NEWSLETTER OFSIB THE ORKNEY FAMILY FOLK HISTORY SOCIETY NEWSISSUE No 50 June 2009
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ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORY NEWSLETTER From the Issue No 50 June 2009 CONTENTS chair FRONT COVER 50 Covers of the I am pleased to invite you to enjoy our Society’s 50th edition SIB FOLK NEWS of Sib Folk News. It is yet another milestone for the Society. It PAGE 2 is a worthwhile magazine warmly welcomed by members across From the Chair the world. Reactions from members are always good to hear. Many members await its arrival each quarter and immediately PAGE 3 read it cover to cover. John Sinclair, our editor, does a fantastic SAFHS Conference job in creating a quality publication that is well regarded by the membership but also by other FH societies. Again, we must PAGE 4 support the process by contributing articles, snippets of information or queries so that John AGM always has enough material for each edition. Remember it is about you as members and your PAGE 5 families – send us your stories. Tumbledown This message was also part of my Chairman’s report at the Society’s Annual General No8 Meeting in May. This last year has been a very positive year as membership continues to grow having seen us acknowledge our 2000th member. The Society is in good heart. PAGES 6, 7 & 8 Thurvo 1654-1933 Family history research is a now a major interest / pastime right across the world. Thousands descended from Orcadians who travelled the world far and wide claim Orcadian PAGE 9 ancestry. Our services are much sought after. Members benefit from the tremendous work Strangers of our researchers and our office volunteers to whom we are indebted for all their work. We In a Box would not function without them. The amount of knowledge built up over these past 12 PAGES 10 & 11 years enables quick responses to visitor queries. In George Gray we have “a walking Family The 'Dead Man's History encyclopaedia”. Pennies To support our volunteers new and updated office equipment is being installed. Another great advance this year is the members pages on our updated website. Through technology PAGES 12, 13 & 14 Fleshing all members can now have access to many of the Society’s resources. Our re-vamped website the Bones has been applauded by many and thanks go to our web-guru Dave Higgins. I encourage members to respond to the “Message Board” pages, seek information for your own research or PAGE 15 supply answers to other member queries. There is an old saying “that you only get as much Old Orkney Photo- out (of your organisation) as you are prepared to put in”. graphs At our AGM we made changes to our constitution regarding membership. Membership can PAGE 16 now start at any time of year and will be now available to be transacted on-line. Keith Scott The committee work hard to further the development of the Society. This year our Member No 1000 President Nan Scott wished to step down from the committee. Nan has always been a driving force from the beginning and we warmly thank her for all she has done on the PAGE 17 committee. However, Nan remains our President and her indomitable energy will not be Yesnaby's suppressed and her matriarchal style and firm hand on the tiller will continue to keep Historic Sauna everyone on the right track. Her influence and support will still be welcomed in the future. We wish Nan a well-earned rest. PAGES 18 & 19 Family Another recent highlight, in April, was the SAFHS Conference in Aberdeen. I, along Tree Maker with member Billy Cardno, were on the Society’s stand to welcome visitors and deal with enquiries. I found it a most worthwhile and rewarding experience and advocate that similar PAGES 20 & 21 representation be considered at such events in the future. Society members were really The Deldays of Deerness pleased to see us. Many wanted help with research, some were encouraged to join and others showed their appreciation for what the Society does and how great “Orkney” is. We were PAGE 22 greatly supported by VisitOrkney and the Orkney “goody-bag” was highly sought after. Captain As your re-appointed Chairman for this next year I hope we can continue to serve the needs Charles Humphrey of our members both at home and world-wide. There is still a very positive and purposeful PAGE 23 future for the Society.
Photographs regards identified and Letters Alan Clouston PAGE 24 Chairman OFHS Membership Details etc. MEMBERS' DIRECTORY– Please see 'IMPORTANT' notice on back page Issue No. 50 June 2009 NEWSLETTER OF THE ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY 3
20TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE SCOTTISH ASSOCIATION of FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETIES KING’S COLLEGE CONFERENCE CENTRE Sat 25th APRIL 2009
By Nan Scott, Member No 8 and President of the Orkney Family History Society he week-end started with a civic reception in the ers, two in the morning and two in the afternoon. Leslie Town & County Hall, Town House on the Friday Diack was up first. Her talk was on “Women in Family Tnight. Lord Provost, Peter Stephen, who is Hon History”. President of the Host society, ANESFHS was unable to She spoke from a wealth of family history research over be present but Councillor Neil Cooney gave everyone the years, as a researcher, teacher and writer of family a warm welcome. In conversation later he revealed he history books. She is now a senior lecturer in Robert Gor- came to Orkney on holiday and knew Wylies, Fletts and don University. Moodies etc. Many other Orkney links were discovered Next was Margaret McBryde who has worked in several during the evening. Mimes and Nan were able to attend archives over the years and has for the past sixteen years as their accommodation was within walking distance. been at the National Archives of Scotland. She has been Aberdeen University was an ideal venue for the con- NAS Education Officer for several years. It was good to ference. The halls at Elphinstone Hall / Linklater Room hear of her involvement with teachers and researchers of were where the stalls were set up. Alan Clouston and all ages. Her talk encouraged us to “Dig Deeper” Billy Cardno enjoyed being in attendance there all day. In the afternoon we heard from Fiona Watson the archi- The other Orkney delegates, Leslie Foubister, Helen and vist from the National Health Services Archives, serving Stephen Manson, Mimes Manson and Nan Scott went to NHS Grampian and NHS Highland. She is an accomplished hear the four lectures that were given in the Auditorium historian and has written several books and articles on of the King’s College Conference Centre. The layout here medical history and historic health records. Her talk was reminded one of the chamber in the Scottish Parliament “Hospital Records for Genealogists”. Nan was surprised to and it was recalled that Parliament had met here for a see the last slide showing Stephen Cottage Hospital staff time in 2002. We were able to enjoy the same facilities of 1948 taken on the day that NHS was born. Her mother, that were provided for the MSPs. However the individ- Betsy Cooper from Westray had been matron here until she ual microphones were not busy when it came to the “Any married in1927. We came away with ideas and addresses. Questions” time! The final lecture was of particular interest to the men in On Saturday morning the conference was opened, very our party. Major Malcolm Ross from the Regimental Mu- pleasantly by ANESFHS chairman, Liz Foubister, wife seum of the Gordon Highlanders gave a very interesting of our delegate, Leslie’s cousin. She introduced a keen talk on “Military History” ably assisted by Stewart Mitch- family historian, Brian Adam MSP for Aberdeen and the ell as technician and Bert Innes who is a museum guide North East Scotland. He has been a regular correspond- and researcher. ent of our society since we started and keeps us informed The proceedings finished with the usual Raffle Draw and when Family History comes up in parliament. His re- many appreciative remarks from SAFHS chairman, Bruce search made an interesting story. Bishop. Aberdeen’s respoonse was “Bon Accord” and haste- Liz then went on to introduce the advertised speak- ye-back. L
Mimes Manson,Alan Clouston, Billy Cardno & Nan Scott Billy Cardno ready to take on all comers
The 20th Conference was a great crowd puller Well who would have believed it! Your membership can cost as little as £10 per year 4 NEWSLETTER OF THE ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY Issue No. 50 June 2009
William Sinclair needs some help to break down his Sinclair Guthrie brick wall
I would be grateful if the following could go into the next Barbara Cromarty. newsletter. Peter Sinclair born circa 1792 - died 1846 he married I have a brick wall in my family tree. I have with the help of Sinclair Anderson. Lisa Conrad traced my family history back to John Sinclair Anne Sinclair born circa 1796 unknown after 1841 (born circa 1762) and Anne Guthrie (born circa 1765). William Sinclair born circa 1801 unknown after 1821 John and Anne are my 4x grt grandparents. James Sinclair born circa 1804 - died 1861 he married Through the 1821 Census information on Lisa’s website Isabella Anderson. (SouthRonaldsay.net) I have the following information. While I have a lot of information regarding my John and Anne lived at Kirkhouse in the Eastside in 1821 Sinclair line, I have nothing related to the Guthrie and 1841. John and Anne died between 1841 and 1851. line. I am hoping that someone has information that I can find no record of their marriage or their death. They can either take me further back on the Sinclair line had the following children, which was gained from the 1821 or help me get started on the Guthrie line. census data as I can find no record of their birth. William Sinclair No 1763 John Sinclair born circa 1790 - died 1856. he married email: DISAPPOINTING TURN-OUT AT OUR AGM By Elaine Sinclair, Secretary of the Orkney Family History Society The Orkney Family History Society AGM was held in the following posts were re-elected: Alan Clouston as Chair; Supper Room at Kirkwall Town Hall on Thursday, 14 May Elaine Sinclair as General Secretary; and George Gray as 2009. Unfortunately, the number of members attending was Treasurer. down on previous years, possibly due to the extremely good Nine other Committee members were elected, subject to weather encouraging members to participate in alternative later confirmation, in some cases, that the person was willing outdoor activities and to a number of other local events taking to be elected. The majority of those elected had served on place that evening. Apologies had also been received from some the previous Committee and there were one or two new members, in relation to illness and previous commitments. faces. The Chair had reported earlier in the meeting that The Minutes of the 2008 AGM were approved and the Nan Scott would be standing down from the Committee, Chair, Alan Clouston, presented his annual report (see but would continue as Hon.President. In addition, as the “From the Chair” in this edition). The Treasurer, George Chair reported, the Committee had previously noted the Gray, presented the Trustees’ Annual Report and Accounts invaluable contributions of the Webmaster and SFN Editor for the Year ended 29 February 2009, conforming to the to the operations of the Society and had agreed that the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 and holders of these positions should be co-opted onto the regulations made thereunder and this was approved. George Committee, instead of requiring to be elected as individual also reported that the Society had taken a subscription to members. In terms of the Constitution, they would have Ancestry.co.uk. The Chair reported that the Committee had full voting rights in the same way as other Committee recommended no increase in membership fees and other members, but the arrangement would enable two new subscription rates. members to join the Committee. The Chair presented a report, copies of which were given The business of the AGM having been concluded, Nan to members in attendance, regarding the advertised proposal reported on details for the Society Annual Outing which is to amend the Society’s Constitution pertaining to Clause (5) to Westray on 14 June. It was also reported that the Society – Membership. It was unanimously agreed that – would again have a stand at the Vintage Rally in August. •Clause 5(a) should be amended to read – Members present were asked if the re-scheduling of the “The membership of the Society shall be limited to individuals previous year’s Annual Dinner to September should continue. and families whose subscriptions are fully paid. The membership The consensus was that it clashed with holiday commitments year shall run for a period of twelve months” of many members and that a rethink was necessary. •Clause 5(c) should be amended to read – “Membership It was noted that potential speakers may be available for fees will become payable yearly. Any member who is three the September and October meetings of the Society and that months in arrears will automatically cease to be a member of the new Committee would determine final programmes. the Society. The Treasurer, or a membership secretary who Members then viewed displays of parish and family history may be appointed for the purpose, shall keep a register of memorabilia in the Town Hall, relating to South Ronaldsay, members.” Holm and Orphir and shown by Helen Manson, Hazel Goar The Committee retired and Nan Scott, Hon. President, and Alan Clouston, respectively. All present enjoyed a Coffee asked for nominations for Chair. The sole nominees for the Evening with delicious home bakes. Issue No. 50 June 2009 NEWSLETTER OF THE ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY 5 By Alan Clouston – Member No 339 Did any of your ancestors live at either of these proper- Ness cottage, Houton, Orphir ties in Houton, Orphir. Both were located on the point of Ness to the east of the Bay of Houton and were destroyed to make way for the seaplane base during the war. The first is called ‘Ness’. An old photograph has recent- ly been discovered which I believe to be ‘Ness’. It shows the buildings as they were during its occupation, being a traditional stone-built cottage with a stone and thatched roof. The nearby stack is the yearly supply of fuel for heating and cooking. The second cottage featured is called ‘Sorpool’. If you have a Tumbledown story to tell or questions to ask contact Alan Clouston Name age age age age age age age age William Smith - 30 40 - - - - - Christopher (son) - 8 ------Mary (daughter) - 7 ------Margaret (daughter) - 4 14 - - - - - John Brass - - - 25 36 45 56 65 Mary Brass (wife born Flotta) - - - 39 50 59 70 80 John (son) - - - 6 16 - - - Mary (daughter) - - - 3 14 - - - Jane (daughter) - - - 1 - - - - Benjamin Brass (father) - - - 58 69 - - - Catherine (daughter) - - - - 10 - - - Isabella (daughter) - - - - 6 15 - - Ann Brass (grand-daughter) ------14 - Residents of Sorpool, Houton Andrew Flett) 60 ------Isabella (wife nee Ballantyne) 50 ------Andrew (son) 20 ------Jane (daughter) 15 ------Margaret (daughter) 15 ------John (son) 10 ------David (son) 10 ------ James Hay - 35 48 58 68 78 - - Mary (wife) - 25 38 48 58 - - - James (son) - 8 ------Joseph (son) - 7 16 - - - - - Mary (daughter) - 2 12 22 32 42 52 62 John (son) - 0.4mths 9 - - - - - Hellen (daughter) - 15 ------Mary - 10 - - - - - 79 William (son) - - 7 17 27 37 47 57 Catherine Wilson (servant-cowhand - - - 10 - - - - Ann (wife of William B Harray) - - - - - 34 44 54 Ellen Hay (neice of William) ------27 - Jean Hay (neice of William) ------39 6 NEWSLETTER OF THE ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY Issue No. 50 June 2009 THURVO 1654 - 1933 and the family who refused to sell out to the Melsetter estate—this is part one of their story By Margaret Watters - © 1997 Take a trip on a fine day on the ferry from Houton to family, possibly a grandson. Lyness. The scenery is magnificent and approaching In a Bishopric list of taxpayers in 1820 are recorded Lyness the eye is drawn to a plantation of trees, rare in “James Thomsons daughters”. Again it seems likely to be Orkney. In the shelter of the trees is a small house. This the same family another two generations on. is Thurvo, nowadays a small croft of about 10 acres, all More research is needed here. The half mark of land that remains of the township of the same name. belonging to the Thomsons lay to the south of the present It is difficult now to realise the centuries of history conected house of Thurvo, between Elster and Gear, and was with the name Thurvo and to determine the boundaries known as Hilltown or Thomsons land. of the ancient township. It was listed in the old rentals James Thomson’s daughters were; as a threepenny land and the boundaries would seem to Jeills – married to Edward Waters. Margaret – married be Millbay on the North, and Ore burn on the south with to William Brock. Jacobina married to James Wilson. the hill and sea being the other boundaries. This is part Esther _ married to James Burnie. Christian was married of Orkney which retained patronymics well into the 17th to John Robson or Robertson. century and consequently early notices are unhelpful. In James Sandison, styled “Of Air”, was the big man of that the “Uthel Buik” in 1601, names entered for the township time next to the Moodies. He owned most of North and are a mixture of landnames and patronymics. Even at South Seatter and 1.1/2 marks of Thurvo, as his ancestors that early date, Moodie is the largest heritor but there had before him. As a young man he got caught up in the are ten others. Robert and William Gyre (Gyre appears politics of Sir James Stuart of Burray and Christine as Sandison later) Hendrie Wightland, Alec Cromarty, Crawford, Lady Melsetter. James Allister, Christie Johnston, his three brothers Local legend has it that he gambled away the lands to Sir and a sister, Thomas Donaldson younger and elder, James who then proceeded to take legal possession. This Thomas Yuill, John and Nicol Lyness, Alex Nicholson and Lady Melsetter would not allow and in the long run he Alex Anderson. There are also many inventories in the got the lands back. commissariat records referred to as “of Thurvo”. The 1595 Rental gives no heritors names, only the scat due James Sandison’s marriages but refers to “ane cowsworth of land pertaining sometime James Sandison was married four times, each time to Alisoun Margarets dochter burnt for witchcraft ‘and recording a marriage settlement. By his first wife Jean anither’ cowsworth which could never be found nor never Keith, daughter of the minister, he had a daughter paid dewtie”. 1642 Bishopric rental says “Thurvo lies 7 Jacobina. It was her, then noted as the only child in life miles from the Kirk, pays scat and land maell to the bishop and heir who finally sold this small holding of land to and, except 19 marks and one cowsworth, pays to the Moodie in 1784. It consisted of 4 marks land in Quoys and heritors 35 marks, 3s malt”. The tiend of old was 12m malt 1/2 mark Udal, 14 marks in South Seatter and 2 marks but is now augmented to 24m malt but worth no more that Udal, 5 marks in North Seatter and 3 cows worth Udal, 1 16m malt. Another Rental details all the scat due, also the meills maelling Udal in Stonequoy and 1.1/2 mark Udal scat due from the witch’s cowsworth and is still worried in Thurvo. about the missing cowsworth. In the 1739 rental we got James Sandison’s marriage contracts were:- down to business and the heritors are named. They are •1738 - James Sandison of Air, eldest son and heir of James Sandison 1.1/2 mark, Francis Malcolmson 1 mark, William Sandison and Janet Mudie his spouse and Jean James Thomson 1/2 mark, John Burnie 1 cowsworth, Keith, third daughter of Mr John Keith, Minister of Walls Benjamin Moodie also Mrs Geddes land 1/2 mark. They and Flotta and Jacobina Tad his spouse. are still looking for the missing cowsworth but the witch •1739 - James Sandison of Air gives sasine to his spouse had been forgotten. These people and their descendants Elizabeth Watt, elder daughter to William Watt elder and comprised the heritors of Thurvo for the next 150 years. Janet Scollay. •1760 - Marriage contract at Stromness between James The earliest Thomson of Thurvo Sandison of Air and his spouse Margaret Gunn, second The earliest Thomson recorded as “Thurvo” is Edward daughter to John Gunn, Melsetter. He undertakes to Thomson who died in 1665 and whose inventory is to be infeft her in his lands, witness Jacobina Sandison, second found in the Commissariat Record of 1670. The details daughter of James by his former spouse. were given up by his wife Kathren Ore and his family •1763 - Marriage contract, James Sandison of Air and were John, James, Helen, Margaret, Marion and Elspeth. Cecilia Wood, daughter to William Wood, gardener and The stock on his holding at the time of his death was 3 farmer at Clestrain. horses, 3 cows, 1 calf and 4 sheep. Not much is known about John Burnie who owned It is not possible to make a direct link between Edward 1 cowsworth. He was witness at the baptism of one who died in 1665 and James Thomson recorded as a of Francis Malcolmsons children but no marriage is heritor in 1739 but it seems likely that it was the same recorded for him or issue. His descendant James Birnie, Issue No. 50 June 2009 NEWSLETTER OF THE ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY 7 Fwas married to Esther one of James Thomson’s daughters gone to sea as a youth, had not been heard of for some time. and when the Burnies sold to Heddle in 1825, their Helen, Christian and Margaret were now left considering holding was 1 cowsworth or 1/4 mark in Oar and Thurvo the very real possibility that they were now the joint owners (the Burnie share), 1/5 part of Hilltown (Thomson’s land). of what was now known as Malcolmsons land, still 1 mark James Burnie also sold to Heddle 1 mark land at Lyness. in Thurvo and 1/2 mark in Fea and still in possession of How he came by this is not clear. the Wilsons. Helen, now married to Hugh Wilson with The name Malcolmson goes back in our records to 1654, sons Robert and Hugh and Christian married to Magnus when a Christine Malcolmson’s daughter died, apparently Baikie with an infant daughter Catherine. Margaret was quite young as some of her dowry is included in her newly married to Adam Sutherland, a tenant of Moodies inventory. She had been married to John Sandie, possibly in Kirbister. a Sandison or ancestor of one, and her brothers and sisters are named thus; Donald, Francis, Robert, Agnes, Cathren Moodie of Melsetter becomes interested and Janet Malcolmson and daughters, lawful brothers and Moodie now started to take an interest in the property and sisters to Christine. The inventory is 2 cows, 4 quoys, 2 in October, 1799 there was an exchange of missive letters stirks, 1 calf, 7 sheep and 4 year old sheep. Of her tocherguid between him and the sisters, Moodie agreeing to purchase (goods or money constituting a dowry) £13-6-8, 2 pr plaids, at 20 years rent and the sisters agreeing to sell to him as 3 pr bed plaids, 3 ells stuff, 1 lispund wool and £2 money. soon as competent, William not having been missing long This was real wealth in those days. enough to be presumed dead. And there the matter was to Another inventory in 1665 is of Malcolm Donaldson of rest - or so they thought. However, in 1803, Moodie decided Wards which names Robert Malcolmson as his son. He time was right and accordingly instructed his agent, had one old horse, a kow, 2 quoyakes, a calf, a quarter of a John Rose of Thurso, to prepare a formal disposition. So, boat etc in all amounting to £50-3-4. in October of that year, this disposition was at Melsetter Francis of the 1739 rental seems likely to have been House ready for signatures. The Malcolmsons were sent a nephew of Christine, son of her brother Robert, and for. Christian had recently died leaving a young daughter they both were children of Malcolm Donaldson. Francis so it was Helen, Margaret and Christian’s husband Magnus was married to Helen Burnie and his family was Helen, Baikie who went. born 1714, Robert born 1716 and Malcolm born 1721. At Melsetter House, they were met by Capt. Moodie and His mother was Helen Nicolson from whom he heired his his lawyers John Rose and John Mitchell of Kirkwall. Thurvo holding. This is referred to in the later court cases The disposition was not read over to them and they were as pertaining to Magnes Nicolson who may have been her given to understand that it gave power to Moodie to call father. Francis also had 4.1/2 marks pro rege land in Fea Wilson to account for his non-payment of rent. In actual and 1/2 mark Uda1 1and there and 2 marks pro rege in fact it conveyed the Thurvo and Fea holding to him “in Wards. Robert Malcolmson is stated as having 1/2 mark consideration of a certain sum of money to be paid by in Fea pertaining to him. This Robert would seem to be Moodie as adequate value and price of lands” and “power Francis’s father, son of Malcolm Donaldson. By 1751 to bring James Wilson to a count and reckoning of rents Francis Malcolmson was dead and his eldest son Robert due”. They signed by mark and Moodie duly registered it had inherited 1 mark land in Thurvo and 1/2 mark in Fea. in the Register of Sasines, October, 1803. Right away the What happened to the rest of Francis’s property we have real reason for the hasty acquisition emerged. He occupied yet to find out. and worked the kelp shores. James Wilson was left to However, in that year Robert found himself short of cash get on with his life unhindered and the sisters were left and in August, 1751, granted a wadset (a kind of hedge wondering. or mortgage) on the Thurvo property to Henry Wilson As time went on it became increasingly obvious that Capt. of Quoys in the sum of £18 stg. redeemable on or after Moodie’s affairs were in a bad way and not even kelp would Whitsun, 1754. His mother, Helen Burnie, was still alive help. Receivership seemed a real possibility and in a bid to at that time as the wadset was subject to her liferent. In straighten things out, his son Benjamin took a hand. October of that year, Henry Wilson executed a disposition While checking the titles of the various properties, he and assignation of the wadset to his sons James and came across the 1803 deposition which didn’t seem to him Henry reserving his own liferent and that of his spouse to be in order. In a letter, dated 25th February, 1815, he Isobel Mowat. This was quite usual in those days to make writes to Mr Mitchell “ I made out a state of the arrears sure that there was more than one person in charge of the due by Mr Wilson to the Malcolmsons and found that, debt. By 1152, Robert was again in need of money and had after deducting the interest of £18, the sum due would be apparently spent his £18 and borrowed to the limit of what near £200. I showed this to Wilson and he said he would Henry was prepared to give without more security. consult his advisor.” Later, he said “he was going to keep Hence another wadset was arranged this time on the 1/2 possession.” No word of cash payment and Benjamin asks mark at Fea in consideration of £60 Scots, said to be due what he should do. Henry by Robert. This time he disponed to Henry and Things at Melsetter got no better and in 1816, Capt spouse, whom failing, sons James and Henry. This the last Moodie signed a trust deed in favour of an Edinburgh firm we hear of Robert, he was unmarried and on his death his of accountants of whom Mr Scott Moncrieff was to be the property passed to his brother Malcolm and his family. representative who dealt with the estate. In the list of Malcolm Malcolmson, born 1721, and second son of Francis lands affected by this trust deed, Thurvo and Fea are not was married to Jennet Robson. Their family was Helen included. born 1752, Thomas 1757, Christian 1759, John 1761, Somewhat alarmed by the turn things were taking, William 1764 and Margaret 1768. Helen and Margaret Malcolmson were advised to see to their title to the land, so in 1817 they took steps to serve The story moves on to 1799. By this time Helen Burnie, Malcolm and his wife and their themselves heirs to Francis, their grandfather. Malcolm sons Thomas and John were all dead and William having their father, and Robert their uncle. Catherine Baikie A 8 NEWSLETTER OF THE ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY Issue No. 50 June 2009 Fas heir to Christian’s share, being still a pupil could not sale of the Melsetter estate was intended to call Wilson to sign and neither could her father sign for her. This turned out account and not to take possession as Heddle had done. The to be crucial in the events that followed. Strictly speaking, it Malcolmsons therefore wanted all writs set aside, Wilson was not necessary to sign themselves heirs as the land was and Heddle to pay just rents for each year in possession and Udal but if their opponent was thinking “feudal”, it might payment for kelp manufactured on their share of the shore. well be wise to respond in the same fashion. Thus prepared, The sum of £1000 was put forward. in October, 1817, they raised an action against Moodie and Lord Eldin on hearing the case said that the trustee William his trustee in an effort to recover their inheritance. However, Scott Moncrieff should also be a party to the action. So lack of money forced them to abandon the action but the fact a supplementary summon was executed and the case that they had started served them well later on. proceeded. On 24 June, Lord Eldin issued the following interlocutor. Melsetter sold to Robert Heddle Having considered the summons etc and heard all the The whole of Melsetter estate was now up for sale and in arguments for and against he assolizes ( decides in favour) the printed view, Thurvo and Fea were described as “Recent of the defendant excepting the conclusion of payment of the acquisitions to which titles do not seem to have been price of land and orders both parties to come to an agreement completed”. The estate was finally sold to Robert Heddle on terms. of Cletts in 1819 and in the sale document the Thurvo The Malcolmsons protested and Lord Medwyn re-examined titles were described as incomplete and in fact he withheld the case and issued on 18th January, 1825. He agreed with payment for some time on the grounds of incomplete titles Lord Eldin, and so things were intended to remain, just a but the deal was finally completed. Nobody was very happy small case with nothing much at stake. Let both parties agree about it. Robert Heddle was married to Capt. Moodie’s a cash settlement and no more would be heard. They reckoned daughter, Henrietta. An overbearing and somewhat ruthless without Margaret Malcolmson’s determination to recover her man, it was told that Moodie so objected to this takeover ancestral lands or Heddle’s equal determination to hold on to that he tried to stop him entering Melsetter house. Robert what he had gained and not to pay a penny. And he wouldn’t knocked him down and entered the house over his father-in- pay! So on 26th May, 1825, to the First Division of the Court laws prone figure. Not a good start but one which presaged of Session there was delivered an additional Petition by the the future. Malcolmsons against the Interlocutors of Lords Eldin and Robert Heddle started as he meant to go on. He approached Medwyn. Wilson and in May, 1819, obtained a disposition and The Pursuers reiterate their right to the lands and say again assignation of the wadset rights to Thurvo and Fea which he that Heddle has no title whatever. In his purchase of the wadset took infeftment and quickly installed his own tenant. This all he bought was the right to evict Wilson. The land now was was monstrous. much more valuable than in 1799 and 1803. Apart from kelp rights it was adjacent to Longhope Bay now increasingly Margaret Malcolmson decides to act being used by shipping. It was also adjacent to Lyness but Margaret Malcolmson watched with mounting alarm. She that hadn’t been thought of then. But the mainstay of the would have to do something or all would be lost if, indeed, all argument this time was the fact that the 1803 disposition wasn’t already lost. So she called a family conference. had been signed by lawyers without having been explained Her sister Helen had died but her two sons Robert and Hugh or read out to Helen and Margaret and was valueless as well Wilson were able young men in their thirties and Christian’s because Christians heir, Catherine was a pupil and her father daughter Catherine was grown up and old enough to manage could not lawfully sign away her heritage. her own affairs. A major snag was that Margaret and her The case went back and forth between the lawyers. Robert husband Adam Sutherland were tenants on the Melsetter Heddle saying he would not pay; Wilson hiding behind him estate. This does not seem to have deterred them, although and not saying anything; William Scott Moncrieff as trustee they had a lot to lose if things went wrong. saying none of it was anything to do with him and the The first thing to do was to make sure lack of money didn’t Malcolmsons saying it was their land but they’d settle with hamper them as it had in 1817. Accordingly, in February, Heddle if the cash was forthcoming. Heddle then said that if 1823, they all applied for, and got, poor relief and their names the cash had to be paid it should come out of what he’d paid were entered on the Poors Roll. This meant they could apply for Melsetter which was still in trustees’ hands. Moncrieff for legal aid under the Poors Law. By the Act of 1424, it was says “not so”. Thurvo was not included in the trust deed and the law in Scotland that poverty should not be a bar against the Malcolmsons 1817 action confirmed this. justice and a lawyer was always assigned to the courts for In March, 1827, the court issued a final interlocutor and this purpose. In the Court of Session, a Law Lord was made found Malcolmsons entitled to the lands and ordered available. negotiations between the parties to settle the rents due. These So, in June, 1823 a Summons of Reduction, Improbation, negotiations dragged on without any decisions being made. Count and Reckoning against James Wilson, son of the The Malcolmsons stuck out for a high price to take account of deceased Henry Wilson, the original wadsetter and Robert the kelp shores they owned. Heddle denied they had any kelp Heddle of Melsetter was issued. The charge was that the shores so a proof hearing with witnesses was ordered to take original wadset was an Improper Wadset (This meant that place in Kirkwall. when the loan was made the agreement specified a yearly rent for the property. This sum was to be deducted annually IN OUR NEXT ISSUE. The hearing, the from the original loan so that after a time the holding was outcome and Melsetter’s final attempt again the property of the original owner). The debt had been thwarted by a Stromness lawyer. extinguished long ago and the inclusion of the lands in the Issue No. 50 June 2009 NEWSLETTER OF THE ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY 9 Strangers in a box Canada Come, look with me inside this drawer, Calling In this box I’ve often seen, At the pictures, black and white, I was pleasantly surprised to see the latest issue of Faces proud, still and serene. Sib Folk news and the article ‘The story of our Grand- parents’. If someone had but taken time, As a great grandchild of William Thomson and Mary To tell who, what, the where and when, Fotheringham I have an exact copy of the original story Those faces of my heritage, that you published. It is possible that my grandmother, Would surely come to life again. Mary Fotheringham Thomson, one of William’s grand- daughters, is the author but I am not sure. I wish I knew the people there, William and Mary had 13 granddaughters and 15 These strangers lying in the box, grandsons and the Thomson clan has flourished in the Their names and all their memories, area of North London, Ontario. All are lost among my socks. My research on my Orkney roots, including additional information on William and Mary, is available on the Could this became the fate again, website So make the time to mark your pictures, ANSWERS TO IAN CAMERON’S SURNAME QUIZ Seize opportunity when it knocks, Sib Folk News March 2009. Page 11 Or someday you and yours could well be, 1. Abernethy 13. Mainland The strangers lying in a box. 2. Brass 14. Norman 3. Cheers 15. Oag 4. Draper 16. Patrick 5. Elder 17. Quirk 6. Foster 18. Rigby 7. Gunn 19. Stove 8. Harray 20. Towns 9. Irving 21. Underhill 10. Jasper 22. Vincent 11. Knight 23. Wisemen 12. Law 24. Yule NEW BINDERS Keep your Orkney Family History Newslet- ters clean and tidy in this attractive, dark green, simulated leather binder with gold blocked let- tering on the spine. Each binder holds 20 issues and makes a This poem was written by Pam Harazin in 1997. At that time she was teaching scrapbooking and she used the poem in her presentations. handsome addition to your bookshelves. She wrote the poem when her mother was suffering from dementia See the Orkney Family when she realised that the stories her mother had loved to tell about History Society her youth and family were now locked away inside her. Unfortunately website Pam could not remember them as well as she was once sure she for would – hence the title Strangers in a Box. further Thanks to Robert Whitton No 218 who came across the poem and details sent it to me. Ed. 10 NEWSLETTER OF THE ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY Issue No. 50 June 2009 THE shearer brothers and the ‘dead Man’s pennies’ BY JOHN SINCLAIR, MEMBER 588, FROM MATERIAL SUPPLIED BY THEIR GREAT NEPHEW JOHN CRAIGIE OF LLAGINNAC March 1918 would have been a desperately sad time for he worked as a farm servant Alexander and Jessie Shearer (nee Sandison), of Park of at the Bay in Stronsay. When Hunton in Stronsay, one of Orkney’s North Isles, for they war was declared he enlisted in were to learn that, not one, the First battalion of the Scots but two of their three sons, William and Peter, had given their young lives for King and country. William, the first to die, was born on the 27th April 1892 at Whitehall, Stronsay. He had served three years in Private Peter Shearer the Gordon Highlanders, (Ter- Guards and served in ritorials) before emigrating to France and Flanders. Private William Shearer Canada with his older broth- He was partially blind- er, Sandy. At the outbreak of Word War 1 they worked there as farmers. William Arras Memorial also joined the to the missing. 19th Cameron ed from wounds Highlanders of received during Canada, a mi- the conflict but litia regiment. recovered only Both brothers to be sent back then decided to the front line to enlist in again. Peter lost the Canadian his life during the E x p e d i t i o n - fourth battle of ery Force but Arras when the Sandy was re- German armies jected on med- made their last The Trenches of WW1 ical grounds On Canadian Infantry after the battle of Vimy Ridge. William the 27th Novem- Shearer might even have been in this photograph. futile attempt to break ber 1916, however, William signed attestation papers at through the Allied front. Winnipeg agreeing to serve Canada overseas, and was He died on the 23rd March soon on his way to 1918, just three days after France as a private the death of his brother in the 16th Battal- William. He was just 28 ion of the Canadian years old and is remem- Infantry (Manitoba bered on the Arras memo- Regiment) known rial. as the Canadian Alexander and Jessie Scottish. were no doubt consumed He was to visit with grief at the loss Stronsay once more of their boys and could The Houchin Cemetery while on leave from only console themselves the war. Sadly he was soon to die of wounds received that their sons had giv- in action on the 21st March 1918 and he now lies in en their lives for King Houchin Cemetery in France. The compelling, guilt inducing image of and country. William’s brother Peter was born on the 1st September Lord Kitchener with the accusing finger, As next of kin, a grate- 1889 at Whitehall, Stronsay and prior to the Great War sent many a young man to an early grave. ful British GovernmentA Issue No. 50 June 2009 NEWSLETTER OF THE ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY 11 F sent the Shearers two memorial death plaques com- decided that he would remain in Canada and take ad- monly called the ‘Dead Man’s Penny’ by the troops. vantage of the 'free' land for settlers that had been The history of the ‘Dead Man’s Penny’ began in 1916 introduced by the Canadian Minister for Immigra- with the realisation by the British government that tion. This gave settlers, up to 160 acres of free land some form of an official token of for a registration fee of $10; not gratitude should be given exactly free for this would to the fallen service- equate to between 100 men and women’s be- and 200 dollars in to- reaved next-of-kin. day's currency. The enormous This was an- casualty figures other son that not anticipated Alexander and at the start Jessie had ‘lost’ of the war for Sandy was back in 1914 never to set p r o m p t e d foot in his this gesture h o m e l a n d of recognition again. in 1917. The He was to government spend the announced a rest of his life competition to in Canada, design a suita- working his ble plaque with a smallholding in prize of 250 pounds Brandon, Manito- sterling. There were ba and although he 800 entries from all failed his army medical over the Empire, the Do- in WW1, he was in his late minions and even the Western eighties when he died in 1975. The ‘Dead Man’s Pennies’ compared with a 50p coin Front. A Mr Carter Preston of Liverpool He outlived his two brothers and was the eventual winner. three of his four sisters. The last sister, Roberta, John The selected design, which is shown here, is of a 12 cen- Craigie’s grandmother, died aged 79 in 1977 at Sandy- timeter disc cast in bronze gunmetal. Each disc had the bank, Stronsay, the home of her son Davy Cooper. deceased individual’s name. No rank was given as it was John Craigie, who supplied much of the material for intended to show the equality of sacrifice. An accompany- this article, has very little information on his great ing scroll bore the Royal Coat of Arms and a carefully uncle ; just a few letters written late in life and a couple chosen passage in old English script which read — ‘He of old photographs. whom this scroll commemorates was numbered among those who, at the call of King and Country, left all that was dear to them, endured hardness, faced anger, and gen- erally passed out of sight of men by the path of duty and sacrifice, giving up their own lives that others may live in freedom. Let those who come after see that his name is not forgotten.’ The rank and service details of the de- ceased appeared under this passage. A personal message of thanks from King George V was enclosed — ‘I join with my grateful people in sending you this memorial of a brave life given for others in the Great War.’ George R I. The production of these items was to be financed by German reparation money. Approximately 1,150,000 Sandy, who remained a batchelor, is third from the plaques were issued but unfortunately the scheme was right in this photograph All that is on the reverse is ‘Lena not a complete success and it ended before all the families Learmonth – Mrs James Croy. Manatoba’ (sic). of next-of-kin received the official recognition. The other picture is a faded colour photograph with Some returned the pennies in protest as they felt it in- Sandy as a very old man. On the reverse of this one are sulting and did not replace their loved one’s life. the names ‘Sandy, Jack Cole, Rita, Beth’ and what looks They are, however, a constant reminder of the ultimate like ‘Ivan and Cilera’. price paid by the men and women of the armed services Now we know that it is a long shot but we’ve had re- during the Great War. sults through Sib Folk News in the past from some fairly It seems that the Shearer family shared this view as vague information. their pennies had clasps soldered on the reverse side and There are still many Shearer descendants here in had probably been proudly displayed for all to see. Orkney who would love to learn a bit more about this Now what happened to the other brother, Sandy Shearer? branch of the family and it might well be that one of our After being told that he was unfit for military service he Canadian members will come up trumps. L 12 NEWSLETTER OF THE ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY Issue No. 50 June 2009 NEWSLETTER OF THE ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY 13 Fleshing the bones Mort Brod, St Magnus Cathedral A Journey by Susan Simmons, Member No 913 was sent to boarding school in another lister “and here they England at the age of fourteen are. Your Great Grandfather’s in 1927. His mother and at least parents came from Caithness.” some of his siblings followed him to Ah ha! I always knew I had Scots England the next year after, what I can ancestry! I have Great Grandfather’s only surmise, the death of his father. He cairngorm brooch and a photo of a very joined the British Army and during WWII he young Dudley in a kilt, jacket, and bonnet. A moved in and around North Africa and Europe, wool kilt in Calcutta!! then in peacetime emigrated, with his wife and Now I had Dad’s parents – Ellen Louisa Kellett little daughter, to New Zealand. However, owing to an and William Rivers Leonard Wright both born in estrangement with his family he left little or no record Calcutta; his grandparents Jessie and William Banks of his life, his siblings or his parents, so this is the story of Wright; and his great grandparents James Wright how I found my father’s family and put flesh on the bones and Janet Donaldson and some of their children. I had a lying in the Osmundwall cemetery. paternal line at last. The only physical record I had of my father was a battered I was overwhelmed by the generosity of the listers. Over green baptismal certificate from St Paul’s Church, Scotts the next few months I found out more and more details. So Lane, Calcutta. It was hidden inside a book I found after many people were happy to answer my queries. I read as both my parents had died. much as I could about Orkney and in particular Walls, and Osmundwall Cemetery and the Moodie Mausoleum. My interest in genealogy began when my mother needed Longhope. I downloaded as many photos that I could – it all he had visited a year earlier from Canada. If there was a 1. ‘The Church of Walls 995 AD to 1986 AD’ Published 1986 details for her autobiography “Passing Through” and I helped to make the place come alive. photo of the gravestone, it had to be there – somewhere. linked up with a cousin to research our common families. I I joined the Caithness Family History Society and asked for We drove through Longhope in the drizzle, then along irk Hope lies on the south east coast of Walls, a tiny had subscribed to the Family Tree Magazine and there on help there too. I had, by this time learned a little about this the coast, winding across the island looking for another Orkney island attached by a narrow strip of land to the back was a advert for a researcher, a Stephen Wright! northern part of Scotland, and as I did with Orkney, read cemetery and found Osmundwall. Kthe larger island of Hoy. It is windswept and treeless Serendipity – alas, no relation, but a man who knew his and downloaded masses of material from the internet so James Wright came from a family of seven in Canisbay and but the bay was used for centuries as a safe harbour for way around the India records. “His father’s name is William that I could recognise the places they mentioned. Janet Donaldson was the daughter of a miller from Halkirk ships. Today there is little in Kirk Hope to remind one of its Leonard Wright and his mother is Ellen Kellett” I explained, As the weeks and months progressed I began to amass and was fourteen years of age when she followed James to history except for the Osmundwall cemetery on the site of “but where from or when born, I have no idea. He had two details of the previous generations, made the more difficult Wick. She married him there on 31 December 1813i. The original Church of Voes and later the Church of St Columba, sisters and a brother too. Can you help?” by the determination of my relatives to name their children marriage is recorded at both Halkirk and Wick. James was neither of which exist there today. It is separated from the Back came a reply “Parish of Walls & Flotta, Orkney.” the same in every generation - James, James, James! I found aged 19 and Janet, according to the dates, was around 14 sea by a low stone wall. Stone and granite tombstones “Who? Where?” “William Rivers Leonard Wright was born brothers and sisters for William. Brothers Robert (1823), years of age. It was not uncommon for girls as young as 14 in the old part of the cemetery lean randomly as though in Calcutta and his father is also a William – William Banks Thomas (1824) and Adam (1830), and sisters Elizabeth to be married, the legal age for marriage was 14 and to begin pushed over by the wind. The Moodie Mausoleum is used Wright from Walls and his mother is Jessie.” Success! I was (1821) and Williamina (1837). William was the second to work was 8 years of age. James is recorded as being a cooper in by seabirds as a welcome roost in bad weather. To the thrilled. But Orkney? last child, born in 1831. a later census. He learned his trade in Wick and was working right of the mausoleum there is a wide, square patch of Orkney is a group of islands In April 2003, my husband as a cooper at closely mown grass, to the north of Scotland; not a and I made the journey to the time of his empty except for an Erected by place that I had, up till then, Caithness after attending marriage. Wick upright red granite Rev Robert Wright known much about. I searched the wedding of our son was the centre gravestone at its IN MEmory of james wright the internet for information in Dunkeld, Perthshire. of the herring center which contrasts who died 2 OCtober 1865 about the islands and learned We stayed in a lovely B industry and with the mostly gray, aged 72 that Walls was attached to & B in Gills for a week many young men lichen-covered stone and Janet Wright his wife south of the island of Hoy and exploring. We took a ferry from Canisbay gravestones which who died 1 oct 1882 aged 81 is also known as South Walls across to Orkney where and environs surround the grass also jessie wright as it made up the parish of we stayed for another four moved to Wick square. It marks the Their daughter Walls and Flotta. Armed days and later another to learn trades last resting place of who died 1834 aged 17 with this knowledge I joined to the island of Hoy and a s s o c i a t e d my 2x Great Grand- and james wright their son the Orkney mailing list and South Walls. I was going with the fish- parents and three the Orkney Family History to visit my family. It was ing industry. The cooper’s skills were in great demand by the herring who died 22 march 1837 industry. Photo: Wm Hourston. Kirkwall Library Archive. of their children aged 22 Society and told the listers a very emotional time. It Janet’s parents ii remembered by their Also williamina wright about my lack of paternal was a long way from that were Robert Donaldson and Janet Bain . Robert was the son and brother died dec 1901 aged 76 information. “My family used Circled—N. Ness, S. Ness , Aithsdale, School, Manse, Church, Osmundwall Cemetery. baptismal certificate from local miller in Halkirk, while James’ family had lived Robert. to live next to yours,” came Calcutta and very much as farmers and fishermen in Canisbay, for at least two On the 5th of May back Ron “you might like some photos of the area.” “Your colder. The day was very wet, grey, bleak and very cold and generations before his birth, the earliest found record so 1913 a baby was born The inscription Great Grandfather’s father was a publican and a cooper in our first stop at the little St John’s church on the shore of far is that of his grandfather James Wright who was born in Calcutta, the third child and first son of Ellen Louisa Longhope” wrote another and here are the census details.” North Ness was not successful. I was puzzled, as I had a around 1711. and William Wright. They named him Dudley. The boy “I have found your Great Grandfather’s siblings,” emailed photo of the gravestone which Ron had taken for me when James and his young wife, Janet, set up house in Wick andA 14 NEWSLETTER OF THE ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY Issue No. 50 June 2009 FJames continued his work as a cooper. In 1815 their first had no children and Catherine died early.x In the 1871 son, James, was born. A year later the family had moved to census Adam is a widower living in Stromness working as South Ness, Walls, where their daughter Jessie was born. a tailor. After that date there is no other record of Adam. Six more children were born there, but both Jessie and Williamina, the youngest member of the family, also James died young; Jessie of a nervous disease, aged 18 years looked for work outside Orkney. At the time of the 1851 in 1834iii and James of fever in 1837 at the age of 22iv. census she was in Aberdeen working as a seamstress. There was a considerable herring fishing industry in She had cousins from Caithness in Aberdeen, but Caithness and Orkney and coopers would have been in later she returned to her family in Longhope with her great demand. In the 1841 census, James’ occupation is illegitimate daughter, Mary Anne Robertson. Life must recorded as a Publican, South Ness, Walls. His trade as a have been difficult for Williamina. She never married but cooper would have been most useful for both the pub and the made her living as a domestic servant and dressmaking herring industry. The pub was the Long Hope Hotel, which is and took care of her mother after her father died. She still there but remained in the family home in North Ness until her is now known death in 1901 aged 76. as the Royal Hotel and looks out over the Long Hope pier and harbour. Ten yearsv later, James and Janet were living The Longhope Hotel now known as the Royal Hotel in Aithsdale, a little south west of Longhope and James is recorded as being a retired cooper and only Adam, aged 19 is living at home. The house, which is thought to have been theirs, is still standing. By 1861vi, James, his wife and youngest daughter had moved to North Ness on the opposite shore from Longhope where James died in 1865. His widow and The battle of Inkermann daughter continued to live therevii until Janet died in 1882 There is one last sibling to be accounted for – William and Williamina in 1901. Banks Wright – my Great Grandfather. He disappeared Elizabeth, the eldest from Orcadian records after 1841, to be found severely living daughter, wounded in Scutari hospital after the battle of married John Inkermann, Crimea on 5 November 1854.xi He was Nicolson a fisherman, a private in the 1st Battalion, Scots Fusilier Guards. shoemaker and He disappeared again from record only to reappear crofter from Brims, in Calcutta recorded in Thacker’s Directory of 1880 South Walls. She, as a Station Master on the East Bengal Railway at John and their seven Sealdah. It would appear that he had been recruited in children continued England as the railways were new and there were no to live close to their experienced people in India to run them. Operational respective families in staff were recruited from Europe, and traffic staff from South Walls. former army men. William married in Calcutta, had a The minister of the family of three and died on 13 August 1915. William lies local parish church St. Columba Church with his wife Jessie D’Ortez in the Lower Circular Road St Columba, rebuilt at Long Hope after the original at Cemetery, Calcutta Osmundwall was destroyed, was the Reverend William We left the Osmundwall cemetery, with the seabirds Anderson. He took an interest in young Robert and may well wheeling overhead, but there was now flesh on the bones have sponsored him into Edinburgh University as Robert of my family and a small posy of bluebells at the foot of is the only sibling to attain any scholastic achievement. In their gravestone. L the 1861 census, aged 39, Robert is recorded as being a member of the clergy in Dairsie, Fife. He married the Rev I IGI. ii OPR 42/2 (Watten) Anderson’s daughter, Margaret in 1876, and in 1881 he is iii WRIGHT, Jesse, died of a nervous disease, aged 18 years, 1834 June “Minister of Dairsie Parish, living at the Manse.”viii Robert 22. iv ix WRIGHT, James, of fever, aged 22 years, 1837 March 22 (Walls death was minister there for 39 years . index) Of the third son, Thomas, little is known except his birth v 1851 Census. date and that he was aged 15 living at home in 1841, but vi 1861 Census vii1871 Census his younger brother Adam moved to Wick after 1851 and viii Fasti Ecclessiae Scotia trained as a tailor. In 1856 at the age of 25, Adam married ix Obituary Catherine Lyall in the Pultneytown Chapel, Wick and they x 1871 Census; 30/4/128/1 Adam Wright M 40 Widower: Tailor, Stromness, Walls. made their home in Huddart Street. They appear to have xi www.roll-of-honour.com Issue No. 50 June 2009 NEWSLETTER OF THE ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY 15 Who are the people in these OLD ORKNEY PHOTOGRAPHS? Orkney Library Photo Archives would love to know L 3988/2 It looks like a big family occasion. Photo dated June 1958. A lot of the bairns will be in their 60s now. L 5391/3 L 6283/2 Surely a celebration of some kind. In a local hostelry? A well turned out group. ‘Deerness’ is on back of photo. If you can help, please contact the editor, quoting the number of the photograph and names from left to right, star- ting with the back row. Even if you cannot identify everyone, it is still useful to have some names rather than none. 16 NEWSLETTER OF THE ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY Issue No. 50 June 2009 Our March cover rang a bell with Keith Scott–Member No 1000 It is always interesting to receive the latest SIB FOLK the John Scott whose immediate descendants I have shown NEWS, but the March 2009 issue brought an extra surprise here. The tree has some 470 individuals, over 40 of whom with its cover story news that I have a hitherto unknown have incomplete or no names, and many more have no dates. relative still in Orkney. Welcome, Ann Walls, member number These gaps, and probably other mistakes, await my further 2000 from member number 1000. Do please get in touch. research. I would be grateful for any information that would At the same time, the story brings some confusion. That help to develop the family story, and equally would be happy Ann is descended from a certain David Scott I cannot query: to share what I have with others. there have been several Davids in the family which once lived at Quoymorhouse. However, I am pretty sure that none Abbreviated outline descendants report of John Scott (1795-1875) of them was married to Mary Swanny. Mary’s husband was William Scott, the fourth child of John 1. James SCOTT (1795-1875), m Christina or Christian HEDDLE (1799-1882) They had 7 children:- Scott and Christina (or Christian) Heddle, who also had a son named David (b.1839). John and Christina had seven 1.1 James SCOTT (1825-?) Died ‘In infancy’. children. William and Mary were the couple who had nine 1.2 Katherine SCOTT (1827-1920) m James MITCHELL (?-1919) children, all boys, including another David who was born at 1.2.1 Christina MITCHELL (1856-?) Quoymorhouse in 1867. This David Scott was my father’s 1.2.2 James MITCHELL (1857-) uncle. I never met him, but I know he played a significant 1.2.3 Margaret MITCHELL (1859-1909) 1.2.4 Thomas MITCHELL (1867-?) role in my father’s early life. I have limited information about 1.2.5 ? Mary MITCHELL (1871-1912) him and his descendants, and would like to know more. He was the brother of my father’s father, William and Mary’s 1.3 John SCOTT of Ordinstone, Shapinsay (1830-97) m Mary REID (?-1905) 1.3.1 John Reid SCOTT(1856-?) m Barbara CRAIGIE (?-?) third son Robert Scott (1866-1938). 1.3.2 James SCOTT (1858-1933) m Lydia RUSSELL (?-?) The abbreviated outline report, below, shows the family 1.3.3 Mary SCOTT (1859-?) m James FRASER (?-?) structure as far as I know it, littered with question marks to 1.3.4 William SCOTT (1864-?) m Besdsy LESLIE (?-?) indicate how much has yet to be verified. Especially intriguing 1.4 William SCOTT of Quoymorhouse, Shapinsay (Quoymerries) (1832-?) is the connection – or perhaps series of connections – between Mary SWANNY (1832-?) Daughter of Robert SWANNY (1790-?) and the (b.1839) David Scott and his brother Thomas, and the Elizabeth TULLOCH (1798-?) Nicholson family. It seems that brothers married sisters, but 1.4.1 William SCOTT (1864-1948) m Sarah Jane PLATT (?-?) 1.4.2 John SCOTT (1865-1933) m Elizabeth CRAIGIE (?-?) did it really happen twice, with parents and their children? 1.4.3 Robert SCOTT (1866-1938) m Alice BUCKETT (1873-1960) … and if so, which sisters? That is the sort of question that 1.4.4 David SCOTT (1867-1965) m Beatrice LINDSAY (?-?) makes family history so fascinating to me. The frustration 1.4.5 James SCOTT (1869-1940) m Gladys HARDING (?-?) 1.4.6 Thomas SCOTT (1872-1893) d in Denver Colorado is finding (or rather making) the time to follow through the 1.4.7 Luke SCOTT (1873-1925) unmarried research. It doesn’t help living at the opposite end of the 1.4.8 Peter SCOTT (1874-1958) m Elsie DUNGEY (1886-1973) UK either, which I think especially impacts on the family 1.4.9 Marcus SCOTT (1880 1883) legends. Whence, for instance, comes the story about Mary 1.5 James SCOTT (1835-1914) m Jane LEASK (?-1903) Swanny making her boys bathe in the sea every Sunday? 1.5.1 James SCOTT (1862-1934) And are there other nuggets like that? Such stories bring 1.5.2 Jane SCOTT (1864-1917) m James IRVINE (?-1896) 1.5.3 John SCOTT (1866-?) mere names to life. 1.5.4 Sarah SCOTT (1868-?) On a different note, how varied are the spellings of names. 1.5.5 Mary Ann SCOTT (1870-1947) On Robert’s birth certificate, Mary’s name is Swanny without 1.5.6 Robert SCOTT (12873-?) an ‘e’, as it is also in the 1861 census, although it seems that 1.6 David SCOTT (1839-?) m Margaret NICHOLSON (1839-?) dau of Swanney with an ‘e’ is a common variant. More diverse is Malcolm NICHOLSON (1808?-1900) and Mary BEWS (1814-1850) the place name associated with this line of the Scotts. What 1.6.1 John Nicholson SCOTT (1861-?)? Or Nicholas John m was rendered as QUOYMORHOUSE in Sib Folk News (also Susan SCHELLING (?-?) 1.6.2 Mary SCOTT (1862-?) m Frederick HOOD (?-?) ?or sister Anne with an ‘e’ between MOR and HOUSE, which I have not seen 1.6.3 Jane SCOTT (1865-?) m David HOOD (?-?) elsewhere) has at least three other versions. 1.6.4 Thomas SCOTT (1867-1963) In the 1841 census it is QUOYMORIS; 1.6.5 Anne SCOTT (1869-) In 1851, ‘71 and ‘81 it is QUOYMERRIES; 1.6.7 William SCOTT (1871-) In 1861 and ‘91 it is QUOYMOORHOUSE. 1.7 Thomas SCOTT (1844-?) m Ann NICHOLSON dau of Malcolm Maybe the earlier spellings reflect what I am told is local NICHOLSON (?1808-1900) and Mary BEWS (1814-1850) 1.7.1 John SCOTT (1871-?) pronunciation, “key-merries”. In a similar way, EASTHOUSE 1.7.2 Mary SCOTT (1873-?) is said as “estis”. But then, I don’t live in Orkney, unfortunately, 1.7.3 Annie SCOTT (1873-?) so what do I know? 1.7.4 Christina SCOTT (1874-?) I should say that much of the information I have about the 1.7.5 Hellen Scott (1879-?) Scott family has benefited from the knowledge of relatives, in If the David Scott referred to was in fact the fourth son of William and Mary. I would be particular Marjory Kent of Shapinsay and Donald Scott (son very interested to check the sparse information I have on his descendants:- of Peter, 1874-1958), also the late Norman Scott (like me, a 1.4.4 David SCOTT (1867-1955), son of Wm Scott and Mary SWANNY m Beatrice LINDSAY great-great-grandson of John Scott and Christina Heddle), 1.1 David LIindsay SCOTT (1920-?) and Annie “Nan” Wood (MS Doull). With their help I have M.1 Margaret PRICE (1943) a family tree of descendants from James Scott and Elspeth 1.1.1 Diana Christine SCOTT (1944 m David PINYOUN M.2 Nora Heddle (approx.1730s) of Foxtoun (a place I have not managed 1.1.2 Suzanne SCOTT to identify). James and Elspeth were the grandparents of 1.1.3 Denise SCOTT 1.1.4 Christine SCOTT L Issue No. 50 June 2009 NEWSLETTER OF THE ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY 17 Yesnaby’s Historic Sauna Thanks to Davina Brown, Member No 327, who suggested, and supplied the material, for this article. In 2004, Orkney Today pub- incidentally, was rendered dys- lished an article and the photo- Some two or three years ago Patricia Mack, member No funtional by the landlord who graphs included here entitled 1448 from Minnesota USA, sent me a photograph of the thought it would be dangerous ‘Ahead of it its Time’. ‘Yesnaby Sauna’ which she had received from friends in for his sheep! Orkney. I mentioned this curiosity to a number of people In December of that year the hoping to find out more about it but drew a blank. Then to following letter appeared from my surprise among material that another member, Davina Christopher Rowell who built Brown, had left me for possible inclusion in our newsletter, this gloriously eccentric work of was the whole story, including the photographs that she art in the middle of nowhere. had taken over 10 years ago. Now I don’t know if the sauna has survived but if any YESNABY SAUNA member feels like trying to locate it from the rough map Sir that Patricia sent me I am sure that we would all be inter- Rather belatedly I should like to ested – and if a current photograph was available so much profess to having erected the two the better. Ed. people sauna at Yesnaby (high- lighted in the ‘Ahead of its time’ article which appeared in Ork- ney Today on November 19). The delay was because I had to define whether it still existed - this was confirmed last Sunday, and I’ve made a note to take a piece of corrugated iron next time. Unfortuneately the weather hasn’t been the most cruel visitor to the construction. The most difficult undertaking of the entire venture turned Twice it was necessary to replace the porthole with a new out to be the triangular door, indeed once I found the poor brass one gifted by thing ripped off its hinges and some enthusiast had kin- Tommy and Ivy. dled the oven with part of it. When the second The cannon-ball ‘door closer’ one went the per- was never recovered. spex compass lid The style of exterior and low was deemed less sloping roof was inspired by tempting. This, mountain huts in Bavaria along with the pro- where my ex-wife, Gabi, came fanities scratched from. on the interior and The rather unfortunate outcome mild vandalism, is that Gabi and I never came to were quite sadden- sit together in the sauna as she ing. returned home, but we left the All the material Bible just in case anyone should was carried over stop awhile. in a rucksack and Yours etc. Christopher the site was select- Rowell, Scews, Lyness, Hoy. ed because at that particular point P.S. If anyone out there the stream could be has a particular interest in damned to make a saunas, perhaps they would like plunge pool - this, to try the one I have built at Scews in Lyness. 18 NEWSLETTER OF THE ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY Issue No. 50 June 2009 Demonstration of Family Tree Maker 2009 and 2005 at our Open Meeting April 09 By Elaine Sinclair, Member No 1211 and Secretary of the Orkney Family History Society For the Open Meeting of the Society, held in the a Pedigree format, with children of any highlighted MacGillivray Room at Orkney Library and Archive on 9 individual shown relatively faintly at the bottom of the April 2009, I had undertaken to demonstrate the Family screen. I much prefer the Family View screen in FTM2005, Tree Maker 2009 genealogy software program. In the which shows three generations of a family family unit weeks leading up to the evening, I had installed the within the same page – a primary couple, the couple’s program on my home computer and practiced its use. My parents, and the couple’s children. You can also edit two experience previously had been with Family Tree Maker of those generations from the same page (the primary 2005 and there were sufficient differences between the couple and the children). FTM2005 also allows you the operations of the two programs to lead to some head- option to switch from Family View to Pedigree View, if scratching. you wish. On the evening, I took along some printouts from The Plan view in FTM2009 provides statistical my work in FTM2005 and my son’s Ancestor Tree, in information about the file – the number of people, particular, attracted some attention, as it completely marriages, generations and surnames and the file size. covered the height of the wall of the room and continued (This information is also available in FTM2005 under to roll along the floor – overall, somewhere in the region Tools, Family File Statistics.) I noticed that the FTM2009 of 12 feet in length. This was printed in vertical, Pedigree, program took up twice the space of FTM2005 on my format. I also had a small Descendant Tree, in horizontal computer and each file within the program generated a format, on show, together with other ancestor tree greater file size than similar files within FTM2005. This printouts, in Book layout, while our Chairman and other may affect your choice of program, if you are concerned members brought along examples of work from their about available space or speed of operations on your various genealogy software programs. computer. The Programs The recommended system requirements for FTM2009 FTM2009 has seven main areas called Workspaces. are Each workspace has a general Overview page in the Help Windows XP SP2 / Vista facility to help you to learn how to use that aspect of the 1 GHz Intel Pentium III (or equivalent) program. The Plan Workspace is the starting point. When 40 MB for installation / 512 MB of RAM you first start the program, you have two options: building 32X CD / CD-R a new tree from information you know or importing a tree 1024 x 768 resolution monitor from projects you already have. Compatible import files All online features require Internet access are – FTM version 5 and newer, GEDCOMs, Personal The minimum requirements are – Ancestral Files (PAFs), Legacy Family Tree or The Master Windows XP SP2 / Vista Genealogist. 500 MHz Intel Pentium II (or equivalent) The makers recommend you begin by entering basic 40 MB for installation / 256 MB of RAM information about yourself and your family in the People 2X CD-ROM (required for installation) Workspace and then work backward to ancestors from that 800 x 600 resolution monitor point. As your work progresses, you can use the People Internet access Workspace to view the information you have entered, The system requirements for FTM2005 are – use the Web Search Workspace to look for additional Windows 98 / ME / XP information and use the Publish Workspace to create trees, 300 MHz Pentium II (333 MHz for XP) reports, scrapbooks, and other documents to share and 32 MB RAM (128 MB for XP) enhance your research. The Places, Media, and Sources 800 x 600 x 16 bit resolution video card support Workspaces help you manage and work with the different 150 MB hard disk space2X CD-ROM (CDR/RW types of information associated with a person’s record. drive required to back up files to disc) FTM2009 also comes with eight Training Tutorials Internet connection for online features built into the program, covering the program workspaces, FTM2005 will also run on Microsoft Windows Vista building a family, building a person, places, media, operating system. If the program does not operate sourcing, publishing and web search. FTM2005 also immediately, an update is available from Family Tree has a Help facility and offers online Help and tutorials, Maker at including how to build trees and books. http://past.familytreemaker.com/vistaupdate/ The Family View screen in FTM2009 is laid out in Some features in FTM 2009, such as book options, areA Issue No. 50 June 2009 NEWSLETTER OF THE ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY 19 Fsaved in PDF format. Documents saved in this format Descendant Tree (Descendant Chart in FTM2009) and can be viewed by others and printed from their personal Kinship Report (same name in either program) to be the computers, even if they don’t own or use the Family Tree most useful when printing information. Trees (or Charts) Maker program. can be printed in poster or book format in either program. PDF files can be viewed using a program called Adobe Trees, charts or reports can be tweaked (format, boxes, Acrobat. This is a free program, which can be downloaded borders, fonts, colours, background images, etc) in either from the Internet. It is available at www.adobe.com or you program. FTM2009 offers more scope for inclusion of can search for Acrobat 9 Free Download using any web photographs or silhouettes in Charts. browser (Google, Yahoo, etc). While either program will allow you to merge two specific There are other useful and free downloads from the individuals whom you know to be the same person; or to Internet to enhance your experience of certain web merge trees – either entire trees or selected individuals pages or documents which you may wish to view from from another tree; or to export entire trees or selected websites etc. I have found Adobe Flash Player and Java individuals from a tree, there are some differences to be helpful. These are available at www.adobe.com and between the programs. I have found that FTM2005 gives http://java.com/en/download/index.jsp or you can search very helpful hints to check whether individuals are the for Java using any web browser (Google, etc). same as someone already in the tree, either when merging ActiveX is also a useful and sometimes necessary tool. people or trees or entering someone’s data for the first It is the mechanism by which Internet Explorer (IE) loads time. This is not quite so clear in FTM2009. other applications in the browser. If your pc does not have Common ancestors are shown very clearly within ActiveX you can search for it using any web browser – it FTM2005 trees – they are designated by use of numerals is a free download. beside their names and each time they appear on the Ensure that you are running a firewall and anti-virus tree, the same numerals appear e.g. – Robert Smith (1), software at all times when on the Internet. You may also Elspeth Groat (2). This designation does not appear on find it helpful to run anti-spyware software. There are FTM2009 charts. many options for anti-virus and anti-spyware software, Both programs prompt you to Backup your tree before both paid-for and free, available on the Internet. undertaking any merging process – this is invaluable in If you are comparing programs, it may be worth noting case anything goes horribly wrong! that FTM2009 is currently selling at prices between £30 Another matter to consider is how to close trees or to £60; with upgrade versions (you would need to have a programs without losing data. I have found that FTM2005 compatible earlier version of FTM) at around £19; and can lose data if you close off the tree or close the program FTM2005 can be obtained from £8 (these are all Internet by clicking the red X at the top right corner of the screen. prices). I haven’t checked whether this occurs in FTM2009, but as Within either program, you can enter Facts relating to a matter of practice I would recommend that you should each person. If these are shared facts, such as Marriage, close trees within either program by clicking File, Close for example, they will appear in the information relating and close either program by clicking File, Exit. Either to each relevant person. You can change the status of a program will permit you to open and work within up to marriage to show divorce, for example, and the nature of two trees at the same time. the relationship e.g. partner or spouse. We also found out Conclusion at the meeting that you can enter same-sex relationships Running through the demonstration on the night, within FTM2009, mainly because the Family View does on a large screen, in front of an audience, was not as not require that the screen be split into male and female easy as working with the programs at home. However, segments, as it does within FTM2005. I managed to demonstrate the majority of the points Either program will also allow you to enter Sources for which I had planned to show. Towards the conclusion your information, Media e.g. photographs (this is called of the presentation, I was able to show matters within Scrapbook in FTM2005), or Notes – with helpful free both FTM2009 and FTM2005 and was aided in analysing typing permitted – for each person or event. I liked the some issues as members asked questions. This led to some facility to Rate Source Citations within FTM2009, which interesting discussions and solutions to problems, which permits you to award Blue stars yourself (1 implies poor continued over tea and biscuits. quality source, while 4 starts implies very good quality) If the gentleman who asked me how to remove two or Use Standardized Ratings, based on Quality Measures invalid marriage entries from his daughter’s information (quality of source, clarity, information and evidence) to in FTM2005 would like to contact me, I would be happy award up to 4 Gold stars for the quality of the Source. I to try and work through this with him. Similarly, the found it equally easy to link Media in either program. Society would be happy to know whether the lady who Either program will show you an Index of Individuals found that FTM2009 wouldn’t print or even show Charts in your tree to enable you to move around between or Reports on her screen because she had the wrong individuals quickly. While you need to click a button for type of printer (!) manages to resolve the issue, perhaps this in FTM2005, the Index automatically shows at the with the suggested upgrade which the program makers left of the screen in the Family View in FTM2009. advised her they would be releasing. Both programs provide you with options for Trees (or If any members want to approach me with questions or Charts, as they are titled in FTM2009) and Reports. I have problems, I would be happy to try and help them. Contact found the Ancestor Tree (Pedigree Chart in FTM2009), [email protected] L 20 NEWSLETTER OF THE ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY Issue No. 50 June 2009 DELDAYS of Dearness By Mabel Eunson, Member 123 My maternal grandmother was Mary Dunnet Delday of gander; about 60 thraves of oats and about 60 thraves of Greentoft. Through her memories, the Deerness census bere being the whole crop on the farm; one cart for oxen returns and the fact that most of the Deldays lived out with iron axle and yoke, two ploughs with plough trees their lives in Deerness and were laid to rest in the Deer- and one harrow. ness cemetery, my Delday relatives are well recorded In the 1841 census Janet and three of her family are at I’ll start with my ggg g/f George Delday born about Tiffyhall, a property owned by Dundas, Earl of Zetland. 1774, as I know where he lived, whom he married, what John Delday, the eld- family he had, and where, and in what circumstances he est, (my gg g/f) is living at died - a story handed down through many generations of Oyce a fisherman’s croft Deerness folk. His parents were John Delday and Beat- at the west end of Halley rix Pottinger, and his grandparents were Magnus Delday Beach. He has married and Margaret Ritch who were married on 23 -1-1711. one of the Spence daugh- George Delday’s wife was Janet Petrie and the couple ters Louisa., and they al- had four sons, John, William, Robert and George and two ready have three sons, the daughters, Jane and Mary. He was a tenant in the farm eldest is 6 years. John is of Halley, probably not a very successful one, as he was obviously a bit of a dare- supposedly fond of a drink. About 1830 or maybe earlier devil. He is featured in he had been to Kirkwall with horse and cart to see his Around the Orkney Peat eldest son, John Delday, off on Fires as a ‘humorous smuggler’ who regularly boarded a voyage to the Davis Straits. vessels in Deersound and conveyed quantities of illicit On the way home he took his spirits to customers in Kirkwall. usual route across Sandi Sand, I can only guess that William, George and Janet’s sec- but on this occasion strayed ond son, is the William Delday also mentioned in Around too far out and horse, cart and the Orkney Peat Fires.. The story He’s Gone tells about his man disappeared in what is daring escape from the Press Gang_ He later joined the known locally as The Mallack, navy but died from a fall on board ship. a quicksand at the edge of Pe- Robert Delday was the farmer at Tiffyhall. He married ter’s Pool. Though no written a widow Isabella Smith with two daughters Sarah and evidence of this tragedy has Mary from a previous marriage. Robert and Isabella, had been found the story is sup- no family so there were no ported by the record of a pe- more Deldays at Tiffyhall. tition served on ‘Janet Petrie, Sarah trained as a midwife widow of the deceased George Delday, and John Delday , and is mentioned in “Almost son of the said George Delday’ for non-payment of rent to an Island” p82-83. Alexander Graeme Groat Esquire of Newhall. Presuma- The fourth son George bly they were unable or perhaps unwilling to pay up and married Helen Inkster of their ‘stocking of horses, cattle, crop and labouring imple- Quoybellock and was the ments’ were to be sequestrated towards the amount of farmer there. arrears, £8-9-6 sterling for 1830 and all the unpaid rent Their family were Geor- for 1831. The Inventory delivered by the Sheriff Officer gina (Eenie), William, John on 22nd September 1831 is as follows:- (died young) and James_ A brown horse four years old, a brown horse three years William, unmarried, better old, a brown horse one year old, a brown mare five years known as Willie 0’ Beelock, old and a red mare two years old; a bull five years old, a who was a farmer, poet, sto- black bull four years old, a black cow eight years old, a red ry - teller and eccentric, (See and white cow seven years old, a black cow with white face “Almost an Island” p260- Willie o’ Beelock five years old, two 3-year old oxen, two 3 year old queys, 267). James married Jessie Garriock who was a servant two 2 year old queys, a I year old ox and a milk drink- girl at Quoybellock. The couple emigrated to Canada and ing calf; twelve poultry, three swine, six brooders and a had a family there but contact has been lost.A Issue No. 50 June 2009 NEWSLETTER OF THE ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY 21 FNeither of the daughters died five days later of peritonitis, aged 32, leaving Muckle were married but Jane pro- Geordie with two motherless young children and there duced three sons, William was no granny to help out. His sister Elizabeth was still Yorston, unmarried and would maybe have helped with the chil- Thomas Aitken and James dren. Aitken. Muckle Geordie disapproved of his daughter Mary To return to John Del- (Meenie) marrying John Work, a small thin, wiry, Flotta day my gg g/f. In the early man whom he considered unworthy of being the husband 1850s he decided to give up of a Delday. The Delday men were all tall and masculine. the contraband work and The marriage took place at Greenhall, her aunt, Elizabeth become a farmer. He started Vedder’s home, and neither her father nor her brother at- to break out hill ground on tended. For the next fifteen years my grandfather was part of the commons and in farm service in Tankerness, St Ola, Holm and Birsay this became the farm of and none of their family of Jean (1900), John(1902), Greentoft. It is said that Sandy(1907), Mary Ann(1909) and David (1911) were he slept under his cart until born in Deerness .. However they returned to Deerness he built a house for his fam- John Delday when my granny’s brother John (Hilly Jock) died sud- ily. Louisa. died in 1859 aged 55 not all that long after denly at the age of 38. He collapsed while cycling over the move to Greentoft. A framed photograph of John still to the Sebay Mill. Muckle Geordie, left on his own had to hangs on the wall at Greentoft. His only daughter Eliza- give in and ask the Work family to come back and help beth (Mrs Vedder) had taken the photo with her to USA him to tend the farm of Greentoft in 1915. You see what and had this enlarged copy sent home. I remember that I mean by saying he was stubborn! He died at Greentoft photograph since childhood visits when we looked at it and on 13-5-1924 aged 81. repeated the conundrum ‘Brothers and sisters have I none With no Delday son left at Greentoft the surname had but that man’s father was my father’s son. Whose photo is changed to Work. My uncle John Work married but had it? That often began an argument. John and Louisa’s fam- no family, Sandy Work farmed Greentoft but didn’t mar- ily were John(1835}, William(1837), Robert (1839-1841), ry and Davie had a son Edwin who lives in Tankemess. George(1842), James (1845) and Elizabeth (I848}. My gg My aunt Jean married John Bruce and had a. son Billy g/f lived and worked at Greentoft until his death in 1886 who lives at Greentoft and Mary Ann (Nan) married Rob- agad 81. ert Eunson of Quoys and I was their eldest daughter. And It was John’s 4th son, so this Delday line became Work, then Eunson, Bruce, George Delday, my Budge, Garriock etc, but the Delday character, appear- g g/f who worked with and ance and trait lived on most noticeably and probably died then succeeded his fa- with Sandy Work of Greentoft. L ther at Greentoft. People called him Muckle Geor- To be continued with the family of John Delday of die. He was tall, having Midhurst, the eldest son of John Delday and Louisa. very long legs and huge feet. It would seem that my g g/f Muckle Geordie had a very stubborn na- You may be interested in ture. Maybe he was also a bit stupid. He wouldn’t be these changes at GSOS convinced that the world went round - “I never Robert Whitton e-mailed me some time ago about the came out in a morning General Register Office of Scotland but lack of space pre- yet to find the door facing vented me from including it in the March issue. north” he vowed. George Robert has asked me to let members, who might be in- helped his father with the terested, know that access to the new ScotlandsPeople hard work of making the Centre is through the ScotlandsPeople Shop entrance rather bare hillside into at 2 Princes Street, Edinburgh. This is located directly agricultural land. Many behind the statue of the Duke of Wellington on horse- stones had to be quarried back and unless you have an Annual or a Quarterly ticket, and steading built. the search facilities will be in the Reed Room and the In 1875 George married Madison Dome in General Register House rather than Mary Ann Moodie from New Register House. Sanday, a servant lass at The search facilities makes use of the ScotlandsPeople Muckle Geirdie Midhouse, his brother’s software rather than the previous search methods and farm, but not until their daughter, Mary Donnet Delday, Robert assumes that this will be akin to searching on- my g/m was four years old. Was this also being stubborn? line. They then had a son John (Hilly Jock) and also George Online you will find www.gro-scotland.gov.uk a great who was premature and only lived a few hours. Mary Ann source of information 22 NEWSLETTER OF THE ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY Issue No. 50 June 2009 By Bruce M Watson CharlesHumphrey [variation: Humphreys] (c.1811-?) [ret-Brit. hours before the time appointed to start, without orders and lsles] HBC ship’s captain, British: Orcadian Scot, b. (date not by stealth, leaving part of the stores, the despatches, and traced) possibly in ‘Stromness, Orkney, to George (c.1766-?) passengers behind, and afterwards putting the Engineer Mr. and Margaret [Allan] Humphrey (c.1773-?), d. (date and place Carless off duty and threatening to put him in irons, and not traced), ‘associated with: placing John Flett a man totally incapable in charge of the (1838) barque Columbia crewman, engine room thereby risking the destruction of the vessel and (1840-44) ship’s master steamer Beaver endangering the lives of all on board and other circumstances, (1844-45) captain or ship’s master barque Cowlitz there can be no doubt that the unfortunate man was labouring (1845-46) passenger? under a fit of insanity at the time, and had been less or more Charles Humphrey, often dogged so effected at times for some time previous, though nothing by bad luck, always kept good books occured during his frequent visits to fort Simpson to lead to but otherwise was a failure in the suspicion of any thing more than whims or excentricity. (sic) fur trade. Raised in a large family His accounts were correct, he paid much attention to the of ten children in Stromness in a business and seemed proud of the success of the Steamers large waterfront house purchased trade. He always regretted not getting home with the English (?) by his teacher father, Charles vessel last fall to see his wife.” Humphrey seemed destined for As Humphreys was unfit to continue his duties, he returned to a career at sea. He joined the England on the barque Cowlitz around October 31, 1845. On Hudson’s Bay Company in 1833 March 11, 1846 between Oahu and London after several fits of as a seaman with the HBC vessel, drunkennes, he tried to commit suicide by taking laudanum. Prince of Wales. After the ship became icebound at Charlton He convulsed and showed the usual signs of poisoning but did Island, unable in the autumn of 1833 to return to England not die; 1st mate James Cooper then took charge of the vessel. from Moose Factory, the captain (Henry I. Ianwell) and first He reached England and on November 4, 1846, his mother, mate (Thomas Terry) died. (This was a harbinger of the results Margaret Humphrey of Stromness, tried unsuccessfully to of the colder weather in the 1830’s for the family’s waterfront solicit his reinstatement. Charles Humphreys has not been Stromness home became a hospital, containing 26 patients, traced after that; neither has his wife or possible family. all part of the surviving whalers whose 20 ships had become Comparatively, his younger brother Thomas fared much better. crushed in the Arctic ice.) The following spring, Humphreys, Thomas made a fortune in Nova Scotia and left a bequest “for who then became first mate, and 2nd mate H.J.I. Baker, took the benefit of the poor or destitude children of Stromness for the ship back to England. Humphreys continued to serve on educational or other benevolent purposes”. A nephew, James the Prince of Wales until 1836, when he was appointed master Humphrey of Boston, disputed the will claiming the money of the Eagle on the Hudson’s Straits run. On July 27, 1836, should have gone to him. after the Eagle became stranded on rocks off Button Islands, References: it arrived too late at York Factory and had to winter over, Primary Sources service with HBC: HBCA Servants’ Contracts, A.32/33, fOe 180; Fort Vancouver returning to England on August 22, 1837. On November 17, [Columbia] Abstracts of Servants’ Accounts [1838-39] B.223/g/5, [return_ed to Ellgland on barque 1837, he was appointed master of the Columbia which sailed Columbia, Fall, 1838] fa. 31d; [1841-42] B.223 / g/ 6, fa. 1d; [1842-43] B.223/ g/ 7, [to England between London and Columbia. By 1842, however, complaints on barque Columbia, Fall, 1841] fa. 39d; [1843-44] B.223/g/8, fa. Id; York Factory Abstracts of of drunkeness and fits of meanness came before the London Committee which accepted Humphreys’ apologies and excuses. Servants’ Accounts [1840-41] B.239/g/20, p. 55a; [1841-42] B.239/g/21, p. 56a, [home on th.e As a result he continued as master of the Columbia until Colutnbia] p. 56b; [184445] B.239/g/24, p. 60a; [1845-46] B.239/g/25, p. 63a, [home on the Cowlitz] November, 1844, when McLoughlin appointed him as captain p. 63b; District Statements: York Factory [1845-46] B.239/1/16, p. 51; HBRS v. VI:391-92; letter of the steamer Beaver. Matters worsened, however, when Work to McY-,oughlin, October 24, 1845, B.223/b/33, p. 92-92d; Ship’s Logs, Cowlitz, C.1/262, Humphreys found that his first mate was Alexander Lattey, fOe 84d-85d; John “Vork’s October 24, 1845 letter to John McLoughlin, B.223/b /33, fa. 92, 92d; whom he had dismissed two years previously in Honolulu Thomas Humphrey inforrmation in Thomas Humphrey will, dated July 24 and 27, a copy of which but who had been reinstated by George Simpson. As a result, is in “Sederunt Book, The Humphrey Bequest, Stromness”, Orkney Archives Humphreys dismissed Lattey on the Beaver’s arrival at Port Published Primary Sources service with HBC: McLoughlin’s Fort Vancouver Letters, 1839-44, Simpson in January 1845 and took on all the responsibilities E. E. Rich, ed., The Champlain Society, vol. VI, 1943, pp. 2, 119, 132, 140, 141n, 244, 246, 331, 332, of trading with the natives. Consequently, Humphreys’ health 333, 391-92;McLoughlin’sFort Vancouver Letters,1844-46E.E.Rich., ed., The Champlain Society, broke down. Fearing that Humphreys had become deranged, vol. XLV, 1944, pp. 47, 145-46; John Work, Chief Trader in charge of Fort Simpson, replaced Secondary Sources Pethick, Derek, 5.S. Beaver: The ship that saved the West, Mitchell Press, him with Charles Dodd, who took command of the Beaver. 1970, p. 54’ In John Work’s Letter to McLoughlin of October 24, 1845, the following was revealed: “From the extraordinary and We have tried, without success, to contact the author of this article which is one of a number by Bruce M Watson, in our files. We hope that the Mr Watson has unaccountable conduct of Capt. Humpherys in leaving Fort no objection to it appearing in the Newsletter and hope to include some of his Simpson as he did at midnight 19th September, only 12 other articles on the Canadian fur trade in future editions of Sib Folk News. Issue No. 50 June 2009 NEWSLETTER OF THE ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY 23 Thanks for the e-mail Jane; it helps make the effort Success with worthwhile! our March Hello! I just wanted to take a moment to tell you how much I enjoy the mystery OFHS Newsletter. I read each issue almost cover to cover. I enjoy each and every story and feel so privileged to be part of such a creative and pictures energetic bunch of people who contribute to Orkney family history. Thanks so much for all you do - it really does help to bring people together whether they are related by blood or not. I also just took a look at the OFHS website - it’s a while since I was actively doing research on my Matches family connections, and hence hadn’t taken a look at the updated website. It’s really terrific - especially the transcriptions of census data and cemetery headstones. I know that these are huge volunteer efforts, and to those volunteers, I extend my thanks. Especially for those of us who may have limited opportunities to spend time in Orkney to do primary research, this information is wonderful. Sylvia Brown named My huge thanks to you all! everyone in two pictures Jane Bremner (#1126) Top photograph, L2845/24, is the Brown boys of Boys of Adabrock, 395 Sawmill Road RR2 Stromness. Lakefield Ontario K0L 2H0 Back row, left to right - Gordon, David and Peter. [email protected] Front row, left to right - Billy, Leslie and Peter. Coincidentally the bottom picture, L2847/1 is of the same family as Leslie, the blonde headed boy in the top photograph, is standing in Anne Cormack’s front of his mother in the lower picture. Back row, left to right - Mary Brown (née Wilson), Jack Brown, Donald article in Sib News McLoughlin, David Brown, Will Brown, Jean Brown (née Harvey), Ellen Anderson (née Brown) No 48 prompted Middle row, left to right - sitting William J R Brown with his great Bridget Hunter to grand child (?) McLoughlin on his knee, sitting Mabel McLoughlin (née Brown), sister standing is Sheena Brooke (née Brown), boy is contact us. Leslie Brown I read with interest the article in Sib Folk from Anne Cormack. Front row, left to right - all kneeling - the Anderson family, twins The grave of Donald SMITH mentioned by Anne is the grave of my great Ronald and Elma, Eileen (Susie) and Carol. great grandfather and his family. I have been researching my SMITH My husband is David in the top photograph. David and Jean in family for nearly 30 years, and have visited the grave many times on the bottom photograph are the parents of the 6 boys in the top my visits to Orkney. photograph. William SMITH [b Sep 1790 Bower] and Helen NICOLSON [Mar Regards from Sylvia Brown,Member No 49, Stromness. 1792 Canisbay] were indeed the parents of Donald SMITH [b 1815 Gills Canisbay - d 1890 Kirkwall]. They all came from near Canisbay and Kathleen Taylor named Caithness. William and Helen’s children were Helen 1814; Donald 1815-1890; Janet twelve in this difficult one 1818; Sinclair; David 1823-1908; Margaret; George 1827; Jean 1829; Robert 1833; William 1836. The younger children born in Deerness. Anne mentioned that David was an apprentice blacksmith, he became a blacksmith in Stromess. Younger brother Robert was also a blacksmith and brother George was a farmer /blacksmith in Millfield Holm. Donald was a Blacksmith in Shore Street Kirkwall. But here our research differs. Donald’s father William SMITH was the son of Donald SMITH [b 1763 Bower] and Janet MURRAY. Their children were William 1790; Waillet 1793; Sinclair 1796; Catherine 20 2 5 7 8 11 15 17 19 1799; Donald 1800; Matthew 1804; Elizabeth 1809. 1 3 4 6 9 10 12 13 14 16 18 21 22 23 Donald SMITH [b1763 Bower] was the son of William SMITH (b Relating the numbers to the front and those immediately behind, abt 1740 in Scotland) and Kaithren MANSON (b Nov 1749 Bower). Kathleen came up with the following:- I have lodged my research notes and SMITH family tree with the OFHS. 1. Mrs Scarth, 3. Mrs Linklater, 4. Mrs Stewart, 6. Hilary Morgan, But as always my research continues. I would love to get further back but 7. Kathleen Twatt, 8. Mrs Twatt (Orkney Herald), 12. Jean Sinclair, I am finding it difficult to get more information about the William SMITH 14. Mary Hourston, 16. Mr Morrison, 19. Eric Hourston, born about 1740 who married Kaithren MANSON in Canisbay Caithness. 22. Kathleen Hourston, 23. William B. Hourston. Any ideas or suggestions would be very welcome. Another Brick Wall Kathleen was delighted to spot this photograph taken outside the is finding the death of William SMITH b 1790 and Helen NICOLSON b Stromness Hotel as her grandparents are Nos 22 & 23, her great 1792. I have quite a lot of information about them and know that they aunt is No14 with her nephew No 19. lived in Ireland, Holm on the 1861 census, William was shown as 70 Kathleen is member No 1738 of OFHS and is keen to trace back the years old. Help in finding them would be most welcome. Hourston family tree. She would also like to know date of photo. Best wishes Bridget A Hunter. OFHS 111. Contact Kathleen, 6 Glenearn Park Forgandenny, Perth. PH2 9FB THE ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY rkney Family History Society was formed embership of the Society runs annually in 1997 and is run by a committee of from the date of membership application. Ovolunteers. MAll subscriptions should be sent to the It is similar to societies operating worldwide Treasurer at the OFHS address below. where members share a mutual interest in New members joining before the 1st December family history and help each other with research will receive back copies of the three magazines for and, from time to time assist in special projects the current year. From 1st December new members will receive membership for the remainder of the con-cerning the countless records and subjects current year, plus the following year, but will not available to us all in finding our roots. receive the back copies of the magazine. The main objectives are: 1 To establish a local organisation for the study, The present subscription rates are as follows: collection, analysis and sharing of information ORDINARY about individuals and families in Orkney. Family membership (UK only) £10.00 2 To establish and maintain links with other FAMILY MEMBERSHIP family history groups and genealogical societies Spouse, Partner and Children under 18 £15.00 throughout the UK and overseas 3. To establish and maintain a library and other SENIOR CITIZENS reference facilities as an information resource for Single or couple (UK only) £7.00 members and approved subscribers. OVERSEAS 4.To promote study projects and special interest Surface Mail £12.50 groups to pursue approved assignments. We are located on the upper floor of the OVERSEAS Kirkwall Library next to the archives department Air Mail £15.00 and are open Mon–Fri 2pm–4.30pm and Sat Overseas members should pay their fees in 11am–4.30pm. sterling or its equivalent. If it is not possible to send Our own library, though small at the moment, pounds sterling please check the exchange rate. holds a variety of information including: Our bank will accept overseas cheques without The IGI for Orkney on microfiche. charging commission. Receipts will be issued with The Old Parish Records on microfilm. the next magazine. Members residing in the United The Census Returns on microfilm transcribed Kingdom may pay their subscriptions by Bankers on to a computer database. Order and if they wish can have their subscriptions Family Trees. treated as gift donations. Forms will be sent on Emigration and Debtors lists. request. Letters, Articles and stories concerning Orkney Cheques should be made payable to: ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY and its people. and forwarded to Hudson’s Bay Company information. Graveyard Surveys (long term project). ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY This material is available to members for ‘in Orkney Library & Archive house’ research by arrangement. 44 Junction Rd, Kirkwall, Orkney KW15 1AG Locally we have monthly Members’ Evenings Telephone 01856 879207 with a guest speaker. General enquires should be addressed to the office in writing or to We produce a booklet of members and interests Treasurer George Gray (e-mail: [email protected]) General Secretary. Elaine Sinclair ([email protected]) to allow members with similar interests to Research Secy. Adrianne Leask (e-mail: [email protected]) correspond with each other if they wish. Editor. John Sinclair (e-mail: [email protected]) We also produce a newsletter 4 times a year and Orkney Family History Society website— www.orkneyfhs.co.uk are always looking for articles and photographs of The Orkney Family History Society interest. A stamped addressed envelope should be is a Registered Charity in Scotland SCO26205 included if these are to be returned. Back copies of the magazine can be purchased at £1 per copy. Articles in the newsletter are copyright to the Society and We can usually undertake research for members its authors and may not be reproduced without permiss- ion of the editor. The Society is a registered charity in who live outwith Orkney but this is dependent on Scotland and a member of the Scottish Association of the willingness of our island members giving up Family History Societies. The Society’s newsletter, Sib their spare time to help. Folk News is registered with the British Library under the serial number ISSN 1368-3950. IMPORTANT The new Members’ Directory will be produced in August for inclusion with the September issue of Sib Folk News. Members are advised to check their contact details and notify the Society of any changes before then. Members own details and interests can now be viewed and updated through the Sosiety’s website www.orkneyfhs.co.uk After logging on go to the Members’ Page then go to My Details on the Menu Bar. subscriptions etc If you don’t know your password you can contact the OFHS link on the login page. MEMBERSHIP