Sib Folk News Issue 16 December 2000 The Newsletter of the Orkney Family History Society The big news this quarter is that we have changed Contents our address. The Orkney Heritage Society has agreed that the Orkney Islands Council can lease the From the Chairman 2 Strynd Community Room to us for two years and on a monthly basis thereafter. We moved in on No- From the Editor 3 vember 1st and were open for business almost immediately The flitting went smoothly thanks to From the OFHS Office 3 the enthusiastic volunteers too numerous to men- tion. We are also indebted to the Orkney Island The OFHS Dinner 4 Council for help received with the flitting and for drawing up the lease. The new office is situated Book Review 5 quite close to Broad Street. We miss the cupboard space of the old place and are in the meantime Correspondence & Queries 6 surrounded by cardboard boxes. The Skaill Proof 10 To go with the new office we have a new secretary. Mrs. Gillian Mooney was appointed general secre- Unsuspected Ancestors 13 tary at the September monthly meeting just in time to be a signatory to the new lease. Gillian is not new SFN on the Internet 14 to the society as she has been an office volunteer along with her husband, Olaf, almost from day one. The William & Ann Harcus Story 15 We are grateful to her for taking on this extra duty. I hope you will enjoy reading her reports of the The Stromness Kirkyard Puzzle 23 monthly meetings. On the 4th November I had the pleasure of repre- senting the Society at the Council Meeting of the Front Cover. Scottish Association of Family History Societies. It was held in the Prestonfield Room, John Mclntyre Centre, Pollock Halls, University of Edinburgh. It The photograph was taken by Roddy Simpson, one was a lovely bright day for November and Arthur of the Society's newest members and the author of Seat and the Salisbury Crags were looking their the article entitled 'Unsuspected Ancestors' in this best. The chairman, Mr. Peter Ruthven-Murray, issue. Skara Brae is said to be the most popular site gave a special welcome to the Caithness representa- for visitors to Orkney. It is certainly a must for any- tive and myself as our societies were represented for one visiting these islands. It is a Stone Age village the first time. The business took almost three hours. which until last century remained undiscovered be- Afterwards there were a lot of people one wanted to neath sand dunes until a great storm blew the sand compare notes with and I was sorry not to have away. Archaeologists have dated the village at arranged to stay longer. I would suggest that we about 3,200 B.C. endeavour to have a regular representative at these meetings, which occur twice a year. I would like to thank all our members, for your From support through the year and to wish you a very happy time at Christmas. A good New Year's reso- the Chairman's Desk lution for us all could be, "Write an article for Sib Folk News". That would ensure a good year in 2001 Can it be twelve months since I wrote a report for the for the editor! last Christmas newsletter? It is said that time flies when one is enjoying oneself! Certainly time need Ttcut Scott not "hang heavy" when family history research needs doing. 2 From the Editor's Desk A Letter from the 'Office Volunteers' This, the 16th issue of SFN, completes four years since the start of publication. The Society has devel- The Orkney Family History Society has grown in oped and matured considerably during these four the last three years and each year we see more of our short years. The newsletter may not seem to have friends from overseas and mainland Britain. So developed in line with the Society but on the other many come for just a day or a couple of nights and hand the Society started from scratch whereas the go home disappointed that their holiday was so newsletter was modelled on WESTRAY ROOTS short. Very few arrive knowing what the landscape my own newsletter now in its 39th issue. is like and many come thinking it is barren, rocky and treeless. The first sight coming into Stromness The time may have come to make changes to the harbour or landing at Kirkwall airport changes these newsletter. Quotes have been received for printing ideas. Orkney is so different to the place many of rather than photocopying. Surprisingly the cost the young men and women left in the 19th. century. would appear to be cheaper. Certainly the quality Like most other places we have moved with the would be better. Most family history newsletters are times. A good description of Orkney in early June called 'journals' and are printed as A5 booklets. would be the Emerald Isles with 'forty shades of green.' As the summer progresses so do the colours I have always preferred the A4 size, as the font size and in August the countryside is a patchwork of can be larger. The A5 size uses smaller fonts and is colour. We are not exactly treeless as there are a therefore more difficult to read. Family trees are few plantations around and Kirkwall has a few tall also much more legible on A4 format. Nevertheless trees and not just the famous one in Albert Street. A5 has advantages, such as a more professional look, occupies less space, is easier for storage and is cheaper because less paper is used. (A 'Green' Make 2001 the year argument here, I guess) The committee will be discussing this matter at their YOU December meeting and I await their decision. So, this may be the last issue of SFN in this format. visit Orkney There has been some discussion and communica- tion regarding a move to publish SFN on the web. Rome was not built in a day and neither can Orkney The Committee voted by a small majority to publish be seen in a day. Although these islands are mere but asked me to make the final decision. Mike dots on the world map, transport of some kind is Clouston has temporarily suspended publication needed to see all the sights. The islands are 'oozing' until he receives authority to proceed. Being some- history. Agriculture is the main industry and a what an amateur computer boffin I lean towards variety of Orkney produce finds its way to some of publication but have a slight gnawing feeling that the top London stores. we could lose members. It has been suggested that publication could have the reverse effect and publi- Most members want to find the birthplace of an cise our society. If we include some publicity mate- ancestor. Buildings have changed over the years but rial in the home page of Mike's website then readers there are still a number of old ones left in Kirkwall might be motivated to join our society and reap its and Stromness. Both places having extended out benefits. I have included Catriona Groat's discus- into the rural areas and not skywards. The isles and sion of the subject on page 14 of this issue. the rural areas have newer farm buildings which are more convenient with modem methods of farming but most have some old buildings being remnants of the old home and the old byres. Some of the smaller tyaxtui ^ettcUUl farms have been amalgamated into larger units and probably only a field name today, but in many cases members can tread the path an ancestor trod and admire the view. The outline of the hills hasn't Night' scheduled for January 11th, 2001 in the changed and there are no great forests of trees or Supper Room of Kirkwall Community Centre. high-rise buildings to mar the view It's so fine to sit awhile and close one's eyes and imagine the life Nan attended the Scottish Association of Family that was or to sit by the shore and hear the waves History Societies' Conference in Edinburgh re- and the birds, just as our ancestors did long ago. cently, while on holiday, and will tender a report at the next meeting. It takes time to see the islands and the Mainland areas and to speak to long lost relatives. When that We moved into our new premises in the Strynd on 'Grand Tour1 of Europe is being planned make sure November 2nd and George Gray reported on the Orkney has a special place and extra time. After all great interest shown, particularly in the history of 'What is this life if, full of care, we have no time to the building, after he placed a notice on stand and stare? No time to stand beneath the [email protected]. The houses were built in boughs and stare as long as sheep or cows:' Wm. 1703 and can boast of a most prestigious visitor in Henry Davies Prince William Henry who later became king. He was entertained by no other than Mrs Traill, an ancestor of George, George then asked for a round of applause for Nan for her work in acquiring the lease for the office. Nan then said grace before we tucked into an excellent meal prepared by 1st and 2nd year pupils of Kirkwall Grammar School. The restaurant is open twice weekly and provides training for the pupils in all aspects of catering from the basics in the kitchen up to full silver service.