SIB FOLK NEWSISSUE No 43 SEPTEMBER 2007 NEWSLETTER OF THE ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY

UGUST IS A GREA Y A T MONTH IN ORKNE

Pictures and montage John Sinclair 2 NEWSLETTER OF THE ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY Issue No 43 September 07

ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORY NEWSLETTER Issue No 43 September 2007 From the chair CONTENTS Many thanks to those members who contacted me FRONT COVER following my appointment as chairperson of your August in Society. Over the past three months I have been Orkney Agricultural Shows, taking stock of how our organisation operates. Vintage Rally, The Society’s undoubted strength comes from the Riding of the commitment of its members. Marches, etc The summer months have again been very busy in the OFHS office and many members from all over PAGE 2 the world have been connected to relatives and past From the Chair generations of their families. PAGE 3 Annual Outing Another real strength for the Society is you were verbally telling the story. Show our office volunteers, committee members your continued support to John by putting PAGE 4 and our principal researcher George Gray. pen to paper. Syllabus 07-08 Their contribution has been highlighted We need to recognise and give thanks to all PAGE 5 in the positive responses received from our members who do so much in their own James Smellie the Canadian Homecomers and the many time to support the Society. visitors to the OFHS Office. The depth of At our last committee meeting we looked PAGES 6,7,8 their knowledge and the intricate linkages at how we communicate with members and In the Footsteps of between different families always amazes how we can encourage greater participation Washington Irving me. George’s memory and his recall in events and regular meetings. As a first PAGE 9 ability of his current and past searches step a draft 2007/08 syllabus is shown Kirkwall man are invaluable. Visitors benefit from this elsewhere in this newsletter. This will in Great Flood vast amount of local knowledge that these become part of the OFHS website and will volunteers have acquired as I recently continue to be updated. Hopefully this PAGES 10 & 11 witnessed when a gentleman enquired may be of assistance to members outwith Looking for Merrimans - what the benefits of joining the Society Orkney to plan any Orkney visit to coincide would be? He was asked what his Orkney with an OFHS event. PAGES12 & 13 connections were. On his reply, a volunteer More and more members communicate Our Orcanadians talked from memory on who his ancestors through E-mail and we also hope to use Find Their Roots were, where they lived and revealed in this medium to update members on Society great detail of other family members, etc. activities and other relevant information. PAGE 14 Creative Thinking I smiled as he replied, “You know more For Orkney based members an E-mail about my family than I do!” He filled out reminder a week before our meetings might PAGES 15,16,17 his membership form immediately. increase the number of active members in The Dinnisons I hope, like me, that you enjoyed our last the Society’s programmes. If you have not newsletter and its excellent coverage of given your E-mail address to the OFHS or PAGE 18 the Homecoming 2007. I have gauged have recently renewed or changed your E- A Sandwick Son the strong member appreciation of the mail address then please send your details Society’s newsletter - SIB Folk News. to [email protected] PAGE 19 Christening of It demonstrates, and is a credit to the Over the coming months we hope to bring Kirkwall Streets professionalism of our editor, John Sinclair. new speakers and interesting topics, His contribution is much appreciated and training opportunities for local members PAGE 20 his production of SFN is the envy of many and different activities to the Society. We Writing your other Societies in Scotland. It enables all will have two open meetings before our Family History members to learn about and to contribute Annual dinner event, which will be held in PAGES 21,22 to the Society’s activities and the building November, and members should book places John Sclater's up of Orkney’s family history. However, for this at the office or via the secretary at Draper Shop more members could submit more articles. [email protected] Check website PAGE 23 You must have a family story or snippet for further information. Your Ancestral Home of information that could be shared with others. In this way you can help other PAGE 24 Membership and members and inspire them to tell their Subscriptions story. You don’t have to be an experienced writer and many stories are best told as if Alan Clouston Issue No. 43 September 2007 NEWSLETTER OF THE ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY 3 SOUTH RONALDSAY WAS A GREAT SUCCESS Elaine Sinclair reports on our annual outing Sunday, 17 June 2007, was the date of my first annual places and my group set off to the church and graveyard. outing with the Orkney Family History Society and I was Helen Manson provided a wonderful commentary on various not sure quite what to expect. places throughout our journey in South Ronaldsay. Whilst Around 2 dozen people joined the bus at the Bus Station we were at St Mary’s, Helen showed us the bier which had in Kirkwall on a grey, slightly rain-threatening morning, been used to carry the deceased for funerals and the oldest and we set off. I had not anticipated and was pleasantly memorial stone from the graveyard, dating from the 16th surprised by the marvellous on-board commentary from century, which had been taken into the back of the church to Hazel Goar about the properties and families who lived, or reduce wear. We wandered around the graveyard and Helen had lived, in them, on the road out from Kirkwall through provided information about some of the gravestones. Holm and Burray and on to South Ronaldsay, where we We then returned to Willie Mowatt’s Smithy to collect the were joined at St Margaret’s Hope by Helen and Stephen rest of our members and headed for Tomison’s Academy. Manson. Davina Brown and I had obtained permission from the local We went straight for tea or coffee and cakes and biscuits Council (the owners) for the group to visit the property and at the Cromarty Hall – breakfast for some of us! After Helen, having been a pupil whilst the building was still a enjoying our refreshments and admiring the Hall, we set school, gave an excellent presentation on the building as we off for Willie Mowatt’s Smithy on the main road leading went from room to room. south of the ‘Hope, where we split into 2 groups – one After a good lunch at the Cromarty Hall in the ‘Hope’, we set group visiting the Smithy whilst the other went to St off for St Peter’s Kirk where Helen, again, gave a wonderful Mary’s Church and cemetery at Burwick. I was in the presentation on the church’s history. After a short walk first group to visit the Smithy around the graveyard, the group (with the exception of and we thoroughly enjoyed H e l e n and Stephen Manson) set off back to Willie’s discourse, as well Kirkwall with Hazel pointing as having a “hands-on” out further properties and experience with some of family references on the his artefacts and helping way. to blow the bellows It was a marvellous trip for the furnace. There and day out and, for my were 3 outbuildings first trip, I think I picked containing items related a winner – for which a lot to the forge, agriculture, of the thanks must go to the household (pots for the Hazel Goar (organiser and ladies, according to Willie!) commentator) and Helen and the sea. Manson. When the second Elaine Sinclair group returned from Secretary St Mary’s, we swapped Member No. 1211

PHOTOGRAPHS BY ALAN CLOUSTON 4 NEWSLETTER OF THE ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY Issue No. 43 September 2007

And we all got on MONTH DATE EVENT DESCRIPTION just fine Aug 2007 12th Orkney Vintage OFHS Stand with From Sandy Windwick Rally display of Family Member No 1732 History Materials Here’s some interesting sta- tistics culled from the 1901 Sep 2007 13th Monthly meeting Speaker and Census Returns for Kirk- subject tbc* wall & St Ola, Out of the to- Oct 2007 11th Monthly meeting Speaker and tal (4461) people enummer- subject tbc* ated, only 2023 (45.37%) were born in Kirkwall & St Ola. Nov 2007 8th Orkney Family Venue to be 1862 (41.74%) were born else- History Society confirmed* where in Orkney. 576 (12.91%) Annual Dinner came from elsewhere in the Dec 2007 No event world. It seems that Kirkwall Jan 2008 No event & St Ola was the place to be. It Feb 2008 14th Monthly Members’ night still is of course. meeting in Kirkwall Library Where Born No % And Archive Kirkwall 1716 38.48 Mar 2008 13th Monthly meeting Speaker and Subject tbc* St Ola 307 6.89 Apr 2008 10th Monthly meeting Speaker and Elsewhere Orkney 1862 41.75 Subject tbc* Scotland 403 9.04 May 2008 8th Annual Gen- Speaker and England 62 1.39 eral Meeting subject tbc* followed by Ireland 14 0.31 Monthly meeting Wales 6 0.13 Jun 2008 8th Orkney Family Date and or History Society location tbc* Shetland 65 1.46 15th Annual Outing India 4 0.09 Canada 1 .02 *tbc – to be confirmed U.S.A. 7 0.16 A letter from Laurie Falkland Isl. 1 0.2 Dear John, Malta 1 0.2 The Sib Folk News just came today and I dropped everything to sit down and read it. Italy 1 0.2 I was not a Homecomer but I’m sure everyone who attended had a great time. Our trip took place in 2004 when we went to Scotland to see where our Australia 1 0.2 ancestors lived and walked. But alas, our two-week-long trip was too short, Bermuda 2 0.4 the Orkney Library and Archive was closed from Saturday night to Monday morning, and Kirkwall did not divulge any family secrets. Portugal 2 0.4 One question however has baffled me for a long time. I am of the Irvine Clan. One group of Irvines lived in Drum Castle 10 miles from Aberdeen as New Zealand 1 0.2 lairds, barons, royalty. The other group became farmhands, landscapers and domestiques. My grandfather John Irvine left Kirkwall around 1875 and was South Africa 1 0.2 married in 1876 to Anna May Chandler in Toronto, Canada, at the home of her Faroe Islands 1 0.2 sister Ellen Chandler. Both were from Ireland. From Toronto, John and Anna May Irvine went to Bay City, Michigan USA, Poland 1 0.2 to start a greenhouse-flowershop business “in the work he knew best”. Since all we Irvines came from the same ancestry (King Duncan of Germany 2 0.4 Eryvine), where, when and why did the split come? I hope you or someone Total 4461 100 has the answer to this troubling question. Sincerely, Laurie C.McClanahan # 1160 Issue No.43 September 2007 NEWSLETTER OF THE ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY 5

amesREVEREND mellie 1774-1852

By Ken Harrison. Member No 108 James was born on 1 November 1774 in The “Annals of the Free Church of Scotland” Anstruther Easter, a small coastal town state that he signed the Act of Separation from in Fifeshire across the Firth of Forth from the Church Edinburgh, the second and last child of of Scotland. Did Archibald Smellie and Grizal McCallay. He I have you know? was christened soon after, on 13 November visited the 1774, in his family’s “home town”, Carstairs, headquarters Stuart Sinclair Garson, Lanarkshire. His father died when James of the Free Dec 1898 - May 1977 was eleven months old, and it appears that Church in was a Canadian politi- his mother took him and his sister Elizabeth E d i n b u r g h cian and lawyer. He was back to the Carstairs area. He studied at and viewed Church of Scotland, St Andrews. the son of an Orcadian Glasgow University, and was schoolmaster at the original document, but was unable to find father who died when Stuart was 13.Garson Stonehouse, Lanarkshire, from about 1785. I his signature. Neither does his name appear was first elected to the do not know how long he stayed at Stonehouse, on the typed transcription of the signatures. Legislative Assembly of but one family story suggests that he taught Perhaps he signed a satellite document which Manitoba in 1927 and in New Monkland (east of Glasgow) for a was circulated to the outlying parishes, and in 1932 was one of the while. which is now lost. founding members of It is unknown how he came to move to the St. Andrew’s parish the province’s Liberal Orkney Islands, but it may have involved covers most of the Progressive coalition. political maneuvering of the Honyman family. “Mainland” island Over the next few years Sir William Honyman of Graemsay, Orkney of Orkney east of he held a number of (Lord Armadale) bought in 1792 the estate of Kirkwall, and it in- important portfolios and was sworn in as Premier Dr. William Smellie in Lanark. Although no cludes the estate of of Manitoba in Jan 43, connection between our family and Dr. Smellie Tankerness. The grave- a position he held until has been proven, it is a good possibility. yard is adjacent to the 1948. In 1948 he moved The half-brother of Lord Armadale, Robert Hall of Tankerness and to federal politics at the Honyman, was elected in 1802 MP for Orkney the ruined Church of behest of the new Liberal & Shetland, the year that James Smellie is Scotland manse is a Prime Minister, Louis St first known to be in Kirkwall. quarter mile away, with Laurent, and was soon James was licensed to preach in the Church the Church another sworn in as Minister of of Scotland parishes of St. Andrew’s and quarter mile away. Justice and Attorney Deerness on Church of Scotland Manse. Ruin The Free Church and General. For the next nine years 19 August its manse are about another half mile away, all he was the dominant 1802, and four sites within eyesight of each other. minister from Manitoba o r d a i n e d James died in his sleep on 22 December 1852, in St Laurent’s govern- there on 2 May presumably at the Free Church manse. He ment. He also served 1805. I have apparently suffered from palsy for a short as Solicitor General his original period prior to of Canada from 1950 - 1952. He finally lost his Free Kirk, St Andrews. Now a private house handwritten his death, and sermons for was paralysed seat in 1957 and did not the first year, bound in hard cover. In 1830 (possibly from return to political life. Deerness was made a separate parish and a stroke) in In 1971 he was made a Companion of the Order he remained in charge of St. Andrew’s until his final days. of Canada. 1843, when he seceded to the Free Church No official and moved with most of the congregation to record of his Thanks to www.orkney. a new church of the same name, which they death has com built on a hill overlooking the old one. He been located. then remained in charge of that church until A stone mem- Free Kirk Manse. Now a private house his death in 1852, dying (as his memorial orializing him stands at the eastern side of stone says) “in the 79th year of his age and the St. Andrews parish graveyard, but it is A 48th of his ministry”. Continued on page No 8 6 NEWSLETTER OF THE ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY Issue No. 43 September 2007

In the Footsteps of Washington Irving

he exciting prospect ofBy visiting Peter Sleepy HollowGroundwater and the literary Russell aspiration – thatMember provoked No 161 Washington to leave New mystical Catskill Mountains, while driving from New York and, on 25 May 1815, he embarked on board the ship TYork to Montreal in the summer of 1994, reminded Mexico for Liverpool. Soon after he arrived brother Peter, me that it had been far too long since I had read Washington who was crippled with rheumatism, went to convalesce in Irving’s best known work, The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Harrogate, leaving a very dispirited Washington to spend Crayon, Gent.* This is a volume which had first captured eight weary months preoccupied in “irksome and unexpected my imagination some twenty years before and I was pleased employment.” Despite strenuous efforts to keep the to find that it had lost none of its original appeal. Those business solvent, the situation steadily deteriorated and by immortal characters, Ichabod Crane and Rip Van Winkle, January 1818 there was no alternative other than to declare remained as endearing as ever but it was Irving’s account of themselves bankrupt. During the following February and his search for the Boar’s Head Tavern in Eastcheap, an area March, they were summoned to appear three times before of the City of London well known to me, that most held my the Commissioners of Bankruptcy at the King’s Arms Inn, attention. This article tells the story of the events leading up in Liverpool, which must have been especially humiliating to his writing of this delightful little piece, my attempt to for Washington who was only a minor party in the affair. follow in the great man’s footsteps and a totally unexpected However, by 22 June that same year, they were finally connection with an ornate Wren church dedicated to one of released from the burdens of commerce and, although Orkney’s best loved earls. initially somewhat downhearted, Washington was pleased to In common with many an Orkney lad, Washington’s father, have the opportunity to establish his financial independence William Irving, who was born at Quholme, in Shapinsay, through his writing and regain self esteem. sometime around 1731, left home at an early age to follow the Even before the demise of the business Washington had sea. It was during the French War, and while he was serving as been a frequent visitor at the home of his sister Sarah and her a petty officer on an armed packet plying between Falmouth husband, Alderman Henry van Wart, in Birmingham. One and New York, that he met and married Sarah Sanders, the night in 1816, while staying at their house in Camden Hill, grand-daughter of a West Country clergyman. In 1763 the he sat up long after the van Warts had gone to bed. In fact young couple emigrated to New York where they had ten he was still at the table when they came down next morning, children and William became a prosperous merchant. The weary but triumphant. Working throughout the night by Irvings were a close and devoted family and no one seemed candlelight he had produced a draft of Rip Van Winkle, to be in any doubt that the youngest child, patriotically which he read to his hosts named Washington after the country’s first president, was over breakfast. blessed with the talent to become a great writer. By 1810, It was in August 1818 then aged 27, he had lost any enthusiasm he may have had that Washington Irving for a career as a lawyer and gratefully accepted the offer of made his now famous a junior partnership in his brothers’ import/export business, pilgrimage to Eastcheap in which had branches on both sides of the Atlantic. Although search of the Boar’s Head. not required to take an active role, Washington was to This was the favourite receive a one-fifth share of the profits, which would allow haunt of his fictional hero, him to pursue his literary career. Peter Irving was in charge Shakespeare’s Sir John of the Liverpool office, based originally at 14 Water Street Falstaff, and the setting for and later at 23 James’ Street, both conveniently situated for what many consider to be the docks, from where a wide range of manufactured goods the finest tavern scene ever The Boar’s Head Tavern was shipped to New York, to be sold by brother Ebenezer. written (Henry IV, Part II). At first all went well but the War of 1812 between Britain But he was too late: the only trace of this ancient abode and the United States had a disastrous effect on trade. In was the stone sign of a boar’s head built into the dividing addition to the obvious problems this caused for the family line of two shops, which were occupied by David M’Kash, business, it was most likely personal depression following an Irish barber, and a firm of wholesale perfumers and wig the death six years before of his fiancée, Matilda Hoffman, merchants. The original premises had perished in the Great in whose father’s law firm he had worked, and unfulfilled Fire of London (1666) but were soon rebuilt and flourishedA Issue No. 43 September 2007 NEWSLETTER OF THE ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY 7

Funder the old name until some thirty years before Ir- was so enthusiastically bestowed on him during his own ving’s visit when the tavern ceased to trade. lifetime. Undaunted by this apparent set-back he decided to A large area of St. Michael’s parish, including part of explore the area and was referred to a tallow-chandler’s Eastcheap, and Miles and Crooked Lanes, was demolished widow, living opposite, who informed him that a painting to make way for King William Street on the rebuilding of of the old tavern could be found in St Michael’s Church, in London Bridge; the one nearby Crooked Lane. In the event this proved not to be the which was opened by case but the sexton, who Irving had recruited as a guide, William IV on 1 August led him outside to a small adjoining cemetery, which was 1831 and now stands overlooked by the rear windows of the old Boar’s Head. at Lake Havasu City, Here he was shown the tombstone of Robert Preston, a Arizona. One might young barman at the inn, who, it would appear, had led an reasonably suppose that exemplary life and whose death in 1730 inspired a local during the passage of so bard to pen an epitaph that has come to be one of the best many years some of the known in London. However, the sexton, no doubt sensing artefacts referred to by Washington’s disappointment at failing to find the picture Irving would not have he was seeking, offered to show him some artefacts from survived but happily St Michael’s that were kept at the Mason’s Arms public this turned out not to Inn sign from the Boar’s Head Tavern house, in Miles Lane, which had taken the place of be the case. My own pilgrimage to this historical part of the “back parlour” at the Boar’s Head as the venue for London not only located the four most significant items meetings of the vestry (i.e. parish council). mentioned in the Boar’s Head Tavern sketch but I was The landlady of the Mason’s Arms, Mrs Edward also able to inspect each one at close hand. Honeyball, seemed delighted The sign of the boar’s head was first deposited in with the opportunity to the Guildhall Museum before being transferred along oblige and first produced with the rest of its collection to the Museum of London. a large japanned iron Unfortunately, it was not on public display at the time tobacco-box which of my visit and is literally gathering dust in a huge had been passed storeroom in another part of the city. However, I was most round at vestry fortunate to obtain permission to inspect this sign and meetings for as was surprised to find it measures only 19” x 16.5” x 9”, long as anyone could but weighs a ton! remember. Irving In 1831, when the church and surrounding buildings handled this ancient were pulled down, St Michael’s parish united with that of relic with due reverence St Magnus-the-Martyr in Lower Thames Street (see Sib but it was the colourful Folk News, March 2007). The publicity given to Robert The Famous tobacco box image on its lid that Preston’s epitaph in The Sketchbook almost certainly most delighted him, for it depicted Falstaff with Prince contributed to his tombstone being considered of sufficient Hal and the other madcap revellers outside the original historical importance to warrant its preservation, and it Boar’s Head Tavern – exactly the sort of painting that he now stands in the inner courtyard of St Magnus. The full had hoped to find. While he “was meditating on it with inscription reads: enraptured gaze,” Mrs Honeyball handed him a drinking cup, which he immediately realised was identical to the “parcel-gilt goblet” on which Falstaff made his loving but faithless vow to marry Mistress Quickly (Act II, Scene I). Here lieth the Body of ROBERT PRESTON Irving eventually took his leave from this old hostelry late Drawer at the Boar’s-head Tavern well satisfied with this brief adventure in search of the in Great Eastcheap, who departed this life Boar’s Head Tavern, and feeling that his discoveries March the 16 Anno Domini 1730 had contributed in no small degree to the subject of Aged 27 Years. Shakespearean studies. The Sketchbook of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent, which contained 33 short stories, was published in the United Bacchus, to give the Toping World Surprize, States in seven instalments between June 1819 and Tho’ nurs’d among full Hogsheads, he defy’d, September 1820. ‘The Boar’s Head Tavern, Eastcheap The charms of Wine and ev’ry vice beside; – A Shakespearean Research,’ was included in the third O Reader! If to Justice thou’rt inclin’d, instalment, which came out in September 1819. A Keep honest PRESTON daily in thy mind; slightly extended, two-volume edition of The Sketchbook was published in England the following year where He drew good wine, took care to fill his Pots, it created as much of a sensation as it had in America, Had sundry virtues that outweigh’d his fau’ts; thus establishing Irving as an author of international You that on Bacchus, have the like dependence, repute. However, while it must be conceded that there Pray copy Bob, in Measure and Attendance. have since been greater writers, he has every right to retain the title, “The Father of American Literature,” that A 8 NEWSLETTER OF THE ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY Issue No. 43 September 2007

FThe patrons of frequented the Boar’s Head Tavern. the Boar’s Head The 16th century parcel-gilt goblet that so enthused Irving enjoyed the was presented to the vestry of St Michael’s by d u b i o u s Francis Withens, before 1633. This reputation particularly graceful gourd-shaped cup, of being with a matching cover, stands about h e a v y twelve inches high and is engraved drinkers and with tear-drops; a design that is reputed masters of to be based on Falstaff’s command to the practical Mistress Quickly (also in Act II, Scene joke and I): “Go, wash thy face, and draw the perhaps we action” – the poor lady had been crying! should not The headpiece of the tombstone of ‘honest’ Robert Preston Although it remains the property of be surprised St Magnus, the ‘Falstaff Cup’ is on that a young barman with so many sober virtues inspired permanent loan to the Treasury of St such a cleverly-worded epitaph. Was he an early and Paul’s Cathedral and is currently on innocent victim of passive smoking? We shall never display in the crypt of that magnificent know. edifice. Together with the church plate of St Michael’s the oval- To have been able to see all four shaped tobacco-box also passed into the possession of St objects at such close quarters was The Falstaff Cup Magnus’ where it remains. The parish priest kindly allowed an unexpected privilege and, like me to handle the “august and venerable relic,” Washington Irving, I too felt that it was a mission successfully which is exactly as described by accomplished. Irving, although it has Irving returned home to New York in 1832, so ending a clearly benefited from 17-year expatriation in Europe, which included a month- the repairs that were long tour of Scotland. It is surprising therefore, knowing his carried out in 1861. love of history and interest in regional writing, that he never It measures 8” x 6” visited Quholme (pronounce ‘kwy-home’), the small farm x 3” and is kept in in Shapinsay, where his father was born and his kinsfolk a sturdy purpose- lived for generations. However, as a happy consequence of built wooden box two City of London parishes being united, it is fitting that that probably dates one brief episode in his long and fascinating life should now from the mid- be so closely associated with an ancient church dedicated to eighteenth century. Saint Magnus the Martyr, Earl of Orkney. L Apparently, the The inscription on the repaired tobacco box painting on the lid Note: (*) Currently available in paperback, published by has been attributed to the famous artist and political satirist, Oxford World’s Classics, edited by Susan Manning. £7.99. William Hogarth (1697-1764), who is known to have

Continued from page No 5 In her 23 years of married life at the old St. Andrew’s Funcertain whether this marks his grave. manse she gave birth there to 18 children (no twins). At his death, only six of his eighteen Margaret died on 4 July 1829 at the old St. Andrew’s children were alive. He had himself manse, possibly in childbirth to a nineteenth child given them all a liberal and classical who also did not survive the birth. Some records have education, three sons becoming Free incorrectly given her death date a year earlier, on 14 July Church ministers (including George 1828, at the birth of her eighteenth child, John. in Ontario), one son a medical James’s second wife was Helen Spence, the widow of doctor and one son a businessman Capt. William Irvine and eldest daughter of James in Ontario. His obituary in the Spence of Pow, near Stromness. Although she had the “Edinburgh Witness” in 1853 said, same surname she was apparently not related to James’s “He detested all guile and deceit. His first wife. They were married 3 May 1831, and had no opinions were avowed with openness children, although she would have been in charge of caring and unshrinking manliness; for plain for the surviving 12 children from his first marriage, who honesty and fearless uprightness were at the time of her marriage, ranged in age from 3 years striking features of his character.” to 25 years of age. She died two years after him, on 18 James was married twice. He was February 1855. James Smellie’s stone in married on 5 November 1805 in If anyone can add to or correct any of the information provided above, I would very much like to hear from you. the graveyard of the Hall Kirkwall to Margaret, the eldest child Ken Harrison, OFHS #108 of Tankerness of David Spence and Lucia Traill (mentioned in “Sib Folk News” vol North Vancouver, Canada [email protected] 42). She was born in Kirkwall on 29 April 1787 and was [please note that the numerals at the end of the name are baptized there on 3 May 1787. “eleven”, not “double el”] L Issue No. 43 Septermber 2007 NEWSLETTER OF THE ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY 9 Kirkwall man rescues landlady in great flood

maried to Ann o, not the headline in the Orkney Drever of Westray.) papers after the great Kirkwall They lived in Albert St. Kirkwall flood of October 2006 but the where St. Olaf’s shoe shop is now. Ed- flooding of large areas of Man- ward was a house carpenter. The family Nchester and surrounding towns in 1866. were Hugh, John, Thomas, Ann, James, On November 16th 1866 the River Irwell William, Jane, Catherine and Mary. As burst its banks after heavy rain and by mid- far as I can make out the second and day parts of the city were under several feet third sons remained in Kirkwall. John of water. There were several losses of life Pollexfen Peace was a house carpenter including a carter, complete with horse and like his father. Thomas became a gen- cart, who was swept away when attempting eral draper and silk merchant with to cross a bridge. The walls of buildings premises first in Victoria Street then and yards were demolished with the rush in Broad Street. Perhaps the forerun- of water and what must have been a most ner of Peace and Low who were drap- unusual sight was an omnibus going along ers and milliners in Broad Street well a street towing a boat. into the twentieth century. The rest of The water level went down on Saturday the family I have traced out of Orkney but after more heavy rain on Sunday many except for Jane who was aged 2 in the churchgoers had to wade through water on 1851 Census in Albert Street but can’t their way home. By Ian Cameron be found after that. Four years after the floods in Man- The Orkney connection to this story is Member No 10 through James Peace from Kirkwall who chester in 1870 a building firm was had no doubt gone to Manchester looking established in the city with the name for work. Peace and Norquoy and by 1881 were James, who would be 19 at this time, kept in regular con- employing 34 men and 2 boys. They patented a type of fold- tact with his sister Ann who had also gone south to work in ing partition several of which were installed in Kirkwall service to a minister’s family, first in Edinburgh then Tong- Grammar School and some of the Orkney country schools. land near Kirkcudbright. It is through one of James’ letters They were complete with recessed brass handles which had to Ann dated 19th November 1866, that we get a description the company name stamped on them. of the floods as they affected him. Here is part of the letter he The Peace partner was James of the flood and the Norquoy wrote. side of the firm was William Norquoy most likely with South “Dear Sister, Ronaldsay connections. William Norquoy and Ann Peace (the Manchester and some of the neighbouring towns was flooded recipient of the letter above) were married on 22nd Jan. 1874. on Friday and Saturday the like of which is not remembered The firm were contractors to H.M. Government and in 1896 by the oldest person alive. When we went for our dinner on won a silver medal for their folding partitions and in 1894 Friday we could not get in for the water was about three feet they got a special mark of merit medal from the Sanitary In- high at the door so we took dinner at an eating house then we stitute of Great Britain. (One wonders what for.) went back to our street but the water had risen a good deal A manager employed by the firm was Thomas Chalmers higher. They had, by this time, gotten most of the people out from Stronsay. His brother Charles also worked for the firm. their houses with carts, but still saw our landlady at the bed- John D. Gorie from Kirkwall had worked for the company for room window so I went into the water and came to the wall of 12 years as a general foreman and on leaving the firm in 1926 the yard. Then I went along it till I got to the back of the house he was described by the manager as a “thoroughly reliable and and got in through a window. I found her in rather a bad capable workman. He is intelligent, sober and industrious.” state with fear. I got her through the window, along the wall I wonder how many more Orkney men of a similar charac- and carried her through the water, a fancy but diffucult job. ter were employed by the firm? I got nothing with me but our cash, our house stood all right I am indebted to Mr. Cyril Nield of Hyde, Manchester, for but a great many were carried away. We got lots of our books sending me a photo copy of James’ letter to sister Ann which destroyed, but it might have been worse. was found with other letters in an auction house by Cyril’s We did not get in till six in the morning, the water was 8ft. deep son, Duncan. He also sent a cutting from the Manchester Ex- in the house. I never saw such a mess as it was in. The gas aminer and Times with an account of the flood. wont light and the candle is near done.... If any member has any information on the above Peace Your affect. Brother James. “ family or the Peace and Norquoy building firm both Cyril James Peace was the fourth son of Edward Peacy b. Sanday and I would be pleased to hear from them through the and Ann Muir b. St. Andrews Parish. (Edward was previously Orkney Family History office. L

10 NEWSLETTER OF THE ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY Issue No. 43 September 2007

Sylvia Merriman Sinclair. Member No 1373 y name is Sylvia Velma Mer- I had always thought riman Sinclair, I live in Victo- my Great Grandfather Mria British Columbia, Canada was named Peter Mer- and for some time, I have tried to find riman, but Peter was a out more about my Merriman roots brother who was born and perhaps my Leask roots. here in 1860. Upon fur- It has been quite a journey of discov- ther research I found ery. After some initial inquiries, and that William Henry a visit to Ross Bay Cemetery in Vic- and Peter’s father was Did toria, I discovered my Great Grand- Peter Merriman, born you know father was William Henry Merriman in Sandwick March 21, and that he had married Mary Ellen 1821 and that he was There is evidence that Sinclair here in Victoria, British Co- married to Margaret domestic toilet arrange- lumbia in 1879. (I had wondered why Leask 27 December, ments were function- my aunt had made the comment that 1849 at St. Peter’s Kirk ing in Orkney in the here I was, a female Merriman mar- by Rev. Charles Clou- prehistoric dwellings of rying a male Sinclair and it had been Peter Merriman, the second; born on ston. Margaret had Skara Brae. the other way around with my Great the family farm, Cedar Hill Road, 1860. been born in Rendall The stone structures Grandfather). Strange observation I Parish in 1819 and I were found to have re- thought as I had no idea what she was talk- haven’t found the exact date yet for her but cesses in the walls with ing about. Doing some research into local her parents were James Leask and Ann drains leading to what Marwick, I believe. Margaret Leask Mer- appears to be a crude newspaper archival information gave me the sewer system. following: riman is buried also in Ross Bay Cemetery Source: Christine A Obituary in the Victoria Times says:” The and Peter is buried in Pioneer Square hav- Powell, Natural Archae- funeral took place this afternoon from the BC ing been moved from the original “Old Bury- ology Prog. Texas A & Funeral Parlours of the Late William Henry ing Ground” now located in pretty much the M University. Merriman, a very old settler of the Island, centre of Victoria. There are two Leask’s who has been engaged in farming in the Ce- buried not far from Margaret, again in Ross dar Hill and Cobble Hill districts for many Bay Cemetery, but I don’t know if they are years. A native of the Orkney Isles and 63 related. The following is a notation I have in years of age at the time of his death, he came my Family Tree Maker information: to this country when only three years of age, “Apparently Margaret Leask Merriman is and had made his home on the Island ever buried to the rear and right of the Sinclair since. plot at Ross Bay Cemetery along with Jane A brother, Peter Merriman still owns the Leask between 56 and 57 and James Charles Merriman farm in the Cedar Hill district, Leask and William James Leask are also where the deceased for some time was in resi- buried there. Who were they? dence, prior to removing eight years ago to James Charles Leask died October 13, the Cobble Hill district and taking up farm- 1901, aged 67 years, so he was born in 1834. ing independently there. William James Leask died December 17, A widow and three children survive. The 1901, aged 23 years, so he was born in 1878. services this afternoon, which were attended Jane Leask died April 15, 1905 aged 67 by many old-timers, were conducted by Rev. years, so was born in 1838 Robert Connell, the pallbearers being: Messrs. Margaret Leask appears to have been Robert Scott, George Deans, C. Cameron and born in 1818, and not in 1819 as previous- William Irvine.” ly thought. There is another record, how- He is buried in the Sinclair plot with Mary ever, with the name Margaret, which shows Ellen Sinclair Merriman. a christening on the 12th June 1819,A Issue No. 43 September 2007 NEWSLETTER OF THE ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY 11

F Firth & Stenness, Orkney, Scotland, with My Dad’s cousin, Victor Merriman had been no birth date attached. in touch with a relative and gave me the ad- She apparently came to Victoria about 3 dress. I wrote to say we would be coming and years after Peter came back in 1851 so that how it would be wonderful if we could meet would make it 1854. Check passenger lists and see how we might be related. The cou- on vessels arriving then? ple are Charlie and Sheila Merriman, and we One of the mysteries I have is concerning exchanged email addresses, only to have my Margaret – when did she arrive in Victoria? email saying when and where we were ar- I have contacted the Hudson’s Bay Company riving, go into cyberspace. When we arrived in Winnipeg re- in Kirkwall, I inquired about how to contact garding ship’s them, but our itinerary was pretty hectic, so logs but they it left little time to explore the phone book. were not able Much to my delight, when at the Harray Com- to assist with munity Hall they caught up with us! One any informa- look at Charlie and I could immediately see tion regarding a family resemblance. We had a wonderful Margaret who time with them, talking and making plans to would have meet after the Sunday service at St. Magnus arrived with Cathedral. They took us to see the church baby William where my Great Grandfather had been chris- Henry who was tened, St. Peter’s Kirk, with a picture of the born in Janu- Rev. Clouston who performed the christening. ary 25, 1851, in We were also shown where my Great Great Sandwick and Grandfather had lived as well as my Great christened at Great Grandmother, and just generally toured Did St. Peter’s Kirk us around, all this after a delicious lunch at you know by Rev. Charles John Peter Merriman their home in Sandwick. Charlie had also Clouston. obtained census reports for me to peruse for The other mystery is that Peter (the 1st) ap- more information, but unfortunately the time The crime rate for parently came to Victoria in 1842 according was too short to do more research, as the Clan Orkney is among the lowest in the country to my father’s cousin, liked what he saw, was on the move back to Caithness. at 294 per 10,000 went back to Orkney, married, and then came We had hoped to come for the Orkney Home- population compared back in 1851 and I have the ship’s passenger coming 2007, but as we are in need of a new with a rate of 863 for list confirm- roof for the Scotland as a whole. ing that he house, we Source: Recorded arrived on had to at- Crime in Scotland. the Norman tend to that. Scottish Executive Morison. The If anyone 2005 problem is has infor- trying to find mation they records of his could share first trip as r e g a r d i n g the Hudson’s our family, Bay Company I would be can’t assist very thank- in that and ful as it records don’t would be seem to have nice to have been kept dur- earlier dates ing that early and names time period. to add to the Sylvia Merriman Sinclair, Charlie Sinclair, Sheila Sinclair and David Sinclair. Peter’s par- listing we al- Taken outside the Kirkwall Hotel July 2005 ents were ready have. Alexander Merriman (born 1783) and Cath- We still plan on coming back to Orkney, but erine Spence (born 1788) from what I have it will be a year or so before we can do that. been able to ascertain with much help from a In the meanwhile we have our memories of a relative living in Sandwick. place I had my dream fulfilled in being able Now the fun part – in July 2005, my husband, to see, and visit with two very hospitable peo- David and I were privileged to join a Sinclair ple. Clan Gathering and the draw for me was that Best regards to all at the Orkney Family His- there would be a trip to Orkney. I had always tory Society particularly George Gray who dreamed of being able to, one day, see the area has been very helpful. my Great Great Grandfather had come from. Sylvia Merriman Sinclair No 1373 L 12 NEWSLETTER OF THE ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY Issue No. 43 September 2007 NEWSLETTER OF THE ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY 13 Our Orcanadians find their roots With a little help from George Gray he Orkney Homecoming 2007 ended on Tuesday 22nd Borwick. When In September 2006 Helen Miller wrote to me telling me that grandfather William Isbister and made Douglas and Helen May when the visitors left on the Hamnavoe. I phoned her and she was also intending to come to the Homecoming and could third cousins. On telling them that they were related to TI am sure all Homecomers agreed that the trip described the photo I help her to each other they realized that they only lived 20 miles from had been a great success. For many it had been quite an to her she asked me find where her each other in Canada! They then met up in Canada before emotional experience meeting relatives and visiting their if the young girl in ancestors had meeting again on the Homecoming. ancestral homes. the front of the photo come from. Her My research into the Isbisters was made a lot easier thanks I was asked if I would write an article for the magazine was wearing a white grandparents to the help I received from Jean Tait and James Isbister from about any interesting bits of research I had done for any of dress with blue spots. had married in Garth in Stromness. James Isbister was also related to both the Homecomers and this is one such story. On telling her that Canada but both Helen and Douglas. Douglas, Donna and Helen visited Mr and My first involvement in the Homecoming was when I realized the girl was indeed of them were Mrs Isbister at their home at Garth, Stromness which would that Douglas & Donna Fish from Ontario, Canada were wearing a white from Orkney. have been the original home of the Isbister family. At the intending to come on the Homecoming. Douglas had sent dress, but it was not The Isbister and Borwick families taken in 1937 Helen had told Homecoming Gala Dinner Mr and Mrs Isbister accompanied me some photos by e-mail back in early 2006. The photos clear enough to show up the spots, she told me that she was me that her Helen Miller and the Tait family accompanied Douglas and had been taken in Orkney by some of his Canadian relatives the girl in the photo. She could remember the Canadians grandfather was Millhouse, Costa Donna Fish. The Homecomers were all delighted that their when they had visited Orkney back in 1937. Douglas had visiting when she was a young girl. She was wearing the dress William Miller Orkney relatives had also been invited to the Gala Dinner. decided to come on the Homecoming hoping to make contact which she had got especially for the Coronation celebrations. from Wateries, Evie and her grandmother was a Jean Angus I really enojoyed being able to help the visitors with their with descendants of the people in one of the photos. He was It was a wonderful moment when I introduced Douglas and from Essonquoy in Eday. She also told me that William Miller research before and when they arrived in Orkney. After hoping I would be able to trace the family. Douglas could tell Donna to Jean Tait`s son was a son of Thomas Miller many years of sending e-mails to people that I know I will me that the photo was of Isbisters and Borwicks and it was Maxwell Tait. Maxwell took and Christina Isbister and never meet it was great to put faces to some of the names. taken near a them to meet his parents Jean Angus was a daughter There were many other exciting stories told during the mill. He also and a great evening was had of John Angus and Sarah Homecoming but for me trying to identify the people in sent a photo of by all. Tulloch. Douglas’s photo was great detective work. the mill. I took Jean could confirm that the By using Scotland`s People It was nice to see Bob and Erma Armit, and Lois Collins the photo of the mill was Costa Mill as the I found the marriage back again on their second Homecoming. We look forward to mill into the Isbisters had lived there for certificates for Thomas seeing them again in 2009. photographic many years. Douglas`s great Miller and Christina I would like to say a big thank you to many of the Homecomers section in the grandfather William Isbister Isbister. They were married for the generous donations given to the Orkney Family Archives but had been born at Costa Mill on 17th February 1859 History Society. Also I would like to say thanks to the ones they did not in 1827. He had emigrated in Evie. The certificate who gave me personal gifts which I will always cherish. The Costa Mill think it was to Canada with his brother showed that Christina was The Orkney Family History Society hope to be involved with the Costa Mill. However, my own brother in law who lived in the 1840`s. a daughter of John Isbister the plans to celebrate Scotland’s Year of Homecoming in 2009 in Costa when he was young could indentify it as the Costa The Isbister family had lived and Catherine Leith from and the Society would like to invite all members to take up Mill. at Redland, Stromness back Millhouse, Costa. This the invitation to visit their homeland. It would also be nice After speaking to several people I was told to contact Mrs in 1821 but had moved to made Christina a brother to see the Homecomers from 1999 and 2007 back again in Jean Tait of Farafield in Birsay as her maiden name was Costa Mill about 1826. Left to right: George Gray, Douglas Fish, Maxwell Tait, Donna Fish and Helen Miller. of Douglas Fish`s great 2009. George Gray, August 2007, Member No 14. L Some memories from George’s Homecoming album

In Our December issue we will be publishing the Rev.Tom Corston’s story ‘In Search of a Name’ which tells of his pilgrimage in May to Orkney, the ancestral home of the Corston family. If any other ‘Homecomer’ has a tale to tell we would be delighted to hear from you 14 NEWSLETTER OF THE ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY Issue No. 43 September 2007

Did By Robert Whitton. Member 218 you know hen researching your family history may be a new source. There is an alternative you may need to become quite crea- spelling of Rich so there is another person Many, many years ago Wtive in searching for information. who is interested in people from Deerness When I was twenty-three, Once you have examined all the main sourc- called Rich. Now these people should be con- I got married to a widow es of information such as the Birth, Marriage sidered potential contacts and as the listing who was pretty as could and Death records, Ancestry websites, the Old has email addresses a quick enquiry might be. Parish Records and the IGI, you will turn to generate some activity. This widow had a sources such as lists of immigrants USA and 2. Next I looked at the first name on that daughter who had gor- Canada census and biographies. After that list, this is for “All” which is not a surname geous hair of red, my you may put queries on the various name and but records where individuals have indicated father fell in love with district forums such as http://genforum.ge- that they are interested in all people from her and soon the two were nealogy.com and http://boards.ancestry.com that Parish. A quick look here shows that wed. - Ancestry Community. One thing to bear in only myself no 218 is interested in Graemsay. This made my dad my son- mind is that it’s always a good idea to record Who knows at some future date other people in-law and changed my what ranges of items you have actually ex- may add their name so that would be for me very life, for daughter was amined and when you examined them. I wish a great find. my mother since she was I had done that because its quite galling to sit 3. Now the next bit is bit more stressful and my father’s wife. and examine some microfilm or an old book, should only be carried out with your glasses, To complicate the matters and happily write down information only to good lighting and a glass of Highland Park to more although it brought find when you return home that you already fortify you. I don’t drink Whisky so need to me joy, I soon became the have that information from a previous visit concentrate very carefully. This is to read ALL father of a bouncing baby or another similar source. There are other the Members Interests looking for the locality boy. situations where re-tracing your step may be of interest to you. Someone may be interested My little baby then a very good idea. For example if not long after in for example the island of Graemsay but be became a brother-in-law you started your research you examined the looking for a name that is not one of your pri- to dad, and so became my 1881 census for the area that your Grandpar- mary names but perhaps may be interlinked. uncle, though this made ents lived, you may have found some relevant So running through the listings I find member me very sad. information. Now perhaps 10 years later your no 741 is interested in the name Sinclair from For if he was my file of relatives has grown 5 times the size Graemsay. This has tired me out so I have uncle, then that also made it was. Now is a good time to go back to the taken a note to contact David Noakes in Or- him brother, to the widow’s census and look for all the “new” people you egon at some future date. grown-up daughter who, added since you originally examined it. I pur- 4. In my records I have over 25,000 people, of course, was my step- chased the Stromness and Graemsay Grave- with perhaps about 1/3 from Orkney so I can’t mother. yard book when it first came out and after a remember all the names. Ideally you should Father’s wife then had a close examination extracted all the informa- check the entire surname against the listing. son who kept them on the tion I could find. Another look 4 years later I don’t have the stamina to do this so I just run, and he became my enabled me to find even more information. scanned the names looking for ones that stand grandson for he was my I wonder if you have considered that the Ork- out and then check my records. So I find that daughter’s son. ney Family History Society send you a useful 2 people are interested in the names Isaacs My wife is now my moth- research tool each year. This is the Directory and Murrell both from Stromness. Now I er’s mom and it surely of Members Names and Interests. Now ini- hope that these 2 people have been in contact makes me blue, because, tially I did as most people did, I had a quick with each other as my record show that a fam- although she is my look at to see if anyone else was researching ily in Stromness were initially called Isaacs wife she is my grandma “my” names and put it away. Now the booklet and their name changed to Murrell. Perhaps I too. has a lot more going for it if you start to ap- should send them an email with what I have If my wife is my grand- proach it differently. This is what I did collected. mother then I am her 1. Checked the “Names being researched”. I 5. The next one may seem to be a bit obvious grandchild, and every time checked that my information is correctly en- but why not look at the Address and email I think of it It really drives tered. One of my names is “Ritch” so there listings to see if anyone shares your surname, me wild. I am no 218. The record indicates that I am they may not have recorded any specific in- For now I have become The interested in everyone in Orkney with that terests. I found one relative whose address I strangest case you ever name. There are 2 people interested in that had lost. saw, as the husband of my name from Deerness, 2 from Graemsay and 6. The last thing I do is to check the Mem- grandmother I am my own 3 from Hoy. One of these has a high number bers Address and email to update my Christ- grandpa! 1468, which suggests a recent member, and mas Card Listings L

Issue No. 43 September 2007 NEWSLETTER OF THE ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY 15

T h e married Christian Leask in Shapin- beautiful say in 1819 and Jean married Mag- island of nus Irvine (probably in Shapinsay Sanday is as he came from there) in 1821. the larg- It is possible that there was just est of the not enough land and work for all N o r t h on Sanday, especially as most Isles of Orkney. people seem to have produced It is about 24 kms rather large families. NE of Kirkwall, and is A story is told of the Sanday min- about 20 kms long and 11 isters praying that if there were to kms wide. It is flat except be a shipwreck, would it please the at its southwest end and is Lord to let it be on their shore rather seldom higher than 20 m above sea level. The high- than on somebody else’s. There est point is ‘The was no moorland or peaty ground John Dinnison (1806 - 1878) Wart’ at 65 m. There are on Sanday Island, so cooking and heating in the dark and several flat sandy bays, bleak Orkney winters especially, was not an easy task! one of which is Back- In contrast, Shapinsay is a very fertile island just 30 min- askaill Bay, on the shores utes by ferry from Kirkwall. Thomas Balfour had married of which lies the old and Frances Liginier in 1775, whose money allowed them to derelict Cross Kirk and buy the ‘Sound Estate’ in 1784, which became the Balfour churchyard. estate and provided much work . Balfour village (previ- It was in this area about ously called Shoreside) was built in the late 18th century 1750 that James Dinni- as a home for smiths, carpenters and masons employed son was born to Patrick Backaskaill Bay on the Balfour estate. The 1841 census has John Dinni- Dinnison and Mary Elphinstone. In about 1776 James son (1790) at Shapinsay (Westend) as a farmer, along with married Margaret Manson, who was most likely born his wife Christian Leask, their 5 children and 4 servants. on Sanday too, about 1756. James and Margaret had 6 John was still there (but at Ness) until the 1861 census, children, James (1778), although his wife, Christian had died in 1850. By 1871 Barbara (1780), Mar- his son, William seems to have taken over – he was still garet (1783), Isabella there in 1881, with his wife Mary Nicolson and their chil- (1785), Jean (1788) and dren. William died in 1881, but his wife Mary and some John (1790), all born at of their children were there until 1891. Sanday. James Dinni- Captain William Dinnison, son of William (and grandson son (1750) was buried in of John – 1790), was the Master of the ss Iona around the Churchyard of Cross 1918. The Iona was the ferry that served Shapinsay from Kirk, Sanday in 1816. 1893 until the 1970’s. Captain William Dinnison lived at James (1778) was mar- The Lodge, Shapinsay in 1918, when his son 2nd Lieuten- ried about 1800 to Jean ant James Dinnison was killed in France – this is prob- The Cross Kirk Swanney, who was born ably the Porter’s Lodge of Balfour Castle, which was built in 1772 and they had 5 children, James (1802), Andrew in 1851, shortly after the castle was built by enlarging (1804), John (our ancestor, 1806), Betty (1810), who were the existing house and adding towers, turrets, etc. all born at Sanday and Margaret, who was born at Shap- I cannot find James Dinnison and Jean Swanney at insay Island in 1815. Shapinsay, but they were tenants on Copinsay Island in It appears that several of the family were in Shapinsay the early 1800’s. Copinsay is a tiny island off the coast around this time. Isabella (1785) married James Russell of Deerness, and was sold to the World Wildlife Fund in (Rusland) at Shapinsay in November, 1814, and some 1972 – it is a bird sanctuary. At the time the Dinnisons of their descendants emigrated to Canada. John (1790) were there Copinsay was also part of the Balfour estate,A Issue No. 43 September 2007 NEWSLETTER OF THE ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY 16

Fso perhaps they were only briefly at Shapinsay when Robert and Margaret (Dinnison) Bichan moved to Brae- their daughter, Margaret was born in 1815. buster farm at Deerness prior to the 1861 census and A story goes (from ‘Almost an Island’, the story of Deer- were there until after the 1881 census. They had many ness Parish) – children and Margaret appears to be the only child of “One day in the 1830’s two James Dinnison and Jean Swanney who remained in men were going to go to sea. Orkney. When they got to the shore Their eldest son, James (1802) is a mystery to me – I can- one exclaimed, ‘Jeemo! Ah’m not find him. Perhaps he died? lost me soo (small boat - or Andrew (1804) was married in St Andrews (East Main- female pig in Orkney)’. The land) in 1833 to Mary Bews and they had 6 children all other said jokingly that it born in Deerness, before they left for Pennsylvania, USA would be rooting in Den- in 1849. Their youngest son William was born in Pennsyl- nison’s tatties. The men jal- vania. They have a very large family of descendants who oused (guessed) what had are now spread across America, but many still remain in happened. Robert Bichan and near the small towns they settled in neighbouring of Newhall had borrowed Tioga and Lycoming Counties. the soo to cross to Copinsay I believe Betty (1810) married Robert Custard in Kirkwall to court Margaret Denni- and they went to Pennsylvania before Andrew and Mary. son, whose father was the James Dinnison, son of Andrew and Mary was a partner farmer there. Robert had in a saw-mill with Robert Custard and then bought him Mike Gentil’s 90 year old aunt, Joyce hoped to return the boat be- out in 1869. I hope to find out more about the Custard Dinnison, formerly of New Zealand, fore morning so that no-one connection from the American branch of the family. travelled from her home in London to would know it had been That leaves just ‘our John’ of James and Jean’s family. In Orkney in 2006. This fulfilled a long away. However the weather 1841(census) John and his wife Elizabeth Leask were liv- held ambition to visit the grave of her gt gt grandparents James Dinnison deteriorated and he was ing in Broad St, Kirkwall. John was away on census night and Jean/Jane Swanney from Sanday storm-stayed on the island. and Elizabeth was a ‘Merchant’s wife’. In 1851, still in who are buried in St Ninian’s Church- The couple later married Broad St, Elizabeth was yard, Deerness. and he was the next farmer now ‘Head’ and John and in Copinsay.” William (aged 18) were The following story of the Dinnison family on Copinsay is not there. Perhaps they also from ‘Almost an Island’ - had gone to get stock? “On the north side of the island a short burn runs to the The rest of the family sea at Kames Geo. In this geo stood the remains of an old was there, along with 4 building measuring about eight by six feet. This had re- servants. Their shop was putedly been used in connection with illicit distilling of on Broad St, Kirkwall whisky, and was likely a still used by the Dennison family and still stands today during their occupancy of the farm in the 19th century. (2006), although it is Building in which John and Elizabeth One day the farmer noticed an unfamiliar boat approach- now Lloyds TSB bank. Dinnison were ‘merchants’ Broad Street, ing. He caught sight of three men, two of whom were boat- Around the mid 1800’s Kirkwall. Taken in 2006. men and the third, the dreaded excise man. Going to the there were many adver- barn the farmer filled some tails (husks of oats) into a cub- tisements in the Orkney papers looking for people to settle bie (straw basket). Slinging it on his back, he set off up the and offering land in NZ, and no doubt other places, such brae to where the sheep grazed near the Lee. The excise as America, Canada and Australia man thinking the farmer had gone to conceal some of his (particularly South Australia). So illicit spirits, hurried after him, only to find Dennison in- having had so many friends and nocently feeding the sheep. The plot had worked, allowing relatives who had already left for the farmer’s wife to have the bootleg whisky hidden, most the colonies, John and Elizabeth likely in a well concealed vault under the barn floor, before (Leask) Dinnison must have de- the officer returned from his fruitless pursuit.” cided to set their family up for a James Dinnison and Jean Swanney must have moved (? better life in NZ. They arrived in retired as they were both over 60 yrs old) to Kirkwall from NZ on the ‘Northern Bride’ in Au- Copinsay, perhaps when their daughter Margaret mar- gust, 1860 having left Liverpool ried Robert Bichan (about 1835)and took over the farm, on 14th June. as they were in High St, Kirkwall at the 1841 census and Report from The New Zea- included in their household that day was a John Denni- lander newspaper of Satur- son, (aged 15 – 19). This could have been their nephew day, August 25, 1860. John Strang Dinnison , son of John (1790). James and “The ‘White Star’ clipper North- Jean’s son, John and his family were also in Kirkwall by ern Bride sailed from Liverpool for Auckland, then and living close by. By the 1851 census James and New Zealand, direct, on the 14th day of June, with Jean had moved around the corner to Nicholson St, Little a full and valuable cargo and 180 passengers, all of Corse, and had 2 grand daughters from Deerness staying whom are of a very superior class emigrants, taking with them – 14 yr old Jean Bichan and Mary Bichan (12 considerable capital, large quantities of freight, and yrs), also Ann Dishan, a servant. valuable agricultural implements. ‘Land orders’ A Issue No. 43 September 2007 NEWSLETTER OF THE ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY 17

Ffor the free grants William Dinnison was named in the ‘Commission of of land in the prov- Peace’ from at least 1888 to 1899 and possibly longer. ince of Auckland They are now known as Justice’s of the Peace. From 1885 have been eagerly to 1895 William was the Town Clerk of Newmarket. sought after, and In a Land Transfer Act notice in 1872, John Dinnison the majority of was occupying part of Allotment 27, Section 14, Sub- passengers by this urbs of Auckland (Meurant’s estate). ship have obtained Edward Meurant acquired Crown these ‘orders’ from grant land in September, 1848 the agents of the on the south- ern corner of provincial govern- Manukau Rd and the Tamaki ment in the United Rd (now Remuera Rd). A Kirkwall Harbour, late 1800s Kingdom.” house was erected on this property pri- or to 1851 and I John (1806) believe this is the property Dinnison had married John Dinni- son was occupy- Elizabeth Leask (born ing in 1872. In 1929 the ‘Cor- 1805 on Rousay) in 1829 ner Building’ was built on this in Kirkwall, and their land and is still there today (2007). 8 children were born It has a curving façade and was unu- there. James, the eldest, sual for it’s time. drowned in a sailing ac- Robert Leask Robert Leask Dinnison Dinnison mar- cident in Kirkwall Har- ried Elizabeth (1838-94) (Bessie) Archer b o u r (1860 – 1925) in the house of a b o u t Broad Street, Kirkwall 2006 Mr Cuthbertson on January 1st, 1878. They had 8 chil- 1842. dren, 2 of whom died in infancy and one aged 23 yrs. Of The eldest daughter married Alexander the other 5 only 2 had children: Bremner Bruce in 1860 and they fol- 1. Ethel Vera, who married Albert Williamson and went lowed the rest of the family to NZ short- to Canada. Her son Albert had a daughter, Yvonne and a ly afterwards. son, Peter, both of whom have many descendants in Brit- John and Elizabeth Dinnison’s children ish Columbia, Canada. who came to New Zealand were: 2. Donald Hugh, who married Charlotte Horlor, and is William Leask (1833) who married Mary the grandfather of Michael Gentil. Donald had three Gordon daughters, the eldest of whom was Gwennyth, mother of John (1835) who married Caroline Michael, and Barbara (who resides in Pietermaritzburg, Davis South Africa). Robert Leask (1838) who married The Australian Connection Elizabeth Archer John Strang(e) Dinnison, who was a first cousin of ‘our Elizabeth Leask (1841) who married John’, had married Mary Irvine in 1851 and they left Alexander Bremner Bruce (in Orkney) then for South Australia on the ship ‘Marion’. Also on Gravestone of James Jean (1844) who married Henry Cuth- this boat was Thomas Irvine, one of the sons of Jean Din- Dinnison (1831-42) bertson nison (therefore both grandsons Churchyard of St Mary (1846) who married William Wood of James Dinnison and Margaret Magnus Cathedral, Cardno Manson) and Magnus Irvine. An- Kirkwall, Orkney Jemima Gilchrist (1848), who never other son of Jean and Magnus married. emigrated in 1852. There were John Snr, John Jnr and Robert must have all taken up 19 Orcadians (most of them land at Mangawai (now spelt Mangawhai), as they were from Shapinsay) on the ‘Mar- on the electoral roll there in the Marsden electorate be- ion’, which was wrecked off tween 1861 and 1873. One of the ‘Johns’ was appointed South Australia, but no lives to be Postmaster at Mangawai on 30 September, 1861. I were lost. The John Strang haven’t been able to find out which one. Dinnisons settled on the Eyre In 1872, John Dinnison, grocer, was a Newmarket High- Peninsula. There are many way District Trustee. This was most likely John Snr. In of these folk’s descendants in 1885 the Newmarket Highway Board became the New- South Australia still, but also market Borough Council. in other Australian states. By 1878, John Dinnison is listed in the NZ Gazette (Issue Margaret E. Gentil, 2007 102) as a Storekeeper of Auckland. (Probably John Snr (New Zealand) No 1578 also) If you have a family tale to tell we would love to hear from you 18 NEWSLETTER OF THE ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY Issue No. 43 September 2007 Samuel Robertson A Sandwick son in Canada

In 1819 a Canadian Pio- tings brought from Scotland and grafted on to wild crabap- neer was born in Sand- ple stock. Various stern wheels that plied the Fraser River wick, a parish of the called at Sam’s homestead which was now known as Rob- Mainland of Orkney, off ertson Village. He also created a number of dwellings on his the north coast of Scot- property to encourage new settlers and so the village grew. land. Sam died in 1897 at the age of 78 having enjoyed 54 years in It was in this quiet Canada, 39 of them being at his beloved Albion. He and his corner of Orkney that wife are buried at Fort Langley cemetery. Samuel Robertson For all his success Sam Robertson remained a modest man was to receive his and did not seek fame. Rev Dunn said of him ‘he was humble education and learn in his manner, plain in his apparel, diffident in the expres- his trade of carpen- sion of his opinions.’ try, soon to become Fortunately Maple Ridge Museum in British Columbia has skilled as a cabinet gathered together a considerable amount of archive mate- maker and boatbuilder. rial and several good pictures of Sam and his family. Men with these skills, he was to discover, were eagerly They also have a grindstone which he reputedly brought recruited by the Hudson’s Bay Company and it was not long with him when he moved from Orkney to the new world and before Sam made his way to the HBC agent in Stromness, a chair he had made by hand. Sam must have suffered from Orkney to seek work in the new world. rheumatism because there is In 1893 Sam signed-up and after a hazardous journey round also in the archives his remedy Cape Horn he arrived at the newly established HBC depot for the affliction. of Fort Victoria. It was here that the First Nations came to After the millennium it was trade their furs and salmon in exchange for HBC blankets suggested that a more perma- and household goods. It was at Fort Victoria that he was to nent reminder of the Robert- meet his future wife, Julia Sanich, (1834-1884), the daughter son name be established in of a Cowichan Chief. She was to accompany him on his next Maple Ridge and it was decid- move to Fort Langley and over the next few years they were ed to nominate the first settler to have three children, two sons, Donald and James, and a in Albion - Sam Robertson- as daughter Mary. the name for the new techni- By 1858 Sam had completed his service with HBC but had cal secondary school being decided that he and the family would remain in the immedi- built in the area. ate area. He had long admired the land across the Fraser The Samuel Robertson Tech- River from Fort Langley known as Albion Flats and before nical Secondary School, long had acquired 160 acres of it thereby becoming the first coincidentally it was built non-native landowner in what would become Maple Ridge, on a site previously owned British Columbia. by Sam, opened its doors Over the following years Sam and his sons expanded the to high school students in family efforts in the area and the Robertson Estate expanded 2005. It now has a waiting to over 700 acres. According to the Presbyterian missionary list due to the extensive the Rev Alexander Dunn’s description in 1897 it contained technology programmes of- ‘fields, fences, barns, orchards, residences.’ fered. The records show that Sam was a Jack of all trades and evi- Not a bad epitaph for an dently a master of them all for over the years the thriving Orkney lad from Sandwick. Sam’s rheumatism remedy village had a blacksmith’s shop, boat building facilities, a fruit drying plant and a smokehouse for curing meat and My thanks to Tommy Robertson Member 292, who brought Sam Robertson to my attention, Roberta Shepherd (OFHS member 639) of Maple Ridge, B.C., Adri- fish. He acquired a large number of animals and to provide anne Leask our research secretary and Val Patenaude curator of the Maple Ridge for them he built five barns. Museum BC who generously supplied most of the information and photographs Another addition was a granary in which to keep the milk, for the article. If any of our members can supply additional information on Sam cream and butter. Root houses and cellars were built to store Robertson’s Orcadian forebears Maple Ridge Museum would be delighted to have fruit and vegetables. Apple orchards were created using cut- it. Their e-mail address is Ed. Issue No. 43 September 2007 NEWSLETTER OF THE ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY 19

Christening of Kirkwall Streets

WHEN THIS WAS GUTTER LANE IT WAS A RIGHT PIGSTY

SINCLAIR

Did you know Located at Lyness in Hoy. the second largest of irs,— We have had a christening of our sweet by any other name—so will our streets the islands which form Orkney, is the Scapa streets on a grand scale. Before taking stink as bad when they are ‘Victoria’ and ‘Al- Flow Visitor Centre and Sthe census it was thought necessary to bert’ named? The cause of having named them Museum. Here you can have the town divided into streets, wynds, as of old—that is the dirt— ought to be re- examine many of the arti- loans etc. and with a view to this a possé of moved as well as the old names otherwise ‘tis facts associated with this our civic dignitaries met, and in their congre- of no service. body of water which has gated wisdom the names of our highways and There is another nuisance or two our Police provided a safe haven for byways have been strangely metamorphosed. ships from Viking times, Commissioners would need to look after, and through the Napoleonic Formerly we gloried in ‘the Street’, only they have neglected doing so too long. I par- Wars to the first and sec- which for distinction’s sake, was ticularly allude to some sewers ond World Wars when it divided into ‘up the street’, ‘doon in the town, the smell of which is was the Royal Navy’s main the street’ and as for the middle From the John intolerable. But more about this anchorage. part where there was room for O’Groat Journal another time. Within what was one of two carts to pass, the term ‘Broad I have not heard if our Strom- the massive oil storage Street’, was bestowed upon it. Friday 11th June tanks you’ll find many ness neighbours have been baptiz- displays while an 11m We now have changed the first 1841 ing their streets or not. They have wide panoramic video to ‘Victoria’, the second to ‘Albert’, ‘Uncle Toby’ is not but one street also, divided in the programme projects the while ‘Broad Street’ retains its old middle by the ‘Slough of Despond’ history of Scapa Flow on cognomen, and as narrow as ever. impressed with and I pity much those who have to to the interior wall of the A ‘Victoria Road’, and an ‘Al- Kirkwall’s new pass it on a winter’s day. tank. bert Lane’ have also come into In Stromness the road is either An audio visual display street names allows you to experience existence. Byways having been north or sooth. Scotland is also a war time raid on the formerly known as ‘Cisy Loan’, sooth and this caused some confu- base—complete with anti- ‘Duck’, ‘Pig Street’, ‘Gutter Lane’ and ‘Cow- sion when a stranger gentleman asked about aircraft gun fire. You’ll find gate’ now figure as ‘Union’, ‘Wellington’, an individual he was in search of only to be out how the British Fleet ‘Earls’, ‘Shore’, and ‘St Catherine’s Streets.’ told that he had been seen going sooth that was caught by surprise We liked the old titles, however, much bet- morning. at the start of Word War ter. They were so descriptive and character- 2 when a German U-Boat The stranger thought his friend had left for sank HMS Royal Oak with istic and they served strangers as a guide Leith on the packet and was amazed to find the loss of 833 lives. book and as old Samuel Weller would have him coming north that evening. From World War 1 a series said, ‘they were hunderstandable and easy to The ‘Christening Committee of the Coun- of models shows the spell.’ cil’ could not remember the young Princess’s Imperial German Fleet Time was that our ducks would have names—there is a string of them—but wish- before it was scuttled in quacked in doleful mood, and our pigs not ing to honour the whole of the Royal Family 1919. Other WW1 exhibits believed their own senses at the innovations includes memorabilia from made out of the ‘Clay Loan’ a ‘Union Street’, HHS Hampshire which made on their former rights and privileges. which may be read for shortness, ‘Adelaide was mysteriously lost Now like the varmint in the ‘Emerald Isle’, Louise Victoria Street.’ off Orkney and in which they are to be banished entirely and no longer O that Her Majesty but knew the honour Lord Kitchener lost his life allowed a name and a locality in this free and done to her by our ‘Christening Committee along with 654 other men. enlightened burgh. of Council’, they would surely be preferred to The outside of the centre As surely as St Patrick sent all his venom- some more exalted stations than those at pres- features displays of Guns, Torpedoes. depth charges ous creatures out of the ‘green isle’ over the ent held by them. Her Majesty will at least feel and vehicles. precipice into the sea, so surely do our au- it her bounden duty to trouble these gentle- The centre which is open thorities extend to extirpate the waddling and men with a line, at her earliest convenience, May - September also mud-wallowing animals from our royalty. by way of acknowledgment for their past exer- has a cafe and a souvenir What’s in a name; a rose would smell as tions. Uncle Toby~L shop. 20 NEWSLETTER OF THE ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY Issue No. 43 September 2007

By Gavin Rendall. Member No1 “What shall I write about?” you ask. Maybe you have done your tree as far as you have reached. Encourage them to add to it if research of census returns, old parish records, and have a family they can and tell you about their particular connections with the tree and more. While these statistics are important you really only family. Aunty so-and–so was a teacher. Maybe someone knew have the ‘bones’ of your family history. What your relations will her and where she taught. Uncle Jeemsie was a skipper. Maybe want is ‘flesh’ on these bones. They will want to know how your his family could tell you about the ships he sailed and where he ancestors lived, what their occupations were, what religion they sailed. Your second cousin once removed died when he was ten. had, what was happening in the islands that affected them, and Maybe someone can tell you about that sad happening. much more. There has never been a better time in history when you You will be surprised at the feedback you receive. However do could find out about these things than now. So why not have a go. not be discouraged if you do not receive 100% response. Family A simple family tree is fine but rather boring. What it needs is the history research is rather like detective work. There are frequently personal content and that is what a family history is all about. blind alleys. So, press on. Although I was born in Orkney, I was brought up in Leith My newsletter, WESTRAY ROOTS is in its 46th edition. It where my father was based as a seaman. started as a way to write my family My approach to family history was to write history but it has done much more than a simple newsletter which I circulated to that in that it covers any Westray family relations in the hope that they would provide or topic. Currently I am writing a series some of the ‘flesh’ that I required. Initially the on Westray seamen and skippers. The newsletter covered my immediate forebears research required for the series has and I had a very enthusiastic response. given me much pleasure and I hope Meeting my older relatives every year and that relatives of these seamen will often speaking to them on the telephone find the information useful in adding helped me acquire stories and understand “flesh” to their family history. I have relationships which the census returns could no hope in covering every family in not. Soon I was corresponding with relations Westray – the task is too great. Robert on the internet and e-mail. As my newsletter Marwick, a Rousay man by birth, has developed I was drawn into enlarging its done sterling work and has written two coverage and soon was corresponding with books on Rousay family history. One, many people whose ancestors were from entitled ROUSAY ROOTS, endeavours my island but not related to me. I am not to trace every person listed in the census suggesting that everyone should follow this returns. Quite a task and one I could not pattern. Confining your newsletter to one or try to emulate for Westray. His second two families. i.e. your father and mother’s WESTRAY ROOTS is available from the book, entitled FROM MY ROUSAY sides, is all that is required. editor, Gavin Rendall and a free sample SCHOOLBAG is an account of Rousay Apart from obtaining stories from edition can be obtained from him at schools including photographs and all relatives there are many other sources for his home address, 59 Baldwin Avenue, sorts of records. putting ‘flesh’ on the ‘bones’ such as school Eastbourne, BN21 1UL or by contacting These are examples of what can be records, army service, newspapers of the him by e-mail, westrayroots@bigfoot. done by really serious researchers but not time, maritime records, the origin of your com. WESTRAY ROOTS is published three examples for the ordinary person wishing surname, etc. Much has been written which times per year by subscription. to write their own family history. can help you. There are books on the old Computers have become the tool occupations from which you could draw of many people nowadays and are useful material. If your forebears were particularly useful for family historians. crofters, millers, weavers, fishermen, tailors, teachers, you could They are much more than a typewriter. They facilitate editing; they enhance your family history in many ways by drawing on other enable photographs and graphics to be imported into documents; people’s research. Perhaps your forebears came from another isle, they give access to the internet and literally hundreds of family e.g. Fair Isle or Shetland. If so, can you suggest a reason? Many history web sites. If you have access to a computer your ‘letter emigrated or simply went ‘sooth’. writing’ will be so much easier. So! How do you start? I suggest that you write a letter to all your When you have gathered enough “flesh” on the “bones” of your relatives explaining that you would like their help in writing your family history you may even have enough to write an article for family’s family history. You could attach a copy of your family Sib Folk News. I hope you do. L Issue No.43 September 2007 NEWSLETTER OF THE ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY 21 Can you help Elizabeth name her Grandfather’s staff? t is certainly addictive, this family tree Stromness in 1910 or the Fleet’s appearance business. A corner of our bedroom is set in Scapa Flow in 1911 for King George’s birth- Iaside for storing old family photographs day. There is a hand-written invitation to my in large bags, along with ring binders with great-grandparents’ wedding in 1876, which birth and death certificates and stacks of is still in the opened envelope addressed to material dating from as early as 1815. I get Miss Liddle, East Road, Kirkwall. (Why was drawn on a daily basis to this pile of fasci- it apparently returned?) There are numerous nating material instead of making the bed, letters and statements of accounts. All this or doing the washing or making some food for wealth of material makes my attempt at fam- my patient husband. ily research much easier on the one hand, as I am a family tree butterfly, for I admit there is such a rich seam to mine, but more that I lack discipline in my family research. difficult on the other, as it’s all too easy to get One day I am absorbed in the Gunns, the distracted, as I pore over old photographs and next it’s the Garriocks and at the back of my flit from one family to another. mind is the thought I have still to tackle the Today my butterfly mind has rested on a Did Allans, Craigies, Coopers and Sclaters, not to photograph and newspaper cutting from the you know mention the Stephens and the Cummings. Orcadian in 2001, which I found in an en- It’s like doing a giant jigsaw with no picture velope along with programmes for Chamber Orcadian women have the on the lid of the box and no corner pieces or of Commerce Burns Suppers, engagement highest life expectancy straight edges to limit the size of the picture. cards, and a photograph of my grandmother in Scotland at 81.4years But it’s fun and totally absorbing and I am sitting on a motor bike while wearing a fur and one of the highest in lucky in that I seem to come from a fam- coat. (Perhaps now you can see why I get eas- the UK. Men can expect ily of hoarders. They kept so much. There ily distracted!) to live to 76.3 years are postcards which my grandmother was A reader had sent in this photograph of compared to a Scottish sent, giving details of her sister Ina’s trip to the staff of John Sclater’s draper shop in A average of 73. Source: General Register Office for Scotland 22 NEWSLETTER OF THE ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY Issue No. 43 September 2007

F Kirkwall. My great-grandfather, John Sclat- thing is up here and this war has made things er, is seated in the middle. The reader had very bad…….” asked if anyone knew who the other people Could this James Stout be the same Jim in the were. My aunt Mardi had spotted the photo photograph? Dating the photograph might and had written down some possible names help decide the matter. The reader who sent on a card attached to the cutting. The gen- it in thought it dated from the twenties and tleman standing in the back row on the left certainly my grandfather seems to be wear- might have been called Jim, she thought, for ing a wedding ring, which would place it after she had written Jim ?, followed by “cycled 1919. If that was the case, it can’t be James home to Tankerness every night.” Stout as he was presumably still in Canada. Then I remembered a letter I had read the However the women’s blouses look Edward- previous evening dated November 8th 1914 ian to me, not dating from the twenties and and which was from James Stout in Manito- I wonder if it could be taken prior to World ba. It was written to my great-grandfather War 1. Perhaps there are some fashion ex- who must have lent him money, possibly for perts who could give it a possible date. his passage to Canada, for Mr Stout opens I would welcome information about the peo- the letter by apologising for the delay in re- ple in this photograph. Perhaps a reader paying the loan. The letter goes on to give a might also know a little bit more about James fascinating insight into the difficulties of life Stout and whether he succeeded in his busi- in Canada just after the start of World War 1. ness. I have the feeling he must have had his Mr Stout said he had been laid off his work training as a tailor with my grandfather. Are and had not been paid, so he was encouraged there any Stouts in Manitoba still who can to start up his own business. help me here? Please e-mail me at aecopp@ “……..the man that I was working for never btinternet.com paid me,” he wrote, “and it is no use of me get- Oh dear, there really is no hope at all for this Did ting after him for he has nothing. Work has family tree butterfly, for now I’ve been dis- you know been at a stand still out here for a while, lots of tracted by the Manitoba Stouts! Just how do young men working for their board this winter you stop this addiction? Answers on a post- The infant mortality rate in and lots doing nothing but starving. I wrote card please which I will probably hoard for the UK is in 1996/98 was to places up west and down to Winnipeg but future generations! 5.9 per 1000 live births. In no work to do anywhere…….. There were lots Elizabeth Copp. Member No1350 L the Orkney Islands the rate of ones came to me and told me to start up for was the lowest in Scotland myself in town here and they would give me all at 1.6 deaths pert 1000 How did you do? their work. I have the four doctors and some Between Elizabeth and her Aunt Mardi live births. more of the well to do people. It was them that Source: CIA World Facts they’ve come up with the following:- Book wanted me to start so they are helping me to BACK ROW Jim (no surname), Joy Graham start up. We carry no stock and here we work (butcher’s wife) and they have drawn a by samples but I think I will get on. This is a blank on the next three. very bad year all over but I will send you the FRONT ROW Mary Twatt (Sinclair) then a money as soon as I can……for you were very blank; in the middle is Elizabeth’s great good to me. I started cleaning and pressing as grandfather John Sclater and next to him well as making clothes. The cloth costs more her grandfather John MacIntyre Sclater. out here than home. I charge 30 dollars for Last but not least is Ella Clouston. every suit. It looks a lot of money but every-

Liz runs this up the flagpole for other members’ reactions I’ve been a member of OFHS for a number of years are after all (Orcadian) Scottish first and British second now and I think that you all do a really great job in and since both the Viking invasion of Orkney and the running the society, producing the newsletter and Orkney Islands becoming part of Scotland predate promoting Orkney in general. However as I was avidly the Union of Scotland with England, it would be more reading the current issue of Sib Folk News during my appropriate to fly the Saltire at all possible times rather lunchbreak today I found one thing both disappointing than the Union flag particularly so since we should be and a peedie bit depressing and so I thought that taking a keen pride in the fact that it is deemed to be I would just write to you whilst it was fresh in my the oldest National flag in Europe! Having been to other thoughts. Having read the article on the celebrations countries where they all fly the flag of their country, to mark the Norwegian Constitutional Day and seen particularly in America and Canada but also my the souvenir bookmark for the 10th Anniversary of Swedish friend in Scotland, I think that we should have the OFHS and without wishing to be too controversial the courage more often to show pride in our heritage, OR appear to be anti Englis ( I’m not - both my English folk too. It is nothing to be ashamed of and prospective daughters-in-law are English and my would add colour to our often grey skies! What do Grandfather was born in Kent!) I find it sad that more other members think? is not made of the Scottish National Flag since we Liz Butchart. Member No 457 L

Issue No.43 September 2007 NEWSLETTER OF THE ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY 23

By Alan Clouston. Member No 339 In Orkney today, old properties are likely to be property that lies in the Germiston area, in the pulled down with a new house being built parish of Orphir. It lies in the valley below under current planning policy. the farm of Naversdale and is Unless the new owners currently part of the lands retain the old name, the of Skaill farm. It was original place name built down from a well will be lost. Using near to the burn and the census records, surrounded by very the tenants of such wet meadowland. properties through The house was the decades can be probably named identified. I have after the water well or concentrated on my dam. A nearby house I hope that home parish of Orphir was called “Ditch”. In you have in the first instance. Other Orkney terminology a enjoyed this properties will be included in ‘slap’ was a gate in a hill dyke. other newsletters. Maybe there was a bridge / dam issue. This is WATERSLAP a small tumbledown across the burn. Remember DID YOUR ANCESTORS LIVE HERE? your news- letter is only 1821 1891 as good as James Corrigal 70-80 Farmer with 2 black James Clouston 39 b. In Stenness the material Cattle & 12 Geese. Crofter Jane Corrigal nee Gunn 50-60 Wife Ann Clouston 34 Wife. Born in Orphir I receive. 1841 Son James 12 b. In Orphir Please think Jane Gunn 75 Da. Mary J 9 b. In Orphir about con- Hellen Gunn 50 Sister of Jane Son John 8 b. In Orphir Son Andrew 4 b. In Orphir tributing 1851 Da. Jean 2 b. In Orphir an article Jane Gunn 87 b. In Orphir. Widow Da. Lizzie 8 mths b. In Orphir Farmer of 4 acres (photos wel- Helen Gunn 66 unmarried servant 1901 come too)for 1861 Ann Clouston 45 b. In Orphir. Widow our December John Thomson 49 b. In Flotta. Farmer Da. Jane (Jean) 12 b. In Orphir. Scholar issue. Of 2 acres Da. Lizzie 10 b. In Orphir. Scholar Ann Thomson 44 b. In Orphir Son David 9 b. In Orphir. Scholar I don’t need Da. Cecilia 16 b. In Flotta If your family was linked1821 to Waterslap and it till Da. Ellen 10 b. In Orphir you have a story to tell about your ancestors October Da. Mary 8 b. in Orphir or hasquestions to ask about any of these 1871 families send the information to alan. 21st so that William Groundwater 60 b. in Orphir [email protected] should give Margaret Groundwater 53 b. In Orphir I know that a number of OFHS members you time to Son William 11 b. In Orphir will have an affinity with this and other such properties in Orphir. If you have stories work on it. 1881 about old homesteads that might feature in a Ed. William Groundwater 70 b. In Orphir further “Tumbledown” article, please get in Margaret Groundwater 63 b. In Orphir touch. 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