son of JAMES when notified of William's death, SINCLAIR and BARBARA GROAT William he did not attend his funeral. Based was bom on Nov. 16, 1825 on S. Ronaldsay, and on Social Security records, William died on Apr. 6, 1881 in Sandwick, S. Ronaldsay. may actually have died in Roches- Barbara was christened on Aug. 22, 1822, and her ter. His brother's obituary lists him age was given as 15 in 1841 Census. as living in Rochester, not Buffalo.

Children of BARBARA FLAWS and WILLIAM JAMES FLAWS (JAMES\ SAMUELi, DON- SINCLAIR were: ALDi, ROBERT^ first married ELIZABETH WHITEWAY. She was bom on Jan. 10, 1856 and CATHERINE CROMARTY SINCLAIR, b. Jul. died on Mar. 2, 1935. He later married HELEN 3,1859 WEBSTER SIM on Aug. 9, 1894 in Aberdeen, JESSIE CROMARTY ALLEN SINCLAIR, b Scotland. The 1881 Census lists James as a cutter. Aug. 20, 1857 Helen Manson says he was a tailor like his father. MARGARET SINCLAIR, b 1855 He probably was a cutter in his father's shop until JESSIE CROMARTY ALLEN SINCLAIR, b his father retired and he took over. 1858 Children of JAMES FLAWS and ELIZABETH WILLIAMINA SINCLAIR, b 1864 WHITEWAY were:

Generation No. 3 ELIZA FLAWS. Eliza Flaws appears never to ROBERT FLAWS (ROBERT\ SAMUELx DON- have married. I say this because she ALD*, ROBERT\) first married BARBARA is identified simply as Eliza Flaws WALLACE on Oct 5, 1882, daughter of ROB- in an "historical note" in Sir John ERT WALLACE and BARBARA MCKAY She Arnot of Barswick and the Family was bom on Oct. 1,1859 in S. Ronaldsay and died of Arnot in South Ronaldsay written in April 1894 in Watertown, NY. He married later by J.B. Craven, D.D., and pub- SUZIE BAXTER on Jan. 1,1907 in the Church of lished in Kirkwall in 1913. Accord- the Redeemer in Watertown. Suzie was daughter ing to Eliza, she was descended on of CHARLES BAXTER and SUSAN ?. She was her Whiteway side from the Isabel bom on May 23, 1875 in Maribank, Ont. and died Amot who married James Gray in on Nov 21, 1969 in Watertown, NY. Robert first Sandwick on Feb. 12, 1756. came to the U S in 1883, two months before his HELEN FLAWS son, Robert Wallace Flaws, was born He returned JESSIE ANN FLAWS to Scotland in 1886, when he saw his son for the JOHN FLAWS, b Jun 30, 1864 first time. Then the family travelled to the U.S. on the Anchoria of the Anchor Line, landing in North Children of JAMES FLAWS and HELEN SIM America in April of that year Accompanying the were: Flaws family were Donald M. Macleod, later a tailor in Watertown, and Mr. and Mrs. James ERNEST JOHN WHITEWAY FLAWS, b. Jun MacPherson. Mrs. MacPherson was a sister of 3, 1895, St. Margaret's Hope, Robert Flaws and of Mrs. MacLeod Robert, Bar- S.Ronaldsay

Sib Folk News Issue 19 September 2001 5 RUTH FLAWS, b. Mar. 2, 1897, St. Margaret's JOHN FLAWS (JAMESi, JAMES*, SAMUEL\ Hope, S.Ronaldsay DONALDi, ROBERT\) married ANNIE E. GOOD- CONSTANCE HELEN FLAWS, b Apr. 13,1899, MAN on Jun. 07, 1897 in Standish, MI. St. Margaret's Hope, S Ronaldsay MURIEL FLAWS, b. Sept 3, 1904, St. Margaret's Children of JOHN FLAWS and ANNIE GOOD- Hope, S Ronaldsay MAN were: EUNICE FLAWS, b. Oct. 7, 1901, St. Margaret's Hope, S.Ronaldsay JAMES WILLIAM FLAWS, b Aug. 1, 1901, St ARNOT GORDON FLAWS, b Aug. 25, 1906, St Margaret's Hope, S.Ronaldsay Margaret's Hope, S.Ronaldsay ETHEL FLAWS, b. Jan. 12, 1903, St Margaret's Hope, S.Ronaldsay HELEN BUDGE FLAWS (MAGNUS«, SAMUEL\ MARY FLAWS, b. Sept. 3, 1904, St Margaret's DONALDx ROBERTij was christened on Oct. 12. Hope, S.Ronaldsay 1851, S-Ronaldsay. Generation No. 5 Child of HELEN BUDGE FLAWS was: GEORGE FLAWS, b. Dec. 30, 1872. There's obviously a ROBERT JOSEPH FLAWS (ROBERT WAL- story here. IACEa, ROBERT), ROBERTx SAMUELi, DON- ALDi, ROBERTi), my father, married HELEN Generation No. 4 MAY SUTTON on Jul. 19, 1941 in Hasbrouck Heights, NJ, daughter of CORNELIUS CLARA FLAWS (ROBERTi, ROBERTA, SAM- KINGSLAND SUTTON and HELMA BAR- UELi, DONALDz, ROBERT\) married JAMES TOSCH She was bom on May 22, 1916 in Has- ROSS CORMACK on Sept 23, 1914 in Water- brouck Heights, NJ. My father graduated as a town, NY. He was the son of ALEXANDER COR- National Honor student from Watertown High MACK and HELEN ROSS and was born on Jun, School in Watertown, NY. It was the Great Depres- 20, 1887 in Lybster, Caithness, Scotland. sion, and his family was too poor for him to go to college, so he went to work for the St Regis Paper Child of CLARA FLAWS and JAMES COR- Co, in Oswego, NY. Later, he became a salesperson MACK was: BARBARA CORMACK, m. KEN- out of their NY office. During WWII, my father YON A. PLUMPTON. served in North Africa and Italy. By war's end, he was a captain or a major. (He may have been ROBERT WALLACE FLAWS (ROBERTs, ROB- promoted to major in the reserves.) After WWII, ERT4, SAMUELi, DONALDh, ROBERTi), mmyy father went to work as a real estate salesman in grandfather, married PAULINE GABRIEL MAR- Rutherford, NJ. Five or six years later, he went to RIAN on Dec. 01, 1913 in Watertown, daughter of work at my grandfather's business, Triangle En- JOSEPH MARRIAN and AGNES SIMPSON. She graving Co. in NYC and worked there until that was born on Aug. 20, 1887 in Watertown and died company went out of business when my father was on Feb. 27, 1963 also in Watertown. Robert W. 72. After that, he went back to selling real estate in Flaws's obituary says that he was a member of northern New Jersey. During the late 1960s and Company C of the load national guard unit and was 70s, my father served as City Councilman and once sergeant of that company. It also says that he Police Commissioner of Rutherford, NJ. He then was a member of the Lincoln League, serving as went on to serve as County Commissioner for president from 1931-1935. Further, he was a mem- Bergen County, NJ. My father liked to travel and ber of the Watertown Lodge of Elks. Pauline Mar- liked fine food and wine. My father was very proud rian attended Rideau Street Convent in Ottawa, of his Scottish heritage, though, interestingly, he Ont. As a young girl, her family were quite well to never visited Orkney do. However, her father lost everything before he died, and her financial circumstances changed dras- Children of ROBERT FLAWS and HELEN SUT- tically. At her time of death, she was a member of TON are/were. St. Patrick's church in Watertown. ROBERT SUTTON FLAWS, b. Feb 20, 1946, Child of ROBERT FLAWS and PAULINE MAR- Teaneck, NJ (the author) RIAN was: ROBERT JOSEPH FLAWS, b Feb. PATRICIA FLAWS, b. Sept 6, 1949, Teaneck, 07,1915, Watertown, NY; d. Jun. 3, 1991, Ruther- NJ; d. Sept. 8, 1949, Teaneck, NJ ford, NJ PAMELA FLAWS, b Sept 6, 1949, Teaneck, NJ; d Sept 8,1949, Teaneck, NJ

Issue 19 September 2001 Sib Folk News 6 Generation No. 6

ROBERT SUTTON FLAWS (ROBERT JOSEPHi, ROBERT WALLACE\ ROBERTs, ROBERT\ SAMUELs, DONALDx ROBERTO, the author, married HONORA LEE WOLFE May 20, 1979 in Boulder, CO, daughter of RUSSELL JR. and MARTHA LEE. Honora was bom on May 20, 1948 in Cleveland, OH.

Child of ROBERT FLAWS and HONORA WOLFE is: IAN ANDREW9 FLAWS, b Oct 29,1981, Denver, Colorado, USA.

Readers of this article are invited to e-mail the author or the edi- tor if they are able to contribute or comment on this interesting family name.

Bob Flaws' e-mail is [email protected]

A pony and trap or in Westray 'talk', a 'pownie and geeg'. The Shetland pony, called Jenny, is rather small for the trap. This was the mode of transport com- mon in Orkney upto the introduction of cars. The photograph is of Tom Rendall of Sunnybank, Westray with the Editor's two grandsons, Jamie and Andrew.

Sib Folk News Issue 19 September 2001 Dearness A 19th Century Family

land, with only Joseph remaining in Sunderland From Pamela V Irving, 4 Wingfleld Close, after the death of his parents. All the others seem New Haw, Weybndge, Surrey, KTl 5 3BX to have returned to Stockport to live out their adult e-mail pamirving@hotmail. com lives.

would like to share information about my great Family tradition has it that there was an aunt Dear- grandmother Margaret Jane Dearness. She ness who lived in Stockport (possibly c 1900- Iwas a daughter of William Dearness and Mar- 1930), who was head of a girls grammar school. It garet Ann Hall. William was born in Kirkwall, is said that a stained glass window was inserted at Orkney around 1828 (and may be the William the school in her memory when she died, addition- Dearness bom on 27th Nov 1827 to John Dearness ally or alternatively an oak table was dedicated to & Jean Muir, source IGI), Margaret Hall was born her memory at the Stockport church she had around 1825 in London. Margaret Jane was bom attended.(both of course could be true) in 1857 in Sunderland, Co Durham, at that time William was a seaman (mate) in the merchant If anyone can shed any light to any of this, particu- service. She had an older brother also William larly information about William or Jane; who Aunt born around 1855 and a younger sister Jane (Janet) Dearness was and why she was in Stockport rather bom in 1862 both also born in Sunderland. than Sunderland; details of the marriage of Wil- liam and Ann, (which may not have taken place in I find Margaret most intriguing. She was a certifi- England) or anything else relevant, (for example cated teacher. She can be found in the 1881 census there is a John Dearness in South Shields at the at the age of 24 living away from home teaching at same time, was he related?) I would be delighted St Mark's school Dunham Massey, Cheshire, liv- to know about it, and will of course be happy to ing the life of a modem career girl with a Mary share relevant details not included here. Pearson also 24 (who was bom in Lancashire and became head of the school). In December 1881 she married Joshua Clarke, of Heaton Norris (Stock- port), who also has his moments, but that's another Dearness story They had five children, William Dearness, Joseph Shottin, Thomas Edward, Joshua and Ruth. Extract from Gregor Lamb's The family moved frequently in the Stockport area ORKNEY SURNAMES and then moved to Sunderland around 1902, Joshua died there in 1925 and Margaret herself Note that the spelling of the name is different died in 1931. from the name of the parish which is Deerness A common name in Orkney today, concentrated in Much of this information comes from the 1881 Sandy and South Ronaldsay but absent from the census records, which show William Dearness age West Mainland. 53 working in Sunderland as a dock waterman, with Ann his wife age 56, William jnr age 26 working as a carter, and Jane 19 working as a housemaid

The Sunderland Dearnesses appear in local trade directories up to 1887, but do not appear in the 1887-91 death registers, so they may simply have moved within Sunderland, although it is possible that they moved to Stockport to join Margaret.

The Clarke family seem to have maintained con- nections with Stockport after their move to Sunder-

Issue 19 September 2001 Sib Folk News 8 A Grandson's Legacy Fact or Fiction? by Alan D Spence

s a second generation New Zealander, I tated his admission to the only hospital that would never knew my Orcadian grandfather. In- take him - a lunatic asylum George died two Adeed, my father really didn't know him weeks later aged only 52, leaving a 37-year-old either, for he was only eleven years old when his widow with five children ranging in age from father died. Consequently, much about grandfather eleven down to just a few months. Spence remains a mystery. Because of the stigma then attached to lunatic What we do know is that George Robert Spence asylums, the memory of George was forever asso- was born in 1862, the youngest of eight children to ciated with this, and consequently neither his death Magnus Spence of Bigging, Greeny, Birsay, and nor even he was ever talked about, and so the Ann Spence of nearby Hammer, Greeny. Magnus children grew up fatherless. They all died never was the schoolmaster at Twatt before taking over knowing exactly how their father died or much the Bigging property on the death of his father, about him at all - except for two things. another Magnus. Robert would have known from Firstly, they knew that he was an Orcadian, his an early age that, with three older brothers, there widow recording this fact on the monumental was no possibility of his inheriting Bigging and inscription. Secondly, they were always told "the that he would have to look elsewhere for his live- Spences were pirates". lihood. And that is my Legacy. We know that George was still living at home at the time of the 1881 census, but by the 1891 census he had left Scotland. Where he first went The Search for the Legacy we still do not know, most likely to one of the I eventually became very interested in family his- colonies - Canada, South Africa or Australia He tory and from research have come to know reappeared on his quoted arrival in New Zealand George, his siblings, and his ancestors very well in 1899, when he took up farm work in Southland indeed. But my Legacy continued to haunt me as at the very south of New Zealand in the part of the all of George's children had died long before I was new colony that the Scots were settling. ready to ask about him, and I had no current Within three years he had met and married a Glas- Orkney family connections. gow born girl who had emigrated with her coal- My first visit to Orkney was as a tourist for a few mining/missionary father and family some twenty days in 1997, at a time when I had only taken my years earlier. It was not long after marriage that first tentative steps in research. I had arranged a George was persuaded to take up mining by ac- brief visit to the Orkney Archives, solely to locate quiring 14 acres of freehold and another 14 acres a missing 1908 obituary for great-grandfather of crown leasehold coal mining land in the remote Magnus Spence that is referred to in old family inland rural town of Nightcaps. The (and was correspondence still in my possession. I was sur- adjacent to a similar block being opencast mined prised on arrival at the Archives to be handed an by his father-in-law, but the coal seam ran deeper archive known as the Magnus Spence Collection. on George's property, necessitating pit mining. This consisted of a number of notebooks and Letters to an Orkney brother before 1908 indicated scrapbooks from George's brother Magnus who that mining was going so well that a family trip had been schoolmaster at Deerness for many back to Scotland was being suggested. The family years. Among other things, Magnus was famous as grew quickly and there were four children in 1911 being the first person to publish in 1893 the now when George returned to his working roots, and accepted theory on the origin and purpose of the purchased 214 acres of newly opened up country Standing Stones and Maeshowe of Stenness. In one suitable for mixed sheep and dairy farming. scrapbook was found a clipping of the missing obituary Tragedy struck in 1914 when George had a sudden stroke with consequent epileptic fits that necessi-

Sib Folk News Issue 19 September 2001 9 But - there was more material of even greater interest! Much research followed in the next four years, both in and from New Zealand on piracy and Gow in What immediately caught my eye were Magnus's particular, but it soon became clear that there was a hand-written extracts from an 1878 book Reminis- missing link that had to be found if I was going to cences by Charles Cowan of Fife in which John Gow, prove my pirate ancestry. And that link stubbornly the Orkney Pirate, was referred to, and furthermore failed to surface. Was my gold to be just "fool's for whom a line of succession was given. My Legacy gold"? suddenly started to get flesh on its bones. It was to be fleshed out further when later visiting the Tankerness My second visit to Orkney in May this year was for House Museum I found for sale a lone copy of the a week and specifically to research my Legacy as small book John Gow, The Orkney Pirate by George well as to meet recently discovered second cousins. Watson (Caithness Field Club, 1978). This is a sum- The result of this, and other research in Edinburgh, mary of John Gow's life and exploits, brought to- unfortunately still leaves me with the question - is my gether from many sources. Legacy fact or fiction? In my eager haste to put two and two together, 1 I therefore present the evidence I have so far discov- assumed that this was the Spence pirate connection, ered and documented, and invite you, the reader, to otherwise why else would Magnus have so carefully help me decide. recorded the Cowan extracts? I thought I had struck gold. Extract The Evidence • John Gow was definitely the Orkney Pirate. The John Gow was known as the "Orkney Pi- ultimate treatise on the subject is The Pirate rate". Born in Wick, he moved to Strom- (Tow by Daniel Defoe (John Applebee, London, ness with his parents when a child, and later 1725), published just after Gow's hanging. De- became a seaman. In 1724, together with foe had extensively interviewed Gow in prison others in the crew, he took charge of a before his execution. Most other books in the vessel, murdering the captain and others, Kirkwall Library's Orkney Room with a refer- and became a pirate for a few short months ence to Gow are noted in the indices as simply He was eventually captured in Orkney after quoting Defoe, and this is indeed the case. Wat- a struggle, taken to London for trial by the son (above) added slightly to the Orkney ending Admiralty Court, found guilty of murder of the story Gow never seemed to have married, while a pirate, and publicly hanged in but was clearly a ladies' man, having been be- 1725 He asked the hangman to pull on his trothed twice that we know of. And so he could legs to ensure he died quickly, but let Dan- quite possibly have fathered at least one child, iel Defoe (of Robinson Crusoe fame) tell perhaps even being unaware of its existence My the story - [he] "fell down from the Gibbet, Legacy depends on this child of Gow having the Rope breaking by the Weight of some existed that pull'd his Leg to put him out of Pain; he was still alive and sensible, tho' he had • Orkney was once proud of its pirate, with Sir Hung four Minutes, and able to go up the Walter Scott visiting Orkney and subsequently Ladder the second Time, which he did with basing his 1821 novel The Pirate loosely around very little Concrn'd, and was Hang'd the Gow story Sadly, this pride no longer seems again." It was ordered that his body to be in vogue Charles Tait's The Orkney Guide be tarred and hung in chains, out over the Book, which almost every tourist to Orkney Thames, as a warning to other would-be buys, illustrates the odd conical shaped monu- pirates. ment to Gow in Kirkwall. But try finding it, as I did, is very difficult. Almost nobody knows it exists, let alone where it is. In fact, it is in the centre of a small square now used for car park- ing, and virtually inaccessible to the enquiring tourist. The monument is in disrepair and carries no plaque to identify what it is or indeed what the purpose of it was with its now boarded-up doorways. Have the facts, including the child, therefore been deliberately forgotten along with the monument? [Memo to the Orkney Council: How about re- 4 pairing, labelling, signposting and making this

Issue 19 September 2001 Sib Folk News 10 historic monument readily accessible to the certainty not beyond his field of interest, for general public once again?] his "Tailpiece" refers to Gow's relationship with women. My Orkney relatives have never heard of the Pirate Legacy and neither have those in Can- • Another link is the Rev Dr Thomas Chalmers ada and the USA. Is this a case of our earlier who led about 470 ministers out of the estab- Spence ancestors burying the Gow skeleton lished church in the Disruption of 1843 to deep in the closet like other Orcadians are still form the Free Church. He is shown by Cowan doing today with the Gow monument? to be a cousin and thus also a descendant of Gow. Magnus Spence (but interestingly not My father, Russell Spence, was a Presbyterian William Spence) copied out this portion of Minister who served in the Middle East as a Cowan's book, detailing the Chalmers rela- New Zealand Forces Chaplain during World tionship. William, on the other hand, quotes War II. He wrote that on being introduced to a from a biography of Chalmers, showing that new commanding officer, that officer (of Ork- he was also interested in the ancestry of the ney ancestry) immediately commented that man. Why would they both do this if Chalmers my father was an "Orkney Pirate". How would was not related? that officer have known to connect the Orkney Spences with pirates? • The Spences were very active in the Birsay church in the 1800s and, like most of those in Magnus Spence was not the only Orcadian to Birsay, moved to the Free Church almost im- copy out the extracts relating to Gow from mediately it was formed. Could Magnus Cowan's Reminiscences. Similar extracts are Spence have had the influence over the Birsay found copied in the William Spence Collec- congregation that his son was later to have in tion in the Kirkwall Archives. Both were Twatt, making the Birsay exodus to the Free Spences, not directly related as far as we Church so hugely significant? Would the pre- know, and were from different parts of Orkney sumed blood relationship of Chalmers to the and with different interests. Coincidence, or Spences (through the Cowans) have aided and proof of a known Spence connection to Gow? encouraged the Birsay exodus? Did my grandfather George learn more of his • The Orkney parish records at the time of Gow family history than his married siblings? In the are so minimally worded as to be of no help. Orkney tradition of "kin coonting" (oral his- By contrast, the wedding of Isabella Gow tory telling), he would leam more because he (John's supposed daughter) to George Cowan lived at home for longer than they did. in 1727 is recorded in the Crail Fife parish In 1881 he was 18 years old, at home and a register. "farmer's son". He quite possibly stayed at • The basic Gow descendant list is shown on a home for up to another ten years, would have later page It has been pieced together from been well-educated by his ex-schoolmaster George Cowan's notes and is complicated father and have had an enquiring mind with because of intermarriage. The very detailed maybe an interest in his forebears. Indeed, the parish registers in Fife confirm the accuracy of Cowan extract copied out by his brother Mag- Cowan's genealogy. Everything hinges how- nus could have been known and talked about ever on Cowan's description of Isabella Gow. while George was still living at home. In an early brief summary of his family history Cowan's book was a private printing of only Cowan describes Isabella as: about 100 copies. He notes, "This volume is "said to be a daughter of a man very ac- not intended for publication, but for my eight complished in his profession, namely, surviving children, thirty grandchildren, and Gow the pirate. I remember some blan- some other relations and connections in this kets in my father's house, which were and other lands". There is no copy in the shown to me when I was a boy, marked I Kirkwall Library, and just one in the National G, and being told that they had belonged Library of Scotland, so how did both Magnus to my great-grandmother, Isabella Gow, and William Spence acquire or read the book whose father, Gow or Goffe, was the in order to copy similar sections from it? Were prototype of Sir Walter's 'Pirate' " they knowingly related to the Cowans (and thus each other), as they must be if they have This old description however, and to me the most Gow connections? superbly put, comes from his grandmother. Interestingly, the Cowan book was obviously unknown to George Watson when writing John Gow, The Orkney Pirate in 1978. It was

Sib Folk News Issue 19 September 2001 11 Conclusion

I would like to think that the balance of probability indicates a pirate connection between John Gow and the Spences, even if this chained and tarred skeleton does end up hanging in my family closet ** ••• But is it sufficient to meet proper genealogical standards of scrutiny?

I rest my case - what do you think?

Comments, replies and verdicts would be wel- comed either to Sib Folk News, or to the author at 10 Eleanor Place, Blockhouse Bay, Auckland 1007, New Zealand, email: alan.spence@xtra co nz.

Acknowledgements:

The Orkney Archives for access to the Magnus Spence and William Spence collections and the Birsay church records. The KirkwaJl Library Orkney Room. The sad-looking Gow monument in Kirkwall. The National Library of Scotland for access to the Photographed by the author earlier this year. rare Cowan book. Author's later footnote: The Orkney and Fife Parish Registers. While in Kirkwall I purchased and carried home the Members of the Orkney Family History Society. very weighty An Orkney Anthology - The Selected Archives New Zealand. Works of Ernest Walker Marwick, Vol 1, edited by John D M Robertson (Scottish Academic Press, 1991). Since writing the article I have started read- About the Author ing this fascinating volume, and to my surprise found Plate 11 to be of the Gow monument, with a Alan Spence is a recently retired businessman, caption that reads: whose main interests are now family history and "This unusual summerhouse constructed from church music. He had four Scottish-bom grandpar- the ballast of Gow's ship The Revenge is lo- ents, one from Orkney and the other three from the cated between St Catherine's Place and Bridge rural greater Glasgow area. His maternal grand- Street, Kirkwall. Erected c.1730 by Provost mother lived periodically with his family for al- James Traill of Woodwick" most 30 years, during which time she corresponded weekly with her sisters in Scotland A truly historic monument indeed!

He absorbed many things Scottish from his grand- mother, from the regular letters from 'home', and being remembered on birthdays and other occa- sions by Scottish great-aunts. Indeed, he feels "completely at home" in Scotland even although he has never lived there

This article was conceived and largely written on the 26-hour long-haul flight back to New Zealand. Puffin Interestingly, the author found during his business career that many very worthwhile ideas and strate- gies were similarly originated and planned in the Tammy-Norrie' rarefied atmosphere at 35,000 feet.

Issue 19 September 2001 Sib Folk News 12 SUMMER OUTING TO STRONSAY An account by Betty Cameron

unday 17th June 2001. It was almost nine very fine new chapel they had created in the old o'clock when thirty members gathered at the "gutters houses" and we also visited the remains Sshed on the Kirkwall pier ready to join the of a very old chapel on the shore and enjoyed a "Varagen" for our trip to Stronsay. We were pleased walk round the old mansion. One of our party that the Yarbro family and Mr. James Isbister all from had been bom on Papa Stronsay and it was his the United States were first visit back in fifty years. He was able to pass able to join us. It was on his memories a grey cool day but of the island. thankfully dry and we had a smooth sail and It was fun to see time to yarn with one of the Friends monks, in his robes, stand at Our Stronsay hosts the bow of the were waiting for us on small motor boat the pier and we were with boat hook soon sorted into three in hand just like buses, given Quizzes the sailors on the on Stronsay and Royal Barge. started on our tour. We had lots of infor- On our return to mation about houses Stronsay we and folk and tried to were taken to the complete the quiz as homes of 0 F H we went along. S members where we en- We visited the fine joyed a lavish bone china factory tea of island pro- where we were given duce and a grand a comprehensive tour "chin-wag". Six and we were amazed o'clock came too that there was such a soon and we had large output from such to take leave of a tiny establishment of our friends and just husband and start the return wife. The products journey. We had are sent all over the Miles a most interest- country ing day out.

Lunch at the Stronsay We are greatly Hotel was excellent. Afterwards we visited the mu- indebted to Nan Scott for her work in arrang- seum in the old fish market and then at 3pm we ing the annual outing and to the Stronsay embarked at the East Pier for our exciting 8 min trip to drivers, Bill Miller, Sheila and Maurice Wil- Papa Stronsay. There we were welcomed by the liamson and the ladies who fed us so well, monks of the Transalpine Redemptorists and saw what Brenda Miller, Caroline Fotheringhame and they have achieved on the island. We were shown the Kate Work.

Sib Folk News Issue 19 September 2001 13 THE STORY TELLERS - WE ARE THE CHOSEN ONES!

or Why I Am So Fascinated With Genealogy Written by Tom Dunn and contributed by Faye Debenham, Member.

My feelings are that in each family there is one bone and flesh of my flesh". It is doing something who seems called to find the ancestors, to put about it. flesh on their bones and make them live again, to tell the family story and to feel that somehow It is pride in what our ancestors were able to accom- they know and approve. plish. How they contributed to what we are today.

To me, doing genealogy is not a cold gathering It is respecting their hardships and losses, their of facts but, instead, breathing life into all who never giving in or giving up, their resoluteness to go have gone before us. We are the story tellers of on and build a life for their family. the tribe All tribes have one. We have been called as it were by our genes. Those who have It is deep pride in that they fought to make and keep gone before cry out to us: "Tell our story". us as a nation. So, we do. It is a deep and immense understanding that they In finding them, we somehow find ourselves. were doing it for us. That we might be born who we How many graves have I stood before now and are That we might remember them. So we do. cried? I have lost count. How many times have I told the ancestors you have a wonderful family With love and caring and scribing each fact of their you would be proud of us? How many times existence, because we are them and they are us. have I walked up to a grave and felt somehow there was love there for me? So, as a scribe called, I tell the story of my family. I cannot say. It is up to that one called in the next generation to answer the call and take their place in the long line It goes beyond just documenting facts. It is who of family storytellers. am I and why do I do the things I do? That, is why I do my family genealogy, and that is It is seeing a cemetery about to be lost forever to what calls those young and old to step up and put weeds and indifference and saying "I can't let flesh on the bones. this happen. The bones here are bones of my

Issuel 9 September 2001 Sib Folk News 14 Was William Groundwater an Orcadian? By Ted Wilson*, brother of Member No 209 Isobel Chiswell

was watching a video of pictures of Kirkwall and trade with the Indian people of the Island made by my sister and brother-in-law, Isobel Lake area as I can find no earlier record. The Iand Ross Chiswell, and remarked on the name North West Company, in competition with The Groundwater which appeared in one of the pictures. Bay for furs also sent men into the area in 1800 I had come across the name William Groundwater while researching the history of Island Lake, Mani- Williams first year at Sandy Lake got off to a toba at the Hudson's Bay Company Archives in poor start as he cut his leg on Friday, 5 October Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada and I assumed he was and was "lame" On the 13th the entry reads Orcadian as the name is rather unusual. "Groundwater still lame." It was not until No- vember 8 that David Sanderson, in charge of the William Groundwater served the Hudson's Bay post, recorded that he was "well of his lameness" Company at Sandy Lake, Ontario, Canada at least from the fall of 1798 until the spring of 1801. I have Nothing more is heard of him until Friday, 18 no record of his birth but many of the Orcadians April when he and Andrew Flett were sent to an who came to Canada with The Bay were quite Indian's tent to trade or to get meat; the journal young He may have been born sometime between doesn't say which. Almost every trading record 1774 and 1780. That at least might be a starting in the journals lists brandy, tobacco and ammu- point to identifying his family. nition as trade items.

Although no names are mentioned it is likely that On 13 June the employees of The Bay left Sandy William was one of the party which left Osnaburgh Lake for the summer The trip ended 6 July and House on 7 August 1798. The trip would have been no doubt William had done his share of paddling arduous because it took thirty-eight days by canoe and portages. during which time they portaged at least forty-six times. The trading year, or outfit, for The Bay usually The conditions under which The Bay employees ended 31 May. Sometimes weather or ice de- worked were extremely harsh and life was one layed the departure. June this year appeared to continuous fight against starvation and cold. The be a very wet month with only 6 days labelled major source of food was fish, augmented from time fine. to time with moose, bear or beaver meat supplied by the Indians. In winter temperatures would often William is not mentioned in the 1799 journal drop as low as -40 degrees Celsius. until 8 November when he and David Sanders are at work at the house Groundwater would have been occupied doing some of the necessary routine jobs around the post: On 12 March 1800, William and David Sander- setting, lifting and mending fish nets, hauling and son were making Indian Coats William would cutting fire wood, building houses, undertaking have been engaged at various jobs at other times minor carpentry and blacksmithing jobs, travelling throughout the year. to and from the Indian tents to trade and to procure meat and cooking. William is mentioned only twice in the 1800 Journal because as already mentioned he was Entries mentioning him in the 1798 journals are sent to "Lake of the Islands". He and John very few. Why this is so in 1798 and 1799,1 don't McDonald arrived at the post from Lake of the know. In 18—he was dispatched to "Lake of the Islands on 6 December 1800 As there is no Islands" which I believe to be the present day Island mention of dog teams or dogs in these journals, Lake (Manitoba) If I am correct then William it is likely the trip would be made on snowshoes. Groundwater was one of the first Europeans to meet The two men returned to their winter post three

Sib Folk News Issue 19 September 2001 15 days later, with "as much goods as they could P S. The author wishes to acknowledge the assis- haul", On their final return trip to Sandy Lake in tance obtained from the Hudson's Bay Archives, the spring, they would have brought what furs ref. No. B 192/a/I,.2 and 3, in writing this article. they had traded and travelled by canoe to reach their home base * Ted Wilson, Garden Hill, Island Lake, Mani- toba, Canada, ROB 0T0 Note: I am not certain of the date of the next journal because the post at Sandy Lake appears to have been closed. He may have gone to From Elizabeth Butchart another post in 1801. I am fairly sure I did look 7, Threipmuir Gardens for a biographical record and found nothing. Balerno, EH14 7EZ Midlothian I don't know if he was an Orcadian, but John Linklater was murdered by a drunken In- My g-g-grandinother was Catherine Smith dian in September 1799, shortly after arriving Moodie, daughter of Charles Moodie and Marga- there for the winter trade. Unfortunately ret Sinclair both of Sanday although they lived Sanderson does not say where the post was most of their married life at Haeoness or located. It was probably somewhere south of Hacksness on Shapinsay where they raised their Sandy Lake family of three daughters and three sons, Cather- ine b. 1850 on Sanday, Andrew, Margaret, Eliza- Alex Stewart, author of the 1823 jour- beth, John and James, all bom on Shapinsay. I nal mentions during his inward trip that there would be interested to know if anyone else out were three Orkney men with him. Attached is a there is researching any members of this family list of people at the post in 1823-1824. Perhaps since it would be interesting to exchange informa- you can identify the Orkney people from these tion. I would also like to know if any descendants names. of the family are still living in Orkney and if anyone has recorded the Monumental Inscriptions If the above is of any use to you, per- for Sanday as I am curious to know if there are haps I can dig up more information on other headstones pertaining to 'my' Moodies and Sin- Orcadians. I have made lists of the "servants" of clair who lived in the Parish of Cross & Burness. The Bay for each year of the journals I have The parents of Margaret Sinclair were John Sin- worked on. As our community is remote, we do clair and Jane Muir and the parents of Charles not have the Internet, so I don't have an e-mail Moodie were James Moodie and Betsy Milne or address. You can communicate with me Mill. I have visited Shapinsay so I have photo- through Isobel. (Isobel Chiswell, Member 209) graphs etc of the headstones, croft there but didn't have time to go over to Sanday. Unfortunately, when I checked I discovered Stewart almost always used just surnames. For I'm sure that most folk are curious as to what what they are worth, here they are: they're ancestors looked like. Perhaps you al- Mr. Allan, Mr. Cook, Thomas Deans, Thomas ready do this but I would like to suggest that you McKay, Mr McNeil, James Taylor, Mr. White, could start a photograph 'library' whereby you Robertson, Colin. appeal to the local Orcadians ( and any members of O.F.H S.) not to throw out old family photo- Quote from 1823-24 Journal, (HBC Ref. 92/0/4 graphs but instead donate them to the society. I January 1, 1824 often come across photographs taken of family the Orkney Men have nothing jovial in their groups or weddings etc in secondhand shops and nature, so the day was rather dull." it seems such a shame that they're only of value as collectables having been disposed of for various David Sanderson snr. was bom in Kirkwall, date reasons. I know that the copies of photographs of unknown. He was at Sandy Lake 1798 -1800. some of my ancestors which I have managed to David Sanderson jnr. and Thomas Sanderson obtain form an invaluable part of my family his- were also there and J expect they were sons. tory records.

The senior Sanderson was, I think a bit of a nut. I continue to enjoy and look forward to receiving He interchanged Sanders and Sanderson. He my copy of Sib Folk News. Thank you. also renamed Sandy Lake, Sanderson Lake, but it didn't stick

September 2001 Sib Folk News Correspondence

From Brian Byas, Christchurch, New Braes" in Stromness as a place where some of my Zealand, member No 689. ancestors reputedly lived up until about 1821. I hope someone can help. Thankyou. Mystery of the Byas Name in Orkney From Kenneth Sinclair, Longniddry, In my research into my family in recent years I Scotland. have found out that some of my ancestors lived in Stromness, Orkney The earliest name I have For those members like myself unfortunate enough is Thomas Byas who was bom about 1760 pre- not to live in Orkney and thus miss the regular sumably in Stromness. He married a Margaret meetings of the Society, would it be possible to Sebeston 26.8.1764. Sometime in the early 1800s include in the newsletter a synopsis of the main his son John moved to Stirling after marrying content of meetings held in Kirkwall. I appreciate Ann Wyllie in Stromness. Thomas was listed as that this is done at the moment but not in great a farmer and his son John as a tailor. It is John's detail. grandson William Wyllie Byas from whom I am decended. William and his brother James emi- I note that Mrs Sheena Wenham has given a two grated to the United States sometime around the part talk entitled "Graemeshall Journals" which turn of the century, maybe a little later. I ended would have been of considerable interest to me. up in New Zealand after my father emigrated Last summer when I was last in Orkney, Mrs here in the 1970s after marrying a kiwi. My main Wenham was good enough to give me access to question is really what is the origin of this name particular Graemeshall papers and I gleaned a lot in Orkney? How did the Byas' come to be in of information from them which was of Stromness and where did they come from. Most great family interest to me. important to me is there anyone in Orkney today who remembers the name or knows something about the family? Perhaps someone in the Wyllie I appreciate that some speakers operate from notes family knows something I would be interested in or headings only and not verbatim from a written finding out any details about the Byas or Wyllie speech but it may none-the-less be possible to family in the Islands. summarise the content of a speech on say a page of A4 for publication.This would allow us "sooth P S. In the course of my reasearch into my Ork- country" or further afield members to share more ney Roots I have found reference to a Heather closely in the active part of the Society.

SCOTTISH CENSUS RECORDS

Transcripts and Indexes to the Census Records of ORKNEY now available on microfiche, transcribed and edited by David Armstrong, (Member of the Western Australian and Ontario Genealogical Socie- ties, and Orkney Family History Society). Parishes: 1821 Census: Deeraess, Orphir, St Andrews, Sandwick, South Ronaldsay and Burray, Stromness 1851 Census: Birsay, Deemess, Eday & Pharay, Evie and Rendall, Firth and S term ess, Harray, Holm & Paplay, Hoy and Graemsay, Kirkwall & St Ola #. North Ronaldshay, Orphir, Rousay & Egilshay, St Andrew's, Sandwick, Sanday, Shapinshay, South Ronaldsay and Burray *, Stromness *, Stronsay, Walls and Flotta. Price: AS4.00 each or * AS4.50, # A$5.00 (incl. p & p). Discounts 10% on 5-9 sets, 20% on 10-24 sets. Agents: Aberdeen and North East Scotland Family History Society, Ontario Genealogical Society. Email: [email protected] Please make payment to:- D.S. Armstrong, P.O.Box 136, Maylands, Western Australia 6931.

Sib Folk News Issue 19 September 2001 17 From Bill Taylor Coming soon from the pen of Bruce Jamieson of Corunna, Ontario, Canada I am a new member of the Orkney FHS, al- The Marwicks of Fursin, Evie. though not a new family historian. In the last My wife Annabelle is a g g grandaughter of James twelve months after 25 years of trying I have Marwick and Margaret Scott. I think that I might be made a degree of progress on my Orcadian roots able to put something together for Sib Folks News which include members of the Lennie family, about this family. I am hoping to have a family history and I write in the hope that there may be some ready for the spring of 2002. This will cover at least connection to someone's line of research. eight generations starting with James b. 1777 in Rou- say. Two branches of the family came to Canada. One of my maternal great grandmother's was William b. 1855 son of David Marwick and Margaret Jane Wallace, the fourth child of Robert Wal- Isbister came in 1873 and settled in the Watford lace and Catherine Lennie. Jane's siblings were Ontario area and William . b. 1883 s/o James Mar- William b 1855, Robert b 1856, Andrew b 1858 wick and Agnes Williamson came about 1903 - 1905. (Jane herself 1866 - 1933) Catherine 1862 - This is Annabelle's father. He joined his Uncle Wil- 1949, John b 1861 - all born in Ireland, the first liam to learn the brick mason trade. four and probably all in Dublin. Francis b 1867, Mary b 1869 and Margaret b 1874bor nLiver - pool. From Elizabeth Mann, B.C. Canada

Robert was born c 1828 and died 18.5.1915 in More ideas for articles in Sib Folk News Liverpool. He married first Catherine Lennie, bora 12.4.1831 Stromness died 7.4.1879 Liver- Good Morning- 4th cousin Gavin....delighted as usual pool. Marriage not found. Then after the death to receive yesterday your Sib Folk News. I always of Catherine he married secondly Jessie (Thom- read it as a substitute for being there. Planned to come son) Lennie, in Liverpool, who was I believe in May, but with Foot and Mouth about, and living in the younger sister of Catherine. a cattle area here in BC, it seemed wise to delay it I planned also for walkabouts in E. Sussex farm lands Catherine and Jessie were two of the children of where my father's family walked and farmed since Andrew Lennie and Jean/Jane Firth married 1450...(originally from the German Black Forest 4.10.1827. (Jean possibly bom Firth - 1871 area). ..Having edited newsletters, as you may Census, and according to her death certificate recall, for over 10 years, I know at times how you 29. 4.1871 died aged 65 daughter of Drum- must feel about the need to receive stories for your mond Firth farmer and Mary Firth, nee Flett.) pages. One idea I would deeply appreciate is for members to write briefly about what their family or The family of Andrew and Jean were Andrew families did for a living, (farming, fishing, ministry, born 26.10. 1827, Margaret 1.4.1829, Catherine weaving like the Gullions) . All the maternal sides of 12.4.1831, William 5.7.1833, Thomas the Gullion and Harcus family I would love to read 15.3.1836, David 15.10.1838 all born in Strom- about....like Rendall, Skae (Skea) Craigie, Scott, Al- ness and Janet born c 1838, Jessie born post lan, Reid and Logie. Perhaps someone in Kirkwall Census 1841, John b c 1845. could contact one of these above named individuals and attempt to get their family article. As I see it, it Andrew seems to have died between 1844 and needn't be as detailed as a family tree, but just to 1851. In 1851 Jean was at Taits Row, Strom- assist, and to give some of those out of the country ness as a knitter with daughter Jessie, 10 and members an island or 'place' focus for their research. sons William 17 apprenticed shoemaker and The family 'Interests' provided in your memberships John 6 scholar. In 1861 Jean was at Leith's lists is appreciated. Our heat of summer is with us Land, Stromness with son John 16 scholar, with a very clear blue sky.... enjoy yours. Jessie unmarried 20 and Jessie's son William J.Henderson aged 5 months. In 1871 she was at Ed. Elizabeth would like members to know her e-mail Queen Street, Stromness with Jessie servant 30, address which was not included in the last members' William J Lennie (Henderson?) grandson (9) directory. It is [email protected] and David grandson (10) also born Stromness.

Issue 19 September 2001 Sib Folk Neics 18 From Bearing in mind the building contractor skills Lindsay Smith (member 529) my guess is that I am looking for an Orkney Flett 533 Chorley Old Road family who were builders or masons. This also Bolton, BL1 6AE means that they probably moved round Orkney and James was possibly christened in another [email protected] parish although he stated he came from Firth. The other alternative is that he was a lot older Has Anyone Got A Spare James Flett? than he stated.

The first record I have been able to find of my g g Any help would be much appreciated. grandfather James Fiett is his marriage in Glasgow in 1840. He stated in the 1861 census that he came from From Wilma Brown Firth but I have been unable to slot him back into a Cbapelbrae family in Orkney. Shapinsay Orkney From the records I have found, James's date of birth KW17 2DZ varies from 1818 to 1820. As his daughter-in-law referred to him as "the old dominee" he might have I would very much like to know to which been older than he stated. Seatter family the following belonged and are there any of them still in Westray. Margaret Has anyone got a James Flett in their family tree who Kelday married John Seatter, Born 1876 in might fit the following description? Westray born Nov.1872, at Heathercrow, Wes- tray, Died Nov 27, 1922, in Westray. My g g grandfather James Flett married Margaret Masterton in Glasgow in 1840. Four children Margaret Kelday, b Apr 30, 1904 Through the birth of their children and the census Lola, b Mar 2, 1906 details I know that James Flett was a clerk, then a Sarah, b Feb 1908 teacher. In 1861 he was a building contactor employ- John, b Jan 12, 1911 ing six masons and fourteen labourers. In 1866 he was the Inspector of Drainage for Govan. Margaret Seatter went to Uncle John Kelday in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada late 1911. In the 1881 census, he stated he was a retired land Other three bairns went first to my grand- surveyor (living in Jesmond, Northumberland). But mother, their aunt, and my grandfather Wil- by the December of 1881 he had died in Greenock. liam and Annie Work at Crossgates, His occupation was given as teacher and there were Shapinsay in 1922 after the death of their no details of his father on his death certificate. parents. Then in the spring of 1923, they sailed to Canada on the Athenia to live with In case these names provide any clues I list the their Uncle John and sister Margaret in Ham- children of James and Margaret Fiett, all bom in the ilton. Margaret Kelday had a sister, my Glasgow area. Those names with Masterton connec- grandmother, and four brothers. tions I have marked (M). Annie Kelday b Aug 14,1866 in North Ronald- Jean Wilkie 1841 (M) say James John 1843 d before 1849 William Kelday b Sept 8,1867 in North Ronald- Jessie possibly Jessie D. 1845? say Another boy possibly named Joseph (M) John Kelday b 1870 in Westray James 1849 James Kelday b 1870 in Westray d 1871 William Graham 1851 Thomas Kelday b 1871 in Westray Margaret 1853? Jane Eglinton 1855(M) William, Jack, and Thomas all went to Canada Martin 1857 as young men and married there Alfred 1859 Jemima 1861 Any assistance would be greatly Gavin Masterton 1864 (M) }twins appreciated George Sutherland 1864

Sib Folk News Issue 19 September 2001 19 How to Find the and location would I enter there? I would never use a genealogy program that Best Genealogy Program only allows one date or one location to be used By Ricahard Eastman Real-world genealogy research doesn't work like that. I also would never use a genealogy program that didn't allow for extensive record- This article was downloaded from Internet ing of my sources of information. I want to and is published by permission of Richard record every scrap of data. In the case of early Eastman, editor and publisher of East- records, I want to record the page number of the man's Online Genealogy Newsletter. If you book or microfilm where I found it and the wish to receive the newsletter send an e- location where I found that book or microfilm. mail to [email protected] In the case of Bible records, I want to record "In and simply enter the suject as SUBSCRIBE the possession or followed by the present and an automated process will add your owner's name, address and telephone number. e-mail address to the mailing list and you For more modern records, I want to record Web will receive the newsletter every week. addresses where data was found For correspon- dence, I need to record the person's name and N.B. The spelling is American. postal address or e-mail address. One of the fun things about writing this news- I also want to be able to record future "to-do letter is that I get to experiment with all the tasks" and to be able to sort them and print them new Windows and Macintosh genealogy based upon locations. When I am working on programs, I write about each one, describing my database entry about along-dead individual, its strengths and weaknesses, offering my I may enter a note in the "to-do tasks" to look for opinions and then giving information as to records of him or her the next time I visit the price and where to purchase it. As a result of Penobscot County courthouse. I may do the my testing and writing, 1 often get asked, same for hundreds of other database entries, so "Which genealogy program is the best one ?" I want to be able to assign myself future tasks to be completed as I travel around to different I find that trying to recommend the "best libraries, archives and courthouses. genealogy program" is sort of like recom- mending the "best automobile," Some people prefer Fords, others like Buicks, and still oth- For my primary genealogy program, I will only ers like Cadillacs. When it comes to automo- use a package that allows me to print out a list biles, I never found a perfect one. I own of tasks on a location basis. The night before I two vehicles: a full-size pick-up truck and a visit the Penobscot County courthouse, I will Mazda Miata MX-5 sports car. Each serves run a report in my powerhouse genealogy pro- me well, but in different ways and for differ- gram to list ail the self- assigned "tasks" for the ent purposes. Penobscot County courthouse. A few genealogy programs will do that although most do not. The same is true in genealogy software: what is best for one person might not work as well However, as much as I like my primary geneal- for another. Like my motor vehicles, I use at ogy program, it isn't perfect. For instance, some least two different genealogy programs to of its reports aren't as "flashy" as those of some meet my needs. For everyday use I prefer one of the simpler programs. Even though the sim- of the "heavy duty power house" genealogy pler programs' databases are often inadequate, I programs because 1 want to record every scrap often use a second or even a third genealogy of information I encounter in my genealogy program that generates nice-looking research. For instance, I have found claims printouts. that great-great-grandfather Eastman was born on three different dates in three different I always enter all data into my primary program. locations in two different states. I honestly do When I want to create some of the printouts that not know yet which one is correct, if any. I the simpler program can generate, I can create a want to be able to enter all three dates and all GEDCOM file with my primary program and three locations into my genealogy database, import that GEDCOM file into the simpler one. along with my analysis of the likelihood of Like my pickup truck and my sports car, each each record being accurate Yet many simplis- program does certain things well and other tic genealogy programs only have a data field things terribly. I switch between them, depend- for one date and place of birth. Which date ing upon the task at hand

September 2001 Sib Folk Neios Another reason that I never recommend any Reports? Mumford's "Genealogical Software particular program as "the best" is because you Report Card" can tell you. I do not know of any and I probably have different requirements. other comparable source of detailed compari- There may be features in a particular genealogy sons of Windows genealogy programs program that I don't use but may be important to you. For instance, I couldn't care less about a So which program is best? I would suggest that genealogy program that includes built-in pic- you first make a list of features that you want in ture scanning or that produces multi-media a genealogy program. Then prioritize that list to scrapbooks. I simply don't use those things. decide which is most important to you versus Also, I have never uploaded an ancestry report the features that you may be less interested in. on my personal Web site. Yet other people feel Be prepared to update this list frequently as you these things are critical. That's what makes the gain more experience and knowledge. entire subject so unique: each person may have different needs and preferences. I have written Next, go to Bill Mumford's "Genealogical Soft- reviews of most of the leading genealogy pro- ware Report Card" at —— grams and some not-so-leading programs) in http://www.mumford.ab.ca/reportcard to match past newsletters. You can read those reviews to your list against the features listed there. Once get an idea of the features available in a particu- you have narrowed the list down to 2 or 3 lar program. Past issues of this newsletter may programs, search through my older newsletters be found at at http//www.ancestry.com/1ibrary/view/ http: //www. ancestry. com/1 i brary/vi ew/ col umns/eastman/d_p_l_archive.asp. columns/eastman/d. p 1 archive.asp and through other archives of genealogy news Another excellent resource that I am very en- to read the impressions of others. You can also thused about is Bill Mumford's "Genealogical search on Alta Vista or Google or almost any Software Report Card." Bill does feature- by- other search engine to find articles about a par- feature comparisons of the 18 most popular ticular genealogy program or to read other users' Windows genealogy programs. Quoting from comments. the "Genealogical Software Report Card" Web site: I would especially invite you to look at the publisher's Web site or other web sites for users' Any method for comparing genealogical soft- message boards and e-mail discussion groups. ware has two major hurdles to overcome. It DejaNews' Usenet Archive, now a part of must be as objective as possible and the results Google.com, can also be very useful to find past must be repeatable. After considering and messages about a particular program. Look at: discarding a number of possible methods it was http: //groups.google.com found that a useful comparison might be made by identifying the basic units comprising a ge- Finally, most of today's genealogy programs nealogical software program. The 12 basic units have "trial versions" that you can download and are; planning tools, data recording, analytical use for a while at no charge. Others offer "slide tools, source documentation, reports, charts, shows" that serve as mini-tutorials. Download publishing, multimedia, internet, portability, and use 2 or 3 different ones to find the one that additional tools and convenience items. Each "feels right." After all, you may spend hundreds unit contains a number of features, options or of hours with the genealogy program you even- concepts (elements) that permit an objective tually select. Why not invest a couple of hours comparison to be made between programs, e g before you make a purchase to insure that you The analytical tools unit might contain such select the best one for your needs? elements as search features, custom lists, flags, custom data fields, multiple note options, etc. Good luck with your selection!

A list of over three hundred items form the elements used in the scorecard.

The "Genealogical Software Report Card" then goes on to rate each program by assigning points in each of the categories mentioned earlier. He also adds a significant amount of text to his "report cards." Want to see which pro- gram includes endnotes in the Register Format

Sib Folk News Issue 19 September 2001 21 ORKNEY S GRAVESTONES The 1914-1918 Update by James Irvine Westray [email protected] War Memorial Several members have drawn a variety of items to my attention since my article appeared in Sib Folk News No. 17. By G Rendall, Editor

Previously published material: Stephen Clackson Some years ago I listed the names on the War Me- kindly drew to my attention that Alexander Goodfel- morial in Westray. Readers of previous issues of low's "Sanday Church History" (1912) discusses WESTRAY ROOTS will recall that I researched the some of the more interesting stones in the three story of David Rendall, killed in France three weeks Sanday graveyards. before the end of the war. Some reader may wish to tell their relative's story. Field recordings: The Stronsay monumental inscrip- tions (MIs) have also been transcribed by Ralph Fotheringham, Tommy Garrioch has completed a In a recent visit to the National Maritime Museum at transcription of the MIs in Burness in Sanday, and Greenwich researching my father's ships I took the Leslie Foubister has done Deerness, Holm & Paplay opportunity to look for the ships named on the War and the new graveyard in St. Andrews, Lynn Memorial These were: Chalmers has transcribed the burial register for Evie. The OFHS is presently co-ordinating recording in The SS Ruby, sunk by a mine, in which several Firth, St.Olaf and Stenness graveyards, and work is Westray men were lost. The Captain was William in hand in Eday, Harray, Burray and StMary's, Mason of East Thorn The Mate was George Smith S.Ronaldsay. The Committee will welcome anyone Rendall of Nether Brough, the Fireman was John offering to help with this work, or to update the Rendall of Quoynabreckan, and the Gunner was SWRI work in St.Lawrence, Burray. The existing John Drever of Broughton. I believe the Captain's recordings for Birsay and Orphir are to be trans- brother Stewart was also a crew member but he was ferred to the Orkney Archives. saved.

OFHS Database: Dave Higgins is well underway The SS Ben Larig '.s Chief Officer was Thomas Coo- with an Access database for OFHS to publish book- per. The Ben Larig was registered in Leith and built lets listing and indexing the monumental inscrip- in 1904. She was quite a handsome ship, with a tions for each graveyard, in a format very similar to schooner bowsprit. She was requisitioned during the those for the Census booklets Rendall and North war as a collier. On a voyage from Freemantle to Ronaldsay should be available shortly, and workload Colombo, she went missing in the Indian Ocean, permitting those for Deerness, Holm & Paplay and sabotage being suspected. She was the second Ben Shapinsay before the end of the year. Preparations ship with that name and her successor, the Ben Larig for computerising the field recordings of Old Hoy, III was considered to have been an extremely un- Walls & Flotta and Sandwick is in hand. Dave Hig- lucky ship. Consequently, the Ben Line never named gins will welcome offers to computerise other list- another ship by that name. ings in my table in the last SFN, and to prepare oustanding graveyard plans. The SS Morden Wood was skippered by Captain William G Rendall of Ouseness She was quite a large ship of 3125 tons and was torpedoed off Cape Mattapan by a submarine. AJ1 21 crew were lost. Westray's Heritage Centre plans to publish the Monumental Inscriptions of the two Westray Grave- The SS Clan Mackay's Chief Officer was David yards. Reid of Rebuilding She was a large freighter of 6579 tons, registered in Glasgow I was unable to While in Orkney this summer I heard an an- find details of her sinking. Similarly I could not find nouncment on Radio Orkney that the Heitage Centre a ship by the name of The Elm Tree on which had received a grant to carry out the above work. Seaman Andrew Harcus of Broughton was lost. This will be very welcome and will compliment the extensive work done by the OFHS throughout the Seaman Henry Stevenson of Berriedale was lost on rest of Orkney. the schooner Janet. I found no record of her in the NMM but Sinclair Ross, in his book ORKNEY'S The Editor

September 2001 Sib Folk News The SS Ruby

WRECKED SHIPS, states that the Janet went missing after leaving the Firth of Forth on November 6, 1918. (Armistice was 11 th November) Her actual fate remains a mystery. Captain Sinclair of South Ronaldsay was master, the mate Guthrie by name, belonged to Burray, the two seamen were J Burghes of Stronsay and H Stevenson of Westray The vessel was equipped with a gun and carried a naval rating — an Englishman _ as gunner.

Finally, the War Memorial lists William Rendall of Millhouse as having been lost on a transport - no further details are known.

New Website

From Lisa Conrad, Seattle, USA, Member No 386

I would like to let members know of the new website I am building, as I think it would greatly aid their research.

'South Ronaldsay and Burray Civil Death Registers: Extracted Index'

I have done all the transcriptions, and am just now editing them into "HTML code" — only two years are on there so far, of civil death register extracts. But I hope to do about plus or minus 5 years a week, and plan to have the site complete in about a month.

Sib Folk Ncics Issue 19 September 2001 23 The Orkney Family History Society

Membership, Subscriptions, etc.

Membership of the Society runs from 1 March to 28/29 February and subscriptions should be renewed during the month of March. All subscriptions should be sent to the Treasurer, George Gray, 'Fulmar', East Road, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW2 5 1LX.

New members joining before 1 December will receive back copies of the three magazines for the current year. From 1 December new members will receive membership for the remainder of the current year plus the following year but will not receive the back copies of the magazine.

The present subscriptions rates are as follows:

£10.00 1 Ordinary - Adult membership £15.00 2 Family membership - ( Spouse/Partner & children under 18) f 7.00 3 Senior Citizen - (single or couple) £12.50 4 Overseas-(Surface Mail) £15.00 5 Overseas - (Air Mail)

Overseas members should pay their fees in sterling or its equivalent. If it is not possible to send pounds sterling, please check exchange rate. Our bank will accept overseas cheques without charging commission. Receipts will be issued with the next magazine. Members residing in the United Kingdom may pay their subscriptions by Bankers Order and if they wish can have their subscriptions treated as Gift Aid donations. (Forms will be sent on request) Cheques should be made payable to: ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORY SOCIErY.

The Society publishes 4 magazines in the year. Members may place queries in the magazine at no charge. Queries should be sent to the Editor. Back copies of the magazine may be purchased at £ 1.00 per copy.

Our office address is: The OFHS, The Strynd,, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 IHG

Office opening hours are as follows: April to September Mon to Fri 2.00pm to 4.30pm Sat 11.00am to 4.30pm October to March Mon, Wed, Fri 2-00pm to 4.30pm Sat 11.00am to 4.30pm

Articles in this newsletter are copyright to the Society, and its authors, and may not be reproduced without permission of the Editor. The Society is a registered charity in Scotland, and a member of the Scottish Association of Family History Societies. The Society does not necessarily accept the views expressed in letters and articles published within. The Society's newsletter Sib Folk News is registered with the British Library under the serial number ISSN 1368-3950

General enquiries should be addressed to the office in writing, or to The General Secretary, Mrs Gillian Mooney, at [email protected]

Specific research enquiries may be sent to Mr George Gray at his address above or his e-maii address [email protected]

Editor of Sib Folk News: Mr Gavin Rendall, 55 Plough Lane, Purley, Surrey, CR8 3QL e-mail: [email protected]

Issue 19 September 2001 Sib Folk Neics 24