SIB FOLK NEWSISSUE No 45 March 2008 NEWSLETTER OF THE FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY

Spring has sprung at Berstane Farm 2 NEWSLETTER OF THE ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY Issue No 45 March 2008

ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORY NEWSLETTER Issue No 45 March 2008 CONTENTS

FRONT COVER From Spring at Berstane Farm the chair PAGE 2 From the Chair Christmas and New Year has come and gone and 2008 promises to be another busy year. PAGE 3, The Society’s membership continues to increase and we Tumbledown. No3 continue to welcome members from all over the world as family history research continues to grow in popularity. Who will become member number 2000 or 2008? PAGES 4, 5 & 6 For our Orkney based members a range of new training opportunities is being offered The Spence with various courses being available to help you with your research and the handling of Family of Scapa all your family data. PAGE 7 Our interesting monthly programme will bring members together to expand new areas of Joey's Photograph. interest and we look forward to these. Our SFN editor is pleased with the contributions A Mountain from members for the newsletters however there is still a chance for you to respond. It named Bess does not need to be a ten-page article!

PAGES 8 & 9 Our web-master is busy on a revamp of the Society’s website so keep checking. This will The SS Hilda include an expansion of member’s pages and data. disaster Looking in advance to year 2009, it is being designated as “’s Year of Homecoming”. The Society has already been in discussion with other interested organisations. It is PAGES 10 & 11 anticipated that as the “Year” is to be from February to November 2009 many descendents The Orkney of Orkney families will be making plans for visiting Orkney and Scotland at some time Archive during the year. It is expected that Orkney’s visits and events will be spread throughout the year as part of this International initiative. PAGES 12,13 & 14 Canada Beckoned at Best wishes for the year ahead. £17 a year Alan Clouston PAGES 15,16,17,18 Alan Clouston Looking for Jane

PAGES 19, 20 & 21 It started with a Boatload of Turnips Our front cover heralds the approach of the first day of spring but in Orkney this does not necessarily mean the first spring day. However it won’t be long before the liners once again drop anchor in Bay PAGE 21 (avoid it if you are a diver) and the tourists cross the Pentland Firth. Black, white Robbie ruffles a few and green faces can be spotted landing from the ferries. feathers The streets fill with visitors – they don’t understand half of what we’re saying and we don’t know what they are on about– and that’s just the folk from . Still PAGES 22 & 23 we all get on grand and everyone seems quite taken with Orkney. In Search of a But spring has its downside too; ‘Time these windows were pented beuy an’ while Name; Tom Corston you're at it the whole hoose could do wae a paper an pent' comes the voice from concludes his story the kitchen. And we all know about ‘Spring has sprung, the grass has ris.’ Well ris it certainly his and that means resurrecting the mower from its winter hibernation. PAGE 24 Don’t weeman realise that there are boats to be pented, outboards to be coaxed Membership back into life and flies and casts to be tied, for the fishing season is upon us. details And whit aboot our peedie freend on the cover? Weel if the troot are biting we won’t be reaching for the mint sauce. Ed. Issue No. 45 March 2008 NEWSLETTER OF THE ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY 3

By Alan Clouston – Member No 339 Did your ancestors live at Parkhouse, known later as Park Cottage The Tumbledown featured in this issue is PARK- HOUSE / PARK COTTAGE that lies on the south- west side of the Midland Hill in parish. The site has magnificent panoramic views westwards to the islands of and and to the town of . From the census information available this prop- erty has been known under two names - firstly, as ‘Parkhouse’ (1861 –1881) and then as ‘Park Cottage’ (1891–1901). My supposition as to the reason for a change may have been due to the existence of an- other Parkhouse on the Ness of Houton, only a half mile away as the crow flies. This other Parkhouse disappeared as a result of WW2 developments at Ness.

RESIDENTS OF PARKHOUSE / PARK COTTAGE PARKHOUSE PARK COTTAGE 1861 1871 1881 1891 1901

Ebenezer Kirkpatrick (Snr.) * 79 - - - - Isabell Kirkpatrick (nee Louttit) * 67 - - - -

*In 1851 Ebenezer, born at Closeburn in Dumfriesshire, was a farmer of 12 acres employing 2 labourers at the neighbouring property of Clowally. Parkhouse was only 6 acres

Ebenezer Kirkpatrick (Jnr.) * 30 40 50 - - Hellen Kirkpatrick (nee Clouston) - 34 44 53 - - Hellen (daughter) - 8 - - - - James (son) - 6 - 26 - - Margaret (daughter - 4 - - - - Isabella (daughter) - 2 12 22 30 - William Rae (son) - 1 mth 10 - - - Thomas (son) - - 7 17 - - John Wishart (son) - - 5 - - - Archibald Duncan (son) - - 3 13 - - Ann (daughter)) - - 1 11 - - Elizabeth Ann Burnett (daughter of Isabella) 7 - James Pirie - - - - ** 37 Jane Pire (wife) - - - - ** 44 Jane (daughter) - - - - ** 12 Margaret (daughter) - - - - - 10 Mary A (daughter) - - - - - 3 Janet (niece) - - - - - 18

** In 1851, James A Pirie, born in parish, was a labourer living at a cottage at the Head in Houton Thanks to those who responded to the previous Tumbledown – Scorridale. These contacts gave further information into the occupying families and in particular of the Groundwater residents If your family was linked to the Parkhouse / Park Cottage residents and you have a story to tell, or questions to ask, Alan Clouston will try to help. You can contact him at [email protected] 4 NEWSLETTER OF THE ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY Issue No. 45 March 2008

By Ken Harrison Member No 108 My Spence family came to Orkney about 1580 as officials probable that all older brothers died before their father, employed by the , and owned the estate of because David, although the youngest child, inherited the Scapa from at least the mid 1600s. Scapa is a farm, still family estate. in existence on Mainland Orkney. It lies on the southern David inherited Scapa about 1784, shortly after the outskirts of Kirkwall, at the head of Scapa Bay in Scapa death in 1783 of his father. In 1786 he was living in Flow (where many warships of the German Navy were Kirkwall, and in 1805 he was noted as a Merchant there. interned at the end of World War I and later scuttled David died at the age of 84 at Scapa on 19 July 1846 and there by their crews). Scapa House is now part of the was buried at St. Magnus Cathedral, Kirkwall. Scapa Distillery. He was married twice, and between his two marriages “Scapa” is the modern version of “Skalpeith”, or “Ship he also had a child by Isabella Sinclair. His second wife Isthmus”. The Norse “skal” meaning ship can still be seen was Margaret Stewart, who he married in Kirkwall on in the English word “scul” for a competitive rowing boat, 12 November 1796. Her family claimed descent from the and “eith” meaning isthmus refers to the narrow neck of royal line of Stewart, having been sent to Orkney in the land between Kirkwall Bay on the north coast and Scapa 1500s by their relative, King James V. By her he had Bay on the south coast. As late as the early 1800s, it was eight children between 1797 and 1820. Descendants of sometimes called “Skalpa”. this wife now live in England. David’s first marriage was on 2 July 1786 in Kirkwall Margaret Spence (1787 - 1829) to Lucia Traill My great-great-great grandmother Margaret Spence was mentioned in Issues 43 and 44 in the articles on the Smellie Lucia Traill (17?? - 1793) Family as the first wife of Rev. James Smellie, to whom she Lucia Traill (sometimes referred to as “Louisa” or was married on 5 November 1805 in Kirkwall, Orkney. “Lucilla”, but most commonly as “Lucy”) was born some She was the eldest child of David Spence and Lucia Traill, time between 1750 and 1760 to James Traill and his wife born in Kirkwall on 29 April 1787 and baptized there on 3 Ann Forbes. The Traills were a many-branched prominent May 1787, two years before the Mutiny on HMS “Bounty” landowning family in Orkney with roots there back to the and the start of the French Revolution. 1500s, when they came from Fifeshire. In her 23 years of married life at the old St. Andrew’s Lucy was married twice. Her first husband was her manse she gave birth there to 18 children (no twins). This first cousin, Thomas Stuart Traill of Tirlet (a small estate means that she was pregnant for at least 162 months out on the island of ), who she married on 5 December of the 284 months of her marriage, or about 60% of the 1780. He died soon after, leaving her with one child, time from the age of 18 onwards. Thomas Stuart Traill, who went on to become a famous Margaret died at the age of 42, on 4 July 1829 at the old medical professor at Edinburgh University and the editor St. Andrew’s manse, possibly in childbirth to a nineteenth of several editions of “Encyclopaedia Brittanica”. He also child who also did not survive the birth. Some records acted as a mentor for several of his younger half-siblings have incorrectly given her death date a year earlier, on 14 and their sons, including his nephew, Dr. William Smellie July 1828, at the birth of her eighteenth child, John. (the subject of an article in Issue 44). Her ancestry is shown on the chart overleaf and I would Lucy next married, on 2 July 1786 in Kirkwall, David love to learn more about her. Spence, by whom she had five children, the first of whom was Margaret Spence who married Rev. James Smellie. David Spence [5th Laird of Scapa] (1762 - 1846) Lucy died in June 1793 and was buried on 22 June in David Spence was born on the island of Westray, one of Kirkwall. the most northerly islands in Orkney, and christened She was obviously highly respected in the family and there on 8 May 1762, three years after Wolfe captured her name was perpetuated for nearly 200 years in the Quebec, two years after the start of the reign of George daughters of descendants spread all over the world, one III, and the year before the end of the Seven Years War in of whom was the youngest sister of my grandmother, Lucy Europe. The ninth and last known child of Nicol Spence Traill Smellie, who died in 1974. and Jacobina Keith, David was a twin but it appears that his birthmate, George, died before maturity. It is Continues on page 6— after the Spence ancestry chart A Issue No. 45 March 2008 NEWSLETTER OF THE ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY 5

8 George Spence of Overscapa

B : Abt 1662 P : Orkney, Scotland M: 20 Feb 1670 SPENCE 4 John Spence of Scapa P : Kirkwall, Orkney, Scotland D : 15 Apr 1688 CHART C : 14 Apr 1674 P : Kirkwall, Orkney, Scotland P : Kirkwall, , Orkney M: Jan 1701 9 Marjorie Halcro P : Kirkwall, Orkney, Scotland D : About 1749 B : from 1640 to 1655 P : P : D : After 1702 2 Nichol Spence P :

10 David Fotheringham 13th of Purie B : From 1706 to 1714 P : Kirkwall, Orkney, Scotland B : M: 13 Apr 1743 P : P : Walls & , Orkney M: About 1656 D : 25 Apr 1783 5 Elizabeth Fotheringham P : P : Westray, Orkney, Scotland D : Dec 1695 P : 1 David Spence of Scapa B : From 1660 to 1665 P : B : 3 May 1762 D : From 1715 to 1770 11 Marjory Stewart P : Westray, Orkney, Scotland P : M: 2 Jul 1786 B : P : Kirkwall, Orkney, Scotland P : D : 19 Jul 1846 D : P : Upper Scapa, Kirkwall, Orkney P : 12 Rev. Alexandre Keith

B : About 1647 P : Scotland M: 15 Jun 1676 4 Rev John Keith P : Edinburgh, Midlothian,Scotland Lucia (Louisa) Traill D : 1712 C : 27 Mar 1677 P : Orkney, Scotand P : Tillicoultry, Clackmannanshire, Scotland. 13 Anna Hamilton M: 6 Nov 1703 P : B : D : 18 Apr 1746 P : P : Orkney, Scotland D : After 1736 3 Jacobina Keith P : B : From 1712 to 1728 14 Rev George Tod P : D : 17 Jul 1784 B : Abt 1648 P : P : Moray, Scotland M: 10 Apr 1678 5 Jacobina Tod P : Firth & Stenness, Orkney D : 3 Nov 1657 B : 28 Sep 1682 P : Holm & Paplay, Orkney P : Holm & Paplay, Orkney D : 19 Mar 1764 15 Barbara Scollay P : B : From 1645 to 1655 P : D : From 1688 to 1750 P : 6 NEWSLETTER OF THE ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY Issue No. 45 March 2008

FNichol Spence (17?? - 1783) and then got a 20-year lease of the farm of Dalespot, which Nicol was born between 1706 and 1714, during the short is less than a mile from the estate of Scapa. reign of Queen Anne and about the time Scotland and He purchased OverScapa (presumably from one of his England united to form “Great Britain” and the Scottish older half-brothers or their heirs) probably around 1714. Parliament was abolished. He was the sixth child and It is perhaps significant that in 1695 his mother and only surviving son of John Spence of OverScapa and his he (not an elder half-brother) were joint recipients of a wife, Elizabeth Fotheringham. Little is known about his sasine. This suggests that the older half-brothers were early life but he was licensed to preach by the Presbytery either dead or separated in some way. of Kirkwall in 1740, and ordained in 1742. It is therefore No record has yet been found for his death, but a letter in likely that he had attended Edinburgh University. September 1749 indicates that he had died at least four Although ordained by the Kirkwall Presbytery, he was months earlier, at about age 75. If any reader can help me sent by it to a Presbyterian Congregation at Ramsgate put some flesh on the bones of this account I would very in Kent, in the south of England, where he remained for much like to hear from you. nearly 20 years. John was married in January 1701 to Elizabeth He inherited Scapa after the death of his father about Fotheringham, who was the daughter of the Laird of Purie 1749 and in 1752, from Ramsgate, he appointed a factor in Fifeshire. The estate of Purie (or Pourie or Powrie) is to care for OverScapa during his absence. In 1761 he was near the towns of Culross and Kincardine, a short distance transferred to Westray and stayed there until his death east of Stirling. It has been held in the Fotheringham on 25 Apr 1783. It is unlikely that he ever lived at Scapa family since about 1400, and is currently owned by a after his childhood. Fotheringham who is the twentieth generation to hold the On 13 May 1743, in the parish of Walls & Flotta (on the estate in the family. island of Hoy, Orkney) he had been married to … Elizabeth and John had at least eight children in Kirkwall between 1702 and 1714, including Nicol, who inherited Jacobina Keith (17?? - 1784) Scapa estate. Jacobina was the sixth known child of Rev. John Keith and I welcome any comments or corrections that any readers can Jacobina Tod. She and Nicol Spence had seven children send to me, and I request advice on where to find some of the born in Ramsgate, plus one set of twins born about a year records which I have been unable to find so far. Specifically, I after they moved to Westray. She survived her husband would appreciate help with the following: by a year and died 17 July 1784, although no record of - location of death records or monumental inscriptions for the her death has been found. deaths on Westray between 1762 and 1784 of Nicol Spence and his wife Jacobina Keith and up to eight of their children, plus the possible marriages in the same period of their daughters John Spence [of OverScapa] (1674 - 1749) Elizabeth, Margaret and Katherine. The son of George Spence of OverScapa, John was - location of birth record for Nicol Spence between 1706 and christened on 14 April 1674 in Kirkwall, less than ten 1714, almost certainly in Kirkwall, to John Spence (Kirkwall years after the last great plague and the great fire of schoolmaster at the time) and Elizabeth Fotheringham. All his , and five years before the Habeas Corpus Act was siblings are in the Kirkwall OPR. passed. He was the eldest son of five known children by - location of birth record for Jacobina Keith between 1712 and his father’s second wife, Marjorie Halcro. His father had 1728, almost certainly at Walls & Flotta, to John Keith (minister eight known children by his first wife. at Walls from 1703 to 1746) and Jacobina Tod. Most of her siblings are in the Walls & Flotta OPR. John had at least two older half-brothers so he was not -location of death or burial record of John Spence in early 1749, entitled to inherit Scapa and was forced into employment. probably at Scapa estate. Other family members were buried in In 1698 he was appointed as schoolmaster of Kirkwall, the family section under the floor of St. Magnus Cathedral. which suggests that he may have attended Edinburgh - any information on who was managing and living on Scapa University and been trained as a church minister. In 1711 estate between 1749 and 1784 he was dismissed in a controversy with the Kirk Session Ken Harrison OFHS 108 [email protected] L

My apologies if your article did not appear in this edition. Janette Thomson from Oz who sent me another list of Orcadian immigrants to Australia in the late 1800s—Marie Bainbridge and the story of her great uncle’s encounter with Moby Dick in Orkney and Ian Abernethy’s fascinating tale of the seafaring Abernethys of Stromness are just some of the stories which are on hold till issue 46. These articles, and hopefully a contribution from yourself, will all appear in the June newsletter. There is still space left in this issue and while April 21st is the deadline many pages have already been filled so try and let me have your contribution before this date. Don’t worry if you have never written an article before; we’re not giving prizes for literary style. It’s your newsletter so just tell the story as it is and we’ll all enjoy it. Ed. Issue No. 45 March 2008 NEWSLETTER OF THE ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY 7

Joey Tait knew all about the photograph

In our last newsletter we asked if any member could iden- A mountain tify the people in this photograph. We thought that it was the late Queen Mother and Provost Flett. Joey Tait, mem- named Bess ber no 29, was in touch to say that this was correct and she told me a bit more about the occasion. The photograph was taken when the Queen Mother came to Orkney in 1956 to t’s not every young lady who can claim to have open a new playing field. To mark the occasion she was pre- a mountain named after her but this ‘splendid sented with a straw backed Orkney chair by Provost Flett. Isnow mountain’ was christened ‘Mount Bess’ by The frame of the chair had guide John Yates of Lac Ste, Anne, Alberta, during been constructed by Joey’s J. Norman Collie and Arnold Mumm’s 1910 expedi- grandfather, William Hay, tion to the Mount Robson region, when they made from oak that came from the first ascent of ‘Mount Bess.’ the 800 year old St Mag- Old-timers say Yates had a crush on the lady nus Cathedral. The straw in question – Elizabeth Ann Gunn (1892–1960), work was completed by daughter of Peter (1864–1927) and Mary (Ritch) Thomas Groat, a farmer Gunn. Peter Gunn had come to Canada from Scot- from Kirbister, Longhope. land in 1883 to work for the Hudson’s Bay Com- The chair was delivered to pany. His wife-to-be Mary, from the Orkney Islands, the Castle of Mey where followed a few years later. Bess was born while the Her Majesty spent many family lived in Fort St. John, where Peter was fac- happy years, some of tor for the HBC. In 1900, after postings in Grouard them, no doubt, sitting on and Dunvegan, Peter became factor at Lac Ste. her Orkney chair. Anne, his last posting. Lac Ste. Anne was a stop for packers, mountaineers, and trappers heading from And here is the man who helped make it Edmonton to Jasper and points north. Yates was a local packer and mail-carrier, and Bess worked at This is Joey Tait’s grandfa- the post office. ther, William Malcolm Hay, In 1911 Bess married Charles Milton McKeen joiner and undertaker, who (1885–1972), a local homesteader and teamster who was born in Orphir in 1883 was later bookkeeper, magistrate, judge, and from and died in Kirkwall 76 years 1921 to 1935, member of the Alberta Legislative As- later in 1959. sembly for Lac Ste. Anne, representing the United He married Mary Massie Farmers of Alberta. (Peter Gunn had earlier been Pirie who was also born in Liberal MLA for the same riding). Bess spoke fluent Orphir in 1886 and died in Cree and was often called upon as interpreter. She Kirkwall in 1944. died in the Mayerthorpe, Alberta, Hospital. They had eight children, Peter Shearer Gunn was born in Scrabster 9th sadly the last one, the young- Feb 1864 and married Mary Sinclair Ritch in Can- est daughter, died on 27 De- ada in about 1890, he was a member of the 3rd cember 2007 in London. Alberta Legislative Assembly in 1913. Gunn, Thirteen grandchildren are Alberta on Lac Ste. Anne, is named in his scattered all over the UK honour. Mary Sinclair Ritch was born in Orkney with three residing in Orkney in about 1866 and died in 1909 being buried in Lac - Mrs Kathleen Stephen (nee Ste. Anne Community Cemetery but I so far have Hay), Mrs Joey Tait (nee Har- been unable to identify birth place or her parents. cus) and Mr Stuart Watson. Can any members help? William Hay’s workshop Robert Whitton Member 218 was located on Palace Road, crwhitton @aol.com Kirkwall. 8 NEWSLETTER OF THE ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY Issue No.45 MARCH 2008

By Bertha M Mainland Member No 1232

t all started, like so many other things, I immediately got in touch with Julian and with the letters to “The Orcadian”. straight away he sent me a photograph of the IHere was a man from called gravestone. The stone reads: Julian Clyde-Smith, wondering why the name Mary Linklater appeared In loving Memory of on the gravestone of his great, great ELIZABETH MONTIER HUTCHINSON grandmother and great grandmother. Aged 75 years. They had been lost at sea on 18 November Widow of the late 1905. General C W Hutchison RE. I at once recognised this as referring to Also of a sister of my grandfather who had been LAURA FELICITE LEWIS travelling to France as a lady’s maid. Aged 38 years It was recorded in “The Orcadian Book youngest daughter of the above of the 20th Century”, November 1905: and Widow of the late “That same month saw a terrible shipping Colonel GILBERT GAISFORD disaster, 1,000 miles from Orkney which Indian Political Department claimed an Orcadian life. Mary Linklater of Who were both lost in the wreck of the SS HILDA off St Malo Cavan, Twatt was among the 128 people who th died in the English Channel when the steamer 18 November 1905 Hilda from went on the rocks Jesus went unto them walking on the Sea Also in Memory of MARY LINKLATER Did in fog and snow near St Malo, France. The majority of those killed were French onion of – Orkney – Scotland aged 37 years you know sellers returning to .” Lost in the same wreck. A that there is one site of historical interest to every sixteen people in Orkney Issue No. 45 March 2008 NEWSLETTER OF THE ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY 9

FMary’s death is also recorded in the But “a really moving and intense moment” Palace Kirkyard in Birsay, on the stone had been when some of the families of those of her parents Ebenezer Linklater (1856- on board on that fateful night, went out in 1914). and Mary Breck who were married boats to the wreck. Father Phillip led prayers in 1854.Mary and a brother, John, are over the wreck and flowers were scattered. both recorded as having died at sea, but Then divers went down to the remains of the on different dates. Ebenezer and Mary Hilda and placed a wreath of onions on one had 7 children of whom my grandfather, of the boilers in memory of the “johnnies” Robert, born 1875 was the youngest. who had been on board. Then Julian put me in touch with Yves So the final question is “why were they going Dufeil a 63 year old former diver who to France”? Julian’s grandfather, one of the had been down many times to the wreck children of Laura, was left an orphan by the of the Hilda. Although he has no direct incident and he never spoke much about connection to any of the people lost in it, neither did my family. It was all a very the wreck, he has formed an Association long time ago by the time I began to take an of friends to keep the memory. There are interest in such things. But it would appear Did more than 40 members all over the world. that Laura Gaisford was resident in Dinard, you know He has created a web site detailing what which was a very fashionable area in La he knows of the shipwreck – www.histomar. Belle Epoque. Her mother, Mrs Hutchinson, that Thomas Webster (1773 - 1848) was prob- net – go to the home page and there is a lived at Craighdu and, accompanied by her ably the only Orcadian direct link to Hilda 1905 The “Titanic” of maid, was travelling to Dinard where she to have a mineral named Brittany – in English! It is well worth a had rented a house near her daughter. Mrs after him. look, recording a great deal of information Hutchinson had been born at Cawnpore His father died young and on The ship, The crew, Passengers, Last in India in 1830 to George Montier and Thomas was brought- Crossing, Weather – tides, The inquiry, Elizabeth Harrington. Laura Gaisford, up by the Stewarts of The book, The wreck, November 2005 and her daughter was the widow of Lieutenant Brugh, at Cleat in Westray, Association Hilda. The part describing the Colonel Gilbert Gaisford, political agent of where he was educated appalling weather and the last hours is the Indian Staff Corporation who had been privately. particularly moving. Of course, for me, it murdered at Smallan (now Pakistan) by a His education continued at Aberdeen University was amazing to see Mary Linklater’s name fanatic Indian on 15 March 1898. and the Royal Institu- among the passengers. Only five people And there the story ends. There is no one tion in London where he survived, one crew member and four onion left who can tell us anything more about the studied architecture. His sellers. life of Mary Linklater. There were many architectural achieve- In November 2005 the centenary of the women like her who left Orkney. Indeed, ments include the design loss of the Hilda was commemorated in I had another grandaunt who worked as of the Royal Institute Dinard with the unveiling of a monument a dressmaker in Glasgow. Speak to your in Albermarle Street in displaying the propeller of the Hilda which elderly relatives while you have the chance London. had been recovered from the wreck site in and record their reminiscences. In 1826 he was appointed 1997. Father Phillip - an uncle of my new To quote the Association Hilda - They never house secretary and curator to the Geological friend Julian - celebrated mass in memory die those whose memory we have kept. Society of London and in of the people who had died in 1905. Bertha M Mainland. Member No 1232 L 1841 he was Professor of Geology at University College, London. Webster was distin- guished for his major contribution to geological mapping which shows HBC BIOGRAPHICAL RECORDS the distribution of rocks in an area. These maps were of great significance E-mail from Robert Whitton, No 218, asking me to let fellow members to architects, engineers know that Hudson’s Bay Company Archives staff are busy producing and planners He was also biographical sheets providing employment information on individuals lauded for his work on who were employed by the HBC and or the North West Company. the geology of the Isle of These sheets outline the person’s employment history and may also Wight and the area known include the parish of origin or the place of birth, positions, posts and as the Hampshire Basin. districts in which the person served; family information, if available, And the mineral named including photographs or drawings. after him is ‘Websterite’, In order to begin research into the employment of company servants, also known as ‘Aluminite’ it is best to know the approximate dates and region of employment. and used to reduce the So far they have reached the letter M, so if you are seeking information setting time of cementi- on individuals with surname initials preceding this, log on to tious mortars http://www.gov.mb.ca/chc/archives/hbca/biographical/g.html and be amazed at the amount of information that appears on your screen. 10 NEWSLETTER OF THE ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY Issue No. 45 March 2008 THE ORKNEY ARCHIVE Orkney’s exciting history is at your fingertips . . . . if you know where to look for it

By Nan Scott In the main search room Member No 8 there are three microfilm read- ers. Each has its own Orca- dian place name i.e. Roeberry, Melsetter and . On these readers you can find the printed copies of many news- papers. They include all the “Orcadians” and the “Orkney Heralds”. Less well known papers to be found here were, “John O’Groats Journal” 1836- Lucy Gibbon - Assistant Archivist 1855, “ Journal” 1836- 1837, “Northman” 1875-1895, One of three microfilm readers and if you don’t, Lucy Gibbon is there to point you in the “Orkney and Shetland Ameri- right direction, can” 1887-1895 and “The Orkney Blast” 1941-1944. At the AGM 2007 the Society got a very informative Handwritten documents include the Old Parish Regis- talk from Lucy Gibbon. She is the assistant archivist in ters and the Census Returns. Here too are the early Valu- the Orkney Archive. Although not Orcadian herself, she ation Rolls and Ordinance Survey Name Books, 1882, and came to us from Dumfries, and now knows more about also Hudson’s Bay Company Enrolment Documents that Orkney than many Orcadians. Her brother Bob Gib- show 75% of those listed were Orcadians, all of these on bon settled in Orkney before she did and he now has an the microfiche readers. Orcadian wife, Sarah Jane, and an Orcadian baby. The In the other part of the Gibbons are making an impact on Orkney! Search Room are tables to With the aid of some slides she took us on a conducted work at and shelves con- tour of the archive rooms in the Library. On entering the taining references books, Archive you are welcomed by one of two archive assist- graveyard surveys, valu- ants at the reception desk. You present your requests and ation roll books and sas- queries and are shown or accompanied to the source from ine abridgements back to where your answers will come. 1701. If a researcher re- quires more material that is lodged in the strong rooms he can look at an archive database and then Reference books are close to hand enter his requirements on a green form. The archive as- sistant will then fetch the item asked for from a strong room. The strong rooms are situated on both sides of a corridor. The first one is called, “Wallace”. It got its name from Rev. James Wallace. He was the last minis- ter of St Magnus Cathedral be- fore Episcopacy was abolished in Scotland. He died in 1688 Private research facilitiers and bequeathed his library to what became the Kirkwall Bib- As you turn from the desk you notice two doors. These liotheca, Scotland’s first Public are the doors of two small carrels where a researcher can Library which has developed work undisturbed. One can plug in one’s own laptop or into the Orkney Library which listen to tapes etc. we enjoy today. A 4 strongrooms hold precious material Issue No. 45 March 2008 NEWSLETTER OF THE ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY 11

FIt was no surprise then to hear Ernest Marwick re- that this room contains precious cordings. It also serves church records, wills and testimo- as the Photo Archive nies back to 1839, the Sheriff Court store. Here there are in Processes for Orkney back to 1561, excess of 50,000 photos Council Records including Educa- including many from tion / School records and Customs famous photographers and Excise Records. such as Tom Kent, Next strong room has the honour- Robert Robertson, Wil- able Orkney name of “Baikie” on liam Hourston, William its door. Wood, David Horne, Men of Wilfred Marr, Dougie Church records this name and Donald Shearer. have been All the strong rooms prominent in various fields so here too it is no surprise to dis- cover the variety of the things stored here. There are gifts and Council records d e p o s i t s from individuals, businesses, es- Well in excess of 50,000 images to see here tates and local historians etc. Quite a big part of the room has have suitably controlled tem- special storage room for maps perature and air conditioning. and plans. Back in the main search room The third room has another one goes left to enter “The Orkney famous name, “Laing”. It seems Room”. Here you can find many to hold the whole of Orkney’s books about Orkney and nearly every book that has been written by an Orcadian. In fact it must come a close second to the National Library of Scotland as holder of the You can also purchase photographs greatest number of books relating subject to copyright regulations to Orkney. Maps & plans storage Alan Clouston, having been Oral and Pictorial elected chairman earlier in the meeting, thanked Lucy for History. It has the her brilliant talk and introduction to a veritable treasure complete Radio Ork- house of genealogical resources. Members left the meet- ney programmes and ing making plans to make more use of the facilities in the the irreplaceable A corner of the Oral History strongroom archives. L Photography by Lucy Gibbon

Anyone, visitor or local, interested in finding out more about Orkney, will be fascinated with the material avail- able in The Orkney Room in the Kirkwall Library. Over 6,000 books and pamphlets are available deal- ing with all aspects of Orkney life throughout the ages. It also provides a quiet area for study and is open Monday to Saturday inc. From 9am - 5.pm 12 NEWSLETTER OF THE ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY Issue No 45 March 2008 NEWSLETTER OF THE ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY 13

of Rupert’s Land, Groundwater was assigned to the Mac- Through him, and others, Rae became the first European kenzie River District. He then wintered at Fort Resolution, to learn of the fate of Sir John Franklin’s doomed quest to Great Slave Lake in 1848-49, and at Fort Good Hope from find the North West Passage, a search which had ended long 1849 to 1852. Fort Good Hope, close to the Arctic Circle, is before the last members of this expedition died of scurvy over 800 miles north-west of Lake Athabasca and was one and starvation near the mouth of Back’s Great Fish River of the HBC’s remotest outposts. in the spring of 1850. Rae purchased 45 objects from the When Groundwater’s five year contract expired in 1852, Inuits, including Sir John’s Order of Merit and a silver plate he signed on for a further two years service at Fort Simp- engraved with his name, all of which were brought back to son, headquarters of the Mackenzie River District, at an England in the York Factory packet box aboard the Prince increased salary of £22 per annum. This second term was of Wales. spent at Fort Resolution which enjoyed the reputation of Groundwater returned to a croft in Linnadale and to his being “one of the company’s neatest and cleanest establish- wife and two sons, the younger of whom, then aged six, he ments.” had never seen! Over the next eight years Isabella bore He duly retired from the Company’s service in 1854, tak- Andrew five more children. Necessity forced him to turn By Peter Groundwater Russell. Member No 161 ing passage home from York Factory aboard the Prince of his hand to a variety of different jobs, including those of ndrew Groundwater was born on June 12, 1824, at and on June 24 that year he boarded the Prince Rupert at Wales, which sailed on September 21 and arrived off Deal, a quarry labourer and a mason, which he combined with the farm of Piggar in the parish of Orphir, the ninth Stromness which, together with the Prince Albert and the Kent, 32 days later. A fellow passenger was none other than work around the croft. With such a large family to support Achild of William Groundwater and Catherine (née Westminster, sailed to York Factory on the west coast of the now widely celebrated Dr John Rae, referred to above, making ends meet was not easy and for a second time he Robertson). When he was just seven years old his father Hudson Bay. Isabella was then carrying their second child who four years earlier had been appointed Chief Factor of applied to the Hudson’s Bay Company for employment. died and his widowed mother was left with herself and the who was to be born seven months later and named Alexan- the HBC for the Mackenzie River District, although most of In late December 1863, Edward Clouston, the HBC’s six youngest children to support. She managed to struggle der, after one of his father’s older brothers. A full account of his time was devoted to further Arctic exploration. agent in Orkney, wrote to Thomas Fraser, the Company’s on for the next few years until Piggar became incorporated Alexander Groundwater’s life can be found in Memories Rae, still flushed with success over his part in solving the corresponding secretary in London: “… I have an applica- into Swanbister, one of the largest and most progressive of an Orkney Family by Henrietta Groundwater, the mystery surrounding the disappearance of Sir John Fran- tion for a re-engagement as a labourer by Andrew Ground- farms on the Mainland of Orkney, but was then forced to Kirkwall Press, (1967). klin, would have been expecting to write the report of his water who retired in 1854 after being seven years in the move in with James, her second eldest son, who had recent- Life was hard in the wilderness of northern Canada, recent exploration of the west coast of Boothia and draw a service - the whole of which was at Mackenzie River under ly acquired the tenancy of Dykend on the Smoogro estate. with nine months of winter followed by three months of chart of his discoveries, as both were eagerly awaited by the Messrs Macpherson and Bell and Dr John Rae and Mr An- Groundwater was a farm servant at Scapa at the time rain and mosquitoes. Relief from the dreary monotony in Honourable Committee in London, but the voyage across derson, successively, with the exception of the first winter of of his marriage to Isabella Thomison, younger daughter of this unrelenting environment was often found in alcohol, the Atlantic proved to be so stormy that he was unable his contract spent at York Factory under Mr Hargrave. His William Thomison, a farmer on the island of Flotta, and although each HBC post had a “bachelors’ hall” where to complete either. age was 39 last June which is beyond the usual limit - but Mary (née Barnett), which took place at Crooksteeths in card games, dice games and dancing took place. It was while Rae was sur- veying he is a healthy looking man, and to all appearance still fit Linnadale, Orphir, on September 18, 1845. The young cou- After an ini- tial winter at York the Boothia Peninsula the previ- for the service which however would have to be medically ple set up home in the neighbouring district of Clestrain Factory, the supply depot and ous April that he had met an I n u i t certified before contract being entered into. I should feel where their first child, William, was born on January 17, headquarters for the Company’s wearing a gold- b r a i d obliged by being informed whether he may be re-engaged the following year. Northern De- p a r t m e n t naval cap b a n d . at your earliest convenience - as he speaks of having some The old Hall of Clestrain other arrangements in view [possibly emigration to Aus- was the birthplace of Dr. tralia] if his present application cannot on account of age John Rae, surgeon, Arctic be granted.” Fraser replied that: “… Groundwater had come explorer and chief factor home with a character as ‘a good servant’ and if his health with the Hudson’s Bay proved satisfactory after a medical examination, he might Company (HBC), and it was be re-engaged.” Accordingly, on January 26, 1864, he was almost certainly through taken on as a labourer for a term of five years’ employment the Rae family’s strong at £22 per annum. connection with the HBC In June that year he travelled from Stromness to York that Groundwater sought Factory aboard the 524-ton Prince of Wales. Of his five-year employment in Canada. contract, Groundwater served only two years, which were He actually served under spent in the Lake Island area, supervised by Chief Trader Rae at Fort Good Hope, on James Green Stewart in charge at Oxford House, Oxford the Mackenzie River, and Lake (present-day Lake Manitoba) in the York Factory Dis- their paths were to cross trict. Hall of Clestrain again on board the Compa- No specific reason has yet been found for his premature ny’s vessel Prince of Wales when they returned to England. retirement in 1866, but it may have been on compassionate Since the beginning of the 18th century Orkney had been grounds or even through temporary ill-health. On September a favourite recruiting ground for the HBC. Many young 25, 1866, Chief Trader J. W. Wilson, in charge at York Fac- men were attracted by the prospects of a higher standard tory, is known to have sent to the Company in London a list of living and a better chance of saving money than a labour- of the retiring employees with notes as to their characters ing life at home was likely to offer. Supplies for their estab- but unfortunately this document has not survived. Wilson’s lishments in North America were shipped annually to the letter noted that of the 30 servants “retiring or discharged” Hudson Bay supply depots by the company’s vessels which only 16 had actually completed their term of contract, “the left the River Thames in early June and arrived in Hudson remainder being sent home either in consequence of unfit- Strait as the ice was giving way to open water. ness for work or refusing duty.” Wilson’s letter continued at In 1847 Andrew Groundwater signed a five-year contract length regarding labour troubles noting: “… Dissatisfaction This photograph was probably taken during the early part of WW1 (say circa 1915). L - R R William Muir Shearer (son-in-law), Herbert Shearer (grandson), ‘sailor’ (unknown), with the HBC as a labourer at a salary of £17 per annum with the service is nearly universal among Europeans,A Mary Groundwater Shearer (Daughter), and Andrew Groundwater. It was taken outside the family home of Cott of Ropadside, Smoogro, Orphir 14 NEWSLETTER OF THE ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY Issue No. 45 March 2008

Falthough of late years both their rations and wages By 1880, all three of his sons had left home, have been better than formerly.” two later emigrating to America, and Ground- For each of the two years he served, w a - ter decided to move to the much Groundwater was paid a gratuity of smaller holding of Cott of £2 in addition to his salary. He took Roadside in the district of passage from York Factory aboard Smoogro. His wife Isabella the company’s ship Prince Rupert died there on September 30, which reached London on Oc- 1899 and is buried in the Or- tober 31, 1866. phir cemetery, a few yards Two days later the HBC to the south-east of the secretary, W. G. Smith, wrote ruinous 12th century St to Edward Clouston at Strom- Nicholas Church, where ness as follows: “This will be a headstone marks the handed to you by Andrew family grave. Shortly af- Groundwater who has just ter, Groundwater retired returned to England by the and the running of the Prince Rupert and leaves croft was taken over by London tomorrow morning his daughter Mary and by steamer en route to the her husband William Orkneys. He has no money Muir Shearer, my great- to receive from the company grandparents. on his own behalf but I have Although small in stat- instructions to pay him £10 ure, Groundwater was on account of Chief Trader J. very strong and remark- G. Stewart, exclusive of the ably placid by nature. He travelling expenses of him- is remembered as being self and two of Mr Stewart’s a good storyteller and An earlier family photograph than the one overleaf. children whom he is taking had a large repertoire of Andrew, far right, is the only one I can identify. P.G.R. to Jedburgh. He has received old songs which, by all from me £6 on account, and you will be pleased to pay him accounts, he sang in fine voice. On November 12, 1917, the difference on his handing you a note of his charges. I then in his 94th year, he was found slumped against the have told him that he is to get the same allowance for his outside wall of the house, apparently having died liter- own expenses from hence to the Orkneys as is given by ally standing up, and his body had to be carried into the the company, say £2.10.0.” The fact that Stewart placed house. He was laid to rest in Orphir Cemetery next to two of his own children in Groundwater’s care leaves lit- his beloved Isabella but times were hard and, perhaps tle doubt that he left the company without a blemish on not surprisingly, there was no money to spare on such his character. extravagance as inscribing his name on the headstone. Once again Groundwater returned to the croft in Lin- Today, Andrew Groundwater’s descendants are widely nadale which at that time extended to 40 acres, although scattered throughout the world. We are proud to bear his only six were arable. Two more children were born there; name. sadly, the younger, Caroline, died six weeks before her first birthday. Peter Groundwater Russell No 161 L Can you tell Eva anything about Sir James Coats of Ferguslie? Eva Donald, member no 1209, is researching the good Not only did he supply the library but works done in Orkney by the Paisley philanthropist James he also arranged for a Paisley optician, Coats of J & P Coats the Paisley cotton thread manufactur- a Mr Love, to visit the parish to supply ing multinational. She believes that he gave schoolbags, reading glasses of ‘first rate quality’ for libraries and bookcases to the islands and donated money the large number of parishioners who to the Kirkwall Library. She has also read that he helped the required that aid in reading. people of and possibly those in some on the other I don’t think that he contributed to islands too. the Kirkwall Library, however. A new She wondered if any of her fellow members could remem- library, founded by Andrew Carnegie, ber seeing the schoolbags, could name any of the islands he another great philanthropist, was gave items to or could give her any information that would opened on the 9th September, 1909 in assist her in her research. Kirkwall. Well Eva thanks to Peter Leith of Stenness I can tell you If you think that you can help Eva that round about 1905 James Coats presented a ‘thoroughly with her research you can reach her at Sir James Coats of Ferguslie equipped library’ for the benefit of the parish of Stenness. [email protected] L April 12, 1834 – January 20, 1913 15 NEWSLETTER OF THE ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY Issue No. 45 March 2008

By Don Holloway Member No 844 My background. or other relatives. I have long wanted to see a copy of the I was born book “Memories of an Orkney Family” which was written Donald James by Henrietta Groundwater in the sixties and is now out Annal and the of print. last time I was We are now in the information age and there is more able to visit information available now on the Internet than anyone my home town could have imagined a few years ago. The internet has of Kirkwall was provided me with a rich source of information and with during a family the help of sites like “Roots Web”, “Scotlandspeople”, holiday in 1973 “Family Search”, the “Annals of the Annals”, I have been when I came to able to put together detail of the Annal family as well as the islands with both my family and my wife’s. There comes a time when my family and no amount of second hand information can provide all my future wife the answers that you need and there has to be some on Pamela. After the spot research. It was therefore decided that a visit to 34 years together and two children it was always our Orkney was the only way that I could find all the answers intention to have at least one family holiday in Orkney. to my questions and I therefore set about looking for a Unfortunately we have not been able to achieve this wish return flight to Orkney, a B&B and a hire car, which would and my wife’s medical condition now prevents her from hopefully be at the time of the Stromness Shopping Week. travelling. Having found a flight and confirmed a booking, I was able My parent’s marriage did not last and ended in a divorce to book a room at the Sanderlay Guesthouse in Kirkwall within a few years, leaving my mother Norna as a single and a hire car to be picked up at the Airport. As this was parent living in Kirkwall. My grandfather was the a family history holiday and my wife cannot travel I was legendary Bill Annal, dockworker, political heckler, charity to travel on my own. The flight from Leeds was cancelled collector and friend to all children, and both he and my at the last minute and I had to take a later flight, which grandmother Ann, were a large part of my young life. My meant I missed the Orkney connection in Aberdeen. This mother was brought up by her grandmother at Gerwin was indirectly a bonus because it was also the first time I in Orphir and although the farm had changed hands and had been in Aberdeen for about 14 years, and I was able was then run by the Hourston family, we were still able to walk the length of Union Street and have a meal in the to spend holidays at the farm with my mother’s childhood Castle Gate, before having an early night, as my taxi was friend Annie. Following my mother’s second marriage booked for 5.30am next morning. The flight to Orkney we moved to Aberdeen and my name was changed to went off without incident and I arrived on schedule on Holloway. This was later followed by a family move to the the morning of the 17th July 2007. I picked up my hire car West Midlands where my parents and my three younger and set off for the B&B, where I was made welcome and brothers were to put down their roots. given a breakfast to set me up for my day.

Family History Day One – Time to explore Kirkwall My interest in genealogy and family history probably Once my belongings had been transferred to my room I started in the seventies, and I now have a family tree, picked up my camera and set off. I went to the harbour which contains over six hundred relations. I have been a where I have memories of the St Ninian and the sailings member of the Orkney Family History Society for eight to and from Aberdeen with my family. Walking back up to years and look forward to the postman delivering each Albert Street I found the Pamona Café where my mother issue of the SIB News, because there is always a reference used to work, and the Tourist Information Office where to a place or a family from my past. Over the years I I bought a map and made a mental list of the items I have been able to piece together a picture of my mother’s would buy before my return home. I found the impressive maternal family from articles in the SIB, information new library and on asking about the book “Memories of obtained from contacts like the late George Brown from an Orkney Family” was told that there were two copies Stromness, or stories that I have been told by my mother available one in the Reference Library and one, whichA Issue No. 45 March 2008 NEWSLETTER OF THE ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY 16

Fwas available for loan and could be ordered from my local library when I returned home. I then visited the Orkney Archive where I wanted to see if there were any newspaper reports of the Queen’s visit, I found the Orcadian film for the Queen’s visit in 1960 but no mention in the article about Bill Annal. I also found three pictures of the Orphir School with pupil lists, which included my mother and a photograph of MacKay’s furniture shop, which I duly ordered. As The Family History room would not be open until after lunch I continued my explorations and visited St. Magnus Cathedral where my mother was married twice and I was christened. I also saw Garrioch Street where my grandparents used to live. I remember the milkman coming up the street in his horse and trap with the milk in a churn. After lunch I returned to the library with my laptop computer and went to the Family History room where George Gray and his team made me very welcome. When The “scary’ threshing machine I introduced myself and told them that my grandfather was Bill Annal and that I was trying to find a missing farm buildings. My photograph shows that it is not as big link to my great grandfather’s mother Jane in my Annal and intimidating as I remembered. Jim was interested in family tree, I was immediately recognised as a relative of the family photographs which I had and particularly one the Symons table tennis sisters and asked if I had seen of Joe Hourston who used to live at Gerwin. my aunt Margaret who now lived in Kirkwall. I explained My mother Norna passed away in January 2003 and my that we had not been in contact for some years and I stepfather died 24 days after, both were cremated and did not know where she lived. I soon had the telephone my younger brother Graham brought their ashes back number and address of my aunt and was urged to contact to Orkney, where they were scattered in her. within site of Orphir, so this visit was filled with special I had found out during my research that my great memories. I was also able to visit the Orphir School where grandfather was James Henry Allan Annal who was born “The Spy in Black” was filmed and which is now owned in in 1869, and that his mother was by Alan Clouston. My mother was one of the children who an unmarried domestic servant called Jane Annal. The were at the school at the time and appeared in two scenes OFH team were very helpful and provided a set of census in the film. For those who remember the film, she is the lists, which they believed traced Jane back to 1851 when tallest of the three children who walk from behind a wall she was 9 years old and they were convinced that she as the sheep pass in front of them. I spent the afternoon was born in Mossetter. This was, I felt, the information with Alan Clouston and his wife and again went through which I had been looking for. When I returned to the B&B the photographs which I had on my computer. He also I phoned my aunt and was invited to come and see her wanted a copy of the one with Joe Hourston who he that evening. We spent the evening looking at the family remembered as, to quote his words “A wee man who he photographs on my laptop and the information, which I only saw when he came up to the shop”. There followed a had on the Annal family, including the final piece of the trip to Stromness where I was able to explore the harbour puzzle that I had found that day. We agreed that I would and see the Hamnavoe ferry. The last time I was here it come back on the following Sunday and that I would bring was on the old St Ola when all the cars had to be lifted her prints of some of the photographs. onto the boat. A visit to my aunt Sheena followed and I was pleased to find that my cousin from Edinburgh Day Two – Orphir and Stromness was visiting for Shopping Week with her daughter. As I set off early with the intention of visiting Orphir and my aunt is not in the best of health, it was agreed that Stromness. My first stop was in Orphir, which had we would go to the parade on Saturday night together. changed little since my last visit. I could not find the Having filled my day I returned to the B&B. village hall, which was my landmark at the top of the lane leading down to Gerwin, the farm where my mother Day Three – South Norna grew up. I went back to the village and called in Ronaldsay the Noust post office where I met Dave and Ann Hewison. Having confirmed They were very helpful and were pleased to point out a link with South the farm and explain that the old village hall was now Ronaldsay it had to a private house with a conservatory on the front. Dave be my next visit and I told me he had just bought a postcard with a view of set off early, stopping Gerwin and kindly gave me a scanned copy to take away. to take photographs of I went to visit Jim Friskin at Inkster, who now owns the the Churchill Barriers farm, and he agreed that I could visit Gerwin, where I and visiting the Italian spent time taking photographs of all the buildings that Chapel, which I could I remember from my childhood. I remember being afraid not miss. I had a slow drive through the South Ronaldsay of the noisy threshing machine, which was in one of the countryside and found St Mary’s churchyard at the SouthA 17 NEWSLETTER OF THE ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY Issue No. 45 March 2008

Fof the island, pass them on. I then went on to Stromness and spent the which I was afternoon exploring the town. As promised the evening sure must be was spent watching the Shopping Week Parade and I was full of relatives. able to take lots of photographs of the various floats as I spent some they passed by. We followed the parade to the assembly time on my field and when it began to get cold we returned tomy own in the aunt’s house. I exchanged email addresses with my cousin g r a v e y a r d and returned to Kirkwall. photographing e v e r y Day Six – My last full day in Orkney headstone that The only place which I had not found was the Cot at mentioned the Roadside, where my ancestors, the Groundwater family, name Annal lived and which is well documented in various stories and returned from Peter Groundwater Russell and the book “Memories to Kirkwall to of an Orkney Family”. I decided that I could not go home write up my without looking for this cottage which was on an old notes in the picture my mother gave me years before, so I set off for St Mary’s Church and Kirkyard Family History Orphir once more. I found the house in Smoogro, which room. It is easy to get involved in other peoples’ searches has changed over the years with an extension and a and I was pleased to find that the room is visited by all large tree that now obscures the front of the building. It sorts of people and you never know what family or place is is however unmistakable with the road leading past the going to be the next topic of conversation and research. side up to the junction with the main road. With Day Four – Scapa Beach my visit list complete I Again Scapa was a place that my mother and I used to returned to Kirkwall and go, and I wanted to take some photographs of the beach. went to visit my aunt as Some children were playing on the sand, and it was only promised. when I returned to the car and spoke to the lady in the Margaret was ready for car parked next to mine that I found out that it was her me and had found a box of grandchildren who were on the beach and she had lived certificates and the family in the West Midlands where I used to live. Small World! photograph albums. As She now helped out at the Red Cross shop in Stromness. she started to go through There followed one of the most rewarding visits on my the documents it was like list, a visit to the Highland Park Distillery, and the home my past flashing before of my all time favourite malt whisky, which always has me and it was all I could a place in do to take a photograph my drinks of each of the papers cupboard. I and photographs that am registered were of interest. The for the documents verified the n e w s l e t t e r names and dates which I and could not had found. She even had visit Orkney a photograph of James w i t h o u t Henry Allan Annal, my p a s s i n g The most northerly distillery in Scotland Great Grandfather, when through the doors of the Distillery. Unfortunately the he was in the Kirkwall buildings and the stills were being renovated so I could Pipe Band in 1920. The not actually go into the working part of the distillery, but afternoon passed too James Henry Allan Annal we did have a video and samples of the finished product. quickly and I would have “Well that’s it! I have got to come again”. liked to have spent more time with my aunt and the family memories that we had found, I promised to keep Day Five – The Last Day of Shopping Week in touch and look forward to my next visit to Orkney. I had collected my printed photographs from the shop and the Image Library so I packed the car and set off for Day Seven – Time to go home a trip to Orphir and then Stromness. First stop was to I determined that before leaving Orkney I would have Alan Clouston with copies of the pictures he had asked one last visit to Kirkwall and having packed the car and for. I spent some time with him and his wife and we said goodbye to my B&B. I drove into Kirkwall and taking compared notes when they saw the pictures of the school, my camera walked back into town. I found a Sale of Work because they could recognise most of the people listed as in the building down the lane from the Town Hall and as I pupils. I had discovered that Bill Annal actually died on had time to kill before I went to the Airport. I paid a visit the evening of the Queen’s visit in 1960 and I spent time to the fair. All the items were hand made and there was a telling Alan what I had found. I left the photographs I draw for an Orkney Chair which I could not ignore. I took had printed for Jim Friskin with Alan who said he would my ticket to the table at the front and as I was fillingA 18 NEWSLETTER OF THE ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY Issue No. 45 March 2008

Fin my name and address I mentioned that I had been Cooper. Having confirmed that Jean was also known as born in Orkney and my mother was Norna. The immediate Jane, I went back to the census information replacing reaction from the lady I was talking to was that she had incorrect detail with what I now knew about Jane. I now been my mother’s friend and used to visit her often when know that my GGGrandmother was Jane Annal from she lived in Victoria Street. I then set off for the Airport Grimness, and that she died on the 4th September 1915 and returned home to Yorkshire with none of the delays in Kirkwall. I have found both her birth record and her I had found on the way to Orkney. death record and I have census records for 1901 showing her as living in Kirkwall with James and his children. Back Home The day after I ordered the book “Memories of an Orkney Following my return home I set about transcribing the Family” from my local library I found a copy to download information which I had found into my family history on the Internet but I still read the original when it came. records. On re-examination of the census sheets which I I have also now met my cousin Ann who lives in the now had I found an entry in 1871, showing a James Henry Midlands not far from where I used to live and I hope A Annal, aged one, living with his Grandparents James that we will keep in touch from now on. and Elizabeth Annal in Cronstadt, which is in Grimness. Jane Annal, aged 28, was working as a Domestic Servant Addendum at Kirkhouse, which could not be far away as it was on the I started this set of words with the intention of providing an same sheet. I now was convinced that the Jane I found article for the SIB Folk News detailing my holiday and my in Mossetter was not the mother of my James. All the search for Jane. I have written my story with reference to records show that there was only one Jane Annal born in my research notes and my family tree. While collecting the 1841, but further investigation produced a census record information for this story, I came across the email Dave Annal for Jean Annal, who was born in Grimness on 2nd March sent me regarding the birth of Elizabeth Cooper. Curiosity 1841 and her parents were James Annal and Elizabeth got the better of me and I logged onto “Scotlandspeople” Wylie. I have now found a family tree on rootsweb which and bought some research units. Result! I found the birth shows that Jane had a brother called James Henry Allan and death records for Elizabeth Cooper confirming that she Annal, who was born March 1849 and emigrated to was Jane Annal’s daughter. The records have margin notes Ontario. confirming that John Cooper was found to be her father. This information has been confirmed by Dave Annal who With this information and the death certificate I have also runs the “Annals of the Annals” website. Dave also told me been able to confirm that she married Robert Wylie Mackay Jean had another illegitimate daughter called Elizabeth from Stromness. L

The late Olaf Mooney Orkney Family History joined quite soon (members no.113) and worked hard and willingly Society members and many when we set up our first office behind the Tourist Office. Olaf bore others were saddened the title of Office Manager and was soon on the Committee along with and stunned to hear of the Gillian. He realised that some computer skills were needed here in sudden passing of Olaf order to move things on so he promptly got a computer and very quickly Mooney of Caldun, became almost a professional. When Gavin retired as editor of on 16th November 2007. SFN Olaf was the leading light, with the necessary skills, in an editorial He was well known but committee and then went on to produce several magazines on his own became better known to us before John Sinclair took over in 2004. This was much appreciated by all while he was associated all who received them. with the production of Sib Gillian continues to work as a volunteer and is in the office every Folk News. Monday. Latterly Olaf has been spending more time in the archives. He was born in Kirkwall to Although Olaf was interested in current affairs here and elsewhere John and Rebecca Mooney. and a deep thinker he was also an historian. Without a doubt this was Mooney was a highly respected name in Orkney and Olaf grew up to something he had inherited from his ancestors. His granduncle was love Orkney and the sea that surrounds it. It was no surprise when he John Mooney (born1862 and died 1950) a local business man, a town went to sea, serving with the merchant navy, as a teenager. He claimed councillor and one of Orkney’s leading historians of the last century. He to have seen most countries in the world, except Russia, while he was was a founder member of the Orkney Antiquarian Society. He wrote at sea. After returning from sea he was in the Lighthouse Service and several books that are still sought after at the Orkney Book Auction latterly worked as a docker in his beloved Orkney. Forty eight years ago Sales. John Mooney’s son and Olaf’s cousin, Rev Harald Mooney, has he married Gillian Anderson, sometimes known as Julie. Theirs was a also left historical papers. happy marriage and he now leaves a widow, four sons, their spouses, Olaf’s bequest to us includes a long list of Births, Marriages and eleven grandchildren and two great grandchildren. Deaths painstakingly gleaned from the Orkney papers. This has proved Olaf had many hobbies. When he was young he loved boxing. In later to be very helpful in filling gaps between censuses. However this work years he enjoyed model yacht sailing and playing bowls both inside can never be complete and the society will be looking for someone to and outdoors. He even represented Orkney in the Island Games as carry on in memory of Olaf. an archer. It would be true to say that in every thing, except boxing He will indeed be greatly missed and the members offer sincere perhaps, Gillian encouraged and supported him. condolences to Gillian and family at this time and wish to express their It was certainly true when it came to working with the OFHS. They gratitude for all that has been done on behalf of the OFHS. L 19 NEWSLETTER OF THE ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY Issue No. 45 March 2008

W W Wa Wa bell W et W es att iam at n tte ary tte ea a ar at m er ll te oh rs r n tt rg te a s i r J M s a e a r J s r s W J s M

It all started with a boatload of turnips Fred Johnston, Member No 979 reminices about his American kin with the editor hile enjoying a New year dram with retired sea ‘I thought there would be a follow-up to the story and captain Fred Johnston in his home at Alfred sure enough about a month later the paper carried a re- WStreet in Stromness we eventually, as usual, got port that John Watters had left a widow, Mary, and six of on to the subject of family histories. Fred is married to a a family – the oldest of whom was 14 and the youngest first cousin of mine so we know a bit about each other’s just 15 months old. The article went on to say that James families. Johnston, junior, of Orphir House, wished to launch an ‘Did I ever tell you,’ said Fred, ‘that if it hadn’t been for appeal on behalf of the Watters family, with donations a disastrous accident with a boatload of neeps I might being handled through the National Bank of Scotland in never have discovered umpteen American cousins that I Stromness. James Johnston also mentioned that John never knew existed?’ Watters had been an elder of the Free Church Mission ‘Tell me more,’ I said, sensing an oncoming article for Station in Walls, Hoy, at the time of his death. the newsletter. ‘A sad tale,’ I said as I replenished the glasses. ‘Well,’ said Fred, ‘I knew that my granny’s brother, ‘It was that,’ Fred replied, ‘but I was to discover that Sutherland Stout from Brims, had gone to America and there was worse to come for within a year, the bairns’ had met and married a lass from . I suppose I had mother had also died. I searched Orphir Kirkyard and always thought that remarkable for as you know Brims found John Waters’ headstone. Her name - Mary Garri- and Lyness are within a few miles of each other on Hoy och had been added to it. She died on May 11 1882 and but as far as I know they never met until they were in the was just 41 years old. She came from Houton so that is States. why they are both buried in Orphir.’ ‘When you are ‘Now the bairns were orphans,’ I said. young,’ Fred con- tinued, ‘Family history is not top of your agenda but a few years ago I thought that I would try to find out a bit more about my grand uncle. I did dis- cover that his wife was a Wat- ters girl who was orphaned by some tragedy that had occurred when she was quite young. I thought that there must be some record of The Watters orphans. Back row: Janeabel, John and Mary. Front row: James, this and eventually I William and Margaret. Seated is Captain Smith’s wife Jane. It is believed that found the story in an Orkney Herald dated March 1881. Janeabell is about 15 in this picture and John is 17. The heading “Longhope” caught my eye and under it was a report of a “Sad Boat Accident.” It went on to say that a ‘They were indeed,’ said Fred ‘ They had relatives on Mr John Watters, from Hilltown in Lyness had been cross- Hoy but evidently they stayed on their own, with the ing by boat from Herston in South Ronaldsay to Lyness eldest bringing up the youngest. Not unusual in these with a load of turnips, when the boat capsized near the times. Roan of Flotta, drowning him. Eventually an uncle, a Captain Alexander Smith, whoA 20 NEWSLETTER OF THE ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY Issue No. 45 March 2008

Fwas married to their mother’s sister, Jane Garrioch, became a fairly suc- got in touch. Smith was the captain of a schooner called cessful farmer and re- the ‘Charles E Wyman’ on Lake Michigan. He and his mained in farming un- wife lived in Grand Haven, Michigan and would be quite til his death from TB comfortably off. It says a lot for him that he wrote to in Sycamore, Illinois, at the eldest of the orphans, John, offering to take the three the fairly early age of youngest bairns to America. I must show you a copy of 59. Janeabell lived on the letter in which Captain Smith stresses that the three for 40 more years. She would receive a good education and be well looked after. died in 1959 aged 90. ‘John Watters, who was now 15, and I suppose the man ‘I am still in touch of the house, replied to the letter saying that he did not with three of the Stout/ want to split up the family. His aunt then wrote saying Watters family who are that all six could come to Michigan. second cousins’ contin- ‘Captain Smith would be in his thirties at this time. He ued Fred – ‘Margaret and Jane had no children of their own and to take on six Freeman from Elgin, children that they had probably never met showed that Illinois; Shirley or Shirl they were a remarkable couple. The captain had to build Getzelman from Hamp- an extension on to his house to accommodate them all and shire, Illinois; and Joan his wife had to make the hazardous journey to Orkney to Raush from Sycamore, collect the orphans – quite an undertaking for a woman Illinois – who are now in the late 1800s. all in their late 70’s. ‘When they reached America the oldest brother, John, ‘It is amazing how got a job with another Orcadian who had emigrated to much they know about America – a Mr Harper from Stenness – who had built Orkney, although their up the biggest tailoring business in America at the time. forebears left the Margaret Harper Watters and Janeabell Wat- This was in Chicago and it seems that a lot of Orcadians country in the 1880s. ters Stout in therir later years. Good friends went there. There was quite a little clan of them there I discovered that even before the became sister-in-laws. at the time, and indeed there were so many Orcadians in America that they could support a newspaper called descendants of the “Orkney & Shetland American” which gave news and ad- ‘original six’ Watters dresses of the exiles in the United States. family held reunions ‘It says a lot for education in Orkney in the 19th century for nearly 100 years for many of the exiles were in positions of responsibility. with members com- Captain Smith was not the only Orcadian skipper on Lake ing from all over the Michigan. There were 16 other Orcadian captains work- United States. ing there in the late 1800s and many of the boats they ‘Now just to finish commanded had been built the tale; there was by another Orkney man, an odd twist I dis- Duncan Robertson, who had covered to the sto- set up business there. ry,’ continued Fred. ‘Anyway, to get back to the ‘Captain Smith and orphans, John Watters even- his wife Jane, who tually married Mr Harper’s you will remember daughter, Margaret, and brought the orphans stayed in the tailoring busi- to America, retired ness all his life. The young- to Orkney and died est brother, James Edward here in 1920 and Watters, who was only four John Watters with his wfe Margaret, nee Harper, 1925 respectively, when the family were or- from Stenness with their daughters Edith and They had a house phaned, also joined Harper May. Photographed in Chicago, Tailoring and remained with them all of his working life.’ called Eastquoy, high up on the ‘And what about Suther- side of a hill overlooking Hou- John and Margarey Watters. Probably land Stout. Where does he fit ton. It has a grand view over their wedding day photogtaph. in,’ I asked. the Bay of Houton and over to ‘Very neatly,’ said Fred top- Lyness and Cava, places they ping up the glasses. ‘I told you that he had also emigrated would have both been famil- to America. Well he too was working on Lake Michigan iar with in their younger days. as a crewman on one of the ships. That’s where he met It’s a shame but the house is and married the lass from Lyness –Janeabell Watters, the just a heap of stones now and eldest girl of the ‘original six’ as the orphans came to be it would have been occupied known. at least until the late 1920s.’ ‘And because her father had been drowned at sea she ‘That was nearly eighty years persuaded my grand uncle Sutherland to do something ago,’ I said. else. He had a milk delivery business for a while then ‘I know’ Fred replied ‘butA Jane Smith - Buried in Orphir Issue No.45 MARCH 2008 NEWSLETTER OF THE ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY 21

Fit’s not long in Orkney. As you know their are folk still living in houses built in the 1700s. Anyway it was strange that after all that time in Ameri- ca they wanted to get back to their roots and they certainly did that for they are both buried in Or- phir Kirkyard, no more than a couple of miles In Memory of from Eastquoy. American Cousins. Six members of the Stout/Waters family, pictured at Elgin, Illinois Alex Smith, Shipmaster Even stranger, in May 2002. L.to R. Margaret Freeman (nee Van Dusen), Evelyn Gustafson (nee Har- Died 10th March 1920 their grave is vey), Dorothy Maists (nee Harvey), Shirl Gustafson (nee Stout), and Jan Stout (married Aged 75 years to Shirl’s younger brother Jim Stout. Standing is Joan Raush (nee Harvey). and his wife Jane Garrioch quite close to Died 11th November 1925 where John & John Watters ‘Thirsty work this family history business,’ said Aged 85 years Mary Watters Was drowned Fred as we eyed up the bottle whose contents had lie and that’s 17th March 1881 mysteriously evaporated. Luckily it was the New Year where the story started.’ Aged 44 years and another was close at hand. A grand tale Fred,’ I said. ‘Let’s Mary Garrioch ‘By the way,’ said Fred. ‘Did I ever tell you of the dig out some of these old photos for His wife time I left Orkney to join the Royal Navy. . . .’ it will make a fine tale for the next Died 11th May 1882 ‘But that’s a tale we will keep for another New issue of the Newsletter.’ Aged 41 years Year.’L Robbie ruffles a few feathers By Allan Taylor Member 1055 Babbie o’ Windywaas – aye that’s her – that perchink Babbie wis already inside, makkin tae light the lantern spinster wi a nose like a peedie neebid moose, had hid when she heard a dunder ahint her. Then came a soond her eye on Robbie o’ Northoose for a gey long that gaed her a right fleg; ‘Tee-he-he-eh.’ time; weel no so much on him as on his Weel she birlled roond in terror. The twa mither’s bit o’ grund. It hid the best pails hit aff the wall atween the runnan burn in Gimstan, the watter peedie byre an the neep shed. Watter comman fae a spring in the ham- flew everywhere. The noise flegged mars that nivver dries even in the twa ill-thran turkey hens that the hottest summer. Babbie had kept tae breed fae in That was certainly in Bab- the spring. She had pittan the bie’s mind as she struggled ither five hens an’ twa cocks tae brak the ice aff the hole in doon tae Davie Dow in’ Leith the ditch, tae dimmle her twa an wis lippen her postal order sink pails an git watter fur when Jock o’ Brekan cam wi the her peedie milkin’ coo standin post. Anywey the twa hens took in the byre. to the air abuin her heid an’ Hid wis middlan dark an com- made for the door. Straa, stour man up for three o’clock, the an feathers wir flyan all roads. week afore Neuar-day, on a pae- Jist then Babbie spied Robbie ceable efternuin wae no a breath tryan tae git oot o’ the door wi the o’ air. turkeys. Robbie wis oot an aboot, enjoying ‘Thoo gisless nyaff. she shreked, ‘Jist the frosty day when he spied a bit o’ wait till I tell thee mither.’ leg as Babbie bent doon tae fill her pails But Robbie wis uptail an aff as queek as his fae the ditch. legs wid tak him. This sent him clean gyte and on for a bit o’ devilment. An aal through the cafuffle the peedie coo hid lidden Lukkan aboot tae see that his auld mither wisnae doon an’ wis chowan the cud amang all the turkey watchin’ he made for Windywaas byre. feathers fae the plickan. L 22 NEWSLETTER OF THE ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY Issue No. 45 March 2008

In Search of a Name Tom Corston concludes the story of his homecoming pllgrimage in May to Orkney, the ancestral home of the Corston Family

name into some form of special category as I had numer- In our December issue Tom told of his emotional arrival at Stromness, a visit to where his forebears probably came ous people greet me who indicated that while they had from (and he had the road sign to prove it) and the fun of tradi- heard of the name throughout their lives, they had never tional dancing in Kirkwall. Part one finished with a visit to Orphir met anyone who bore it. To be sure, it was in existence where he discovered that there might be other Corston links. before Orkney was sold to Scotland, so our ancestry is, If any of our members can supply Tom with any other Corston in fact, Norwegian…and likely goes as far back to the connections he would be delighted to hear from you at:- Vikings themselves! [email protected] Sunday evening’s event was a gala banquet, held in our honour and hosted by the Orkney Island Council, Sunday, May 20, was the administrative govern- to be a day of making ment of Orkney. It seemed new friends. It started that the whole population by our attendance at was packed into the Strom- the morning service at ness Academy gymnasium. Kirkwall’s St. Olaf’s We were treated to the Scottish-Episcopal stirring swirl of the Pipes Church, where I had and Drums, the laughter been invited to preach. of many a humorous story, St. Olaf’s is a small the richness of the tradi- church of the Episco- tional dances and music of pal (Anglican) Diocese the Islands, and laden with of Aberdeen and Ork- beautiful gifts (each of us ney, served part-time receiving a small bottle of Highland Park whisky, dis- by Fr. David Dawson. tilled in Kirkwall). The food was excellent and plentiful. David is also a career Mother and I were invited to seats at the “high table” as police officer, work- guests of the Convenor, Stephen ing full-time with the Hagan. A few days prior, I had been asked if I would rep- Orkney Island Coun- resent the “pilgrims” and say a word of thanks. At the end cil. St. Olaf’s people of my little talk our hosts presented me with the “Bride’s were most welcoming Cog”… an Orkney specialty…a small wooden bucket and friendly, and so with handles to assist in tipping it up to the mouth. I open to hearing of our Here I am at St. Olaf’s Episcopal Church in can’t say what the concoction was that I drank, family history and of Kirkwall with Fr David Dawson. I am wearing but it reminded me a little of Uncle Cecil Corston’s the strong Orcadian the ‘Canadian Stole’ made by a member of my Christmas spe- cial, “Cariboo”!!! I was happy to pass congregation before I left Canada and which I history linked with had the pleasure of presenting to Fr Dawson the Cog back to the MC and allow others to share a the Anglican Church as a gift. sip of the drink! of Canada. I presented Our pilgrimage was not yet fin- our host with a “Canadian stole” and an ample supply of ished for on Monday, May 21, our final Canadian maple syrup. One of the members of the parish, day, there was a scheduled ferry trip to Miss Ivy Cooper, thought that she was distantly related visit Orkney’s outer Islands. Earlier in to the Corstons, and invited us to her home later for “af- the week I had received a call through ternoon tea”. Ivy is a delightfully friendly woman, whose our tour hosts that there was a family whole life has been spent on her beloved Orkney. The Bride’s Cog on Westray Island who wanted to meet We spent some of the afternoon at the Orkney Family us. Margaret & Billy Tulloch, owners of the Westray Gen- History Society’s open house at their modern, handsome eral Store, were the caregivers of Margaret’s 92-year-old “Orkney Library and Archives” building. Mr. George Gray, mother, Margaret (Peggy) MacPherson. Margaret had a one of the busiest research personages for anyone looking Corston in her history and wanted to meet us. It took for their family history, while delighted to meet us, told an hour for us to sail to Westray where our guide took us that the Corston name no longer exists on Orkney. In us to the Tulloch home, “Cedar Cottage”. Our host was fact, ours is “an ancient name”. That seemed to put the quite pleased to meet us, declaring that her mother wasA Issue No. 45 March 2008 NEWSLETTER OF THE ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY 23

The village of in Westray—Haven to the Vikings and survivors of the ill-fated Spanish Armada. Flooking forward to meeting someone who had a family it quite poignant to be sailing away from Stromness and connection. I must say, when we were ushered into the front room and met Mrs. MacPherson, I was staring into the face of “Nana Corston”…I actu- ally became a bit emotional. It turns out that Margaret’s great, great, great Grandmother was The Hamnavoe—Our ferry to the Scottish mainland Mary Corston *. to look back on the beautiful scene of Orkney’s rolling In her lifetime, hills…to look upon much the same scene as Hugh Corston Margaret was a and later, William Corston, gazed as they left their home well known and those many decades ago to begin a new life in what be- much loved school came known as Canada. How difficult it must have been teacher. She and for them and all the many other Orcadians to pass the her daughter were “” and slip into the north Atlantic. I must a delight to visit. add, I gained a new insight and appreciation for all those Margaret herself who sailed across the ocean to a new life. What determi- expressed her ex- nation they must have had even to get into a boat. The citement at meet- sail across for us was a rough one and even in a modern ing members of ship equipped with stabilizers, I lost my breakfast and her family, even if spent half the journey in the men’s room!!! we were separated Back on the mainland of Scotland we travelled through by so many years the remote northern Highlands and enjoyed another 10 of history. The Tul- days leisurely vacationing in Inverness, in Stonehaven, loch’s told us of yet near Aberdeen (where my father spent much of his free- another “Corston time while being stationed in the UK during the war), house”, this one Loch Ness, Fort William and on Scotland’s west coast to in Kirkwall it- Oban and a pilgrimage to St. Columba’s ancient Celtic Here we are on Westray, one of Orkney’s North Isles. self. It is a house monastery at Iona, a final overnight in Glasgow and down built by a relative in more recent years in a residential into England to Durham and London. area of the town and named in honour of the ancient All of it was truly a wonderful experience to journey Corston name and of the family’s distant connection to it. into the past on Orkney in search of the origins of this We arrived back in Kirkwall too late to find the house. ancient name. The best remark of the day has to belong (* Margaret’s lineage – Mary Corston > Jessie Corrigall > to Mr. Gray of the Orkney Family History Society. He Mary Scot (1891-1987) > Margaret Cooper (1914-) > Mar- made a rather profound garet) comment to me in all se- The visit riousness, but it surely to Westray made me smile. “Ah, Mr. and to Corston”, he said, “I am M a r g a r e t afraid that the Corston MacPerson name is quite an ancient brought our name in Orkney, quite ex- sojourn to tinct now. But, it has sur- Orkney to an vived in ‘the new world’… end and we …Indeed!!! L Outside Canada House, reluctantly London on our way home b o a r d e d The Venerable the bus and Thomas A Corston the ferry on 2489 Cavendish Crescent Sudbury, Ontario, P3E 5X7 T u e s d a y, Leaving Stromness Harbour CANADA May 22nd for our return to the Scottish mainland. I found [email protected] Summer 2007 The Orkney Family History Society rkney Family History Society was formed embership of the Society runs from in 1997 and is run by a committee of 1st March to 28th/29th February and Ovolunteers. Msubscriptions should be renewed during the It is similar to societies operating worldwide month of March. All subscriptions should be sent to where members share a mutual interest in the Treasurer at the OFHS address below. family history and help each other with research New members joining before the 1st December and, from time to time assist in special projects will receive back copies of the three magazines for con-cerning the countless records and subjects the current year. From 1st December new members available to us all in finding our roots. will receive membership for the remainder of the current year, plus the following year, but will not The main objectives are: receive the back copies of the magazine. 1 To establish a local organisation for the study, collection, analysis and sharing of information The present subscription rates are as follows: about individuals and families in Orkney. 2 To establish and maintain links with other ORDINARY family history groups and genealogical societies Family membership (UK only) £10.00 throughout the UK and overseas FAMILY MEMBERSHIP 3. To establish and maintain a library and other Spouse, Partner and Children under 18 £15.00 reference facilities as an information resource for SENIOR CITIZENS members and approved subscribers. Single or couple (UK only) £7.00 4.To promote study projects and special interest groups to pursue approved assignments. OVERSEAS We are located on the upper floor of the Surface Mail £12.50 Kirkwall Library next to the archives department OVERSEAS and are open Mon–Fri 2pm–4.30pm and Sat Air Mail £15.00 11am–4.30pm. Our own library, though small at the moment, Overseas members should pay their fees in holds a variety of information including: sterling or its equivalent. If it is not possible to send The IGI for Orkney on microfiche. pounds sterling please check the exchange rate. Our bank will accept overseas cheques without The Old Parish Records on microfilm. charging commission. Receipts will be issued with The Census Returns on microfilm transcribed the next magazine. Members residing in the United on to a computer database. Kingdom may pay their subscriptions by Bankers Family Trees. Order and if they wish can have their subscriptions Emigration and Debtors lists. treated as gift donations. Forms will be sent on Letters, Articles and stories concerning Orkney request. and its people. Cheques should be made payable to: Hudson’s Bay Company information. ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY Graveyard Surveys (long term project). and forwarded to This material is available to members for ‘in house’ research by arrangement. ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY Orkney Library & Archive Locally we have monthly Members’ Evenings 44 Junction Rd, Kirkwall, Orkney KW15 1AG with a guest speaker. Telephone 01856 873166 extension 3029 We produce a booklet of members and interests General enquires should be addressed to the office in writing or to to allow members with similar interests to Treasurer George Gray (e-mail: [email protected]) correspond with each other if they wish. General Secretary. Elaine Sinclair ([email protected]) We also produce a newsletter 4 times a year and Research Secy. Adrianne Leask (e-mail: [email protected]) are always looking for articles and photographs of Editor. John Sinclair (e-mail: [email protected]) interest. A stamped addressed envelope should be Orkney Family History Society website— www.orkneyfhs.co.uk included if these are to be returned. Back copies of Articles in the newsletter are copyright to the Society and the magazine can be purchased at £1 per copy. its authors and may not be reproduced without permiss- We can usually undertake research for members 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 Family History Societies. The Society’s newsletter, Sib the willingness of our island members giving up Folk News is registered with the British Library under their spare time to help. the serial number ISSN 1368-3950. subscriptions etc MEMBERSHIP