Laro was a farmhouse on the east side of the Burn of Hullion in Frotoft, and in the 17th century a quarter-penny of udal land was attached to it.
In the 1851 census the property was spelt Larow and it was occupied by three of the children of William Craigie and Isabel Marwick of Nears. Head of the household was William Craigie, born on January 17th 1821, who earned a living as a shoemaker. His elder sister Margaret, born on September 28th 1816, made fishing nets, and the youngest, Janet, born on March 2nd 1819, was a knitter of stockings. Living under the same roof was a lodger, 16-year-old William Wood, who taught at the Frotoft school.
In 1853 William Craigie married Martha Mainland, daughter of Leslie and Jean Mainland of Avalshay. Between 1855 and 1865 they had five children: William, born on November 13th 1855; Anne, born on January 15th 1857; Mary, on December 3rd 1859; another Mary, born on August 5th 1862; and finally John, who was born on February 2nd 1865. Martha died of vascular heart disease in 1866 at the age of 35, and husband Wlliam went to live in Westray.
On July 15th 1887 the above mentioned John Craigie married 19-year-old Elizabeth Reid, daughter of Peter Reid and Janet Kirkness of Grain. They had five children: Lizzie Reid, born on April 10th 1888; Martha Jessie Mainland Kirkness, born at 05.45am on May 30th 1890; John William Cutt, born on June 30th 1892; Ann Gibson, born on November 13th 1894; and David James Gibson, who was born on July 23rd 1899.
John Craigie and his wife Elizabeth Reid, and two of their children: Ann Gibson Craigie and John William Cutt Craigie.
[Courtesy of the Tommy Gibson Collection]
When the 1901 census was carried out on April 6th head of the household at Laro was John, described as a Master Mariner-Home Trade. Wife Elizabeth looked after the children, all of whom at that time were at school, except for David who was still a babe in arms.
Captain Craigie [tallest gentleman in the front row] and the crew of the Orcadia. Others in the back row include Hugh Corsie [extreme left], and George Sandison. George Rendall is seated; the bowler-hatted gent is Donald Bertram, shipping company boss, and beside him is Hugh Johnston, chief engineer
[Picture courtesy of Tom King, Kirkwall]
Captain John Craigie, as he later became, was skipper of the Orcadia which served the North Isles of Orkney for many years. Daughter Ann married Captain John Bremner of the ss Earl Sigurd, and later of the ss Hoy Head.
A Tom Kent photograph of the Orcadia – packed to the gunwales
[Orkney Library & Archive]
Captain John and his wife Elizabeth in their latter years – and son, John William Cutt Craigie, who later moved to Westray. The lady with him is unidentified unfortunately.
The Knowe of Lairo, as it is spelled on Ordnance Survey maps, is a conspicuous long mound to the east of Hullion and overlooking Eynhallow Sound. It stands below the house of Laro, on the precipitous edge of a relatively level terrace some 60 feet above sea level. Lying approximately east and west, is about 150 feet long and is conspicuously broader and higher at its eastern end. Excavations carried out in 1936 resulted in the discovery of a Neolithic long-horned chambered cairn, possessing unique features at the east end of the mound, exceptional in its height of 13½ feet, in its length of 17 feet, and in its ‘inner walling’ features.
The chamber is entered by a lintelled passage that expands vertically and laterally towards the interior. The primary section is 14¾ feet long, 1ft 11ins high at the mouth and 4 feet at its inner end. It is spanned by seven massive lintels. The third from the mouth had, however, broken while the tomb was in use or even in building. To support it a strip of secondary walling had been built up against the primary northern face of the corridor, leaving a restricted passage at this point averaging 1ft 8ins high by 1ft 5ins wide. Both sides of the passage have been prolonged for some 2½ feet by low walls not bonded into those of the primary section. This extension too was probably lintelled over with lighter slabs 2 feet or less above its floor: one of these lintels still straddles the passage though out of position; a second was found lying under a heap of debris.
The infilling walls on either side of the chamber run up nearly vertically to the roof save for a slight inward corbelling on the south. They had been further strengthened by transverse slabs, 7 to 10½ feet above the floor, which span the upper space of the chamber like rafter tie-beams. By this ingenious device the parallel infilling or lining walls are tied together. Indeed we have here in a Neolithic burial chamber an obvious anticipation of the distinctive feature of broch architecture that gives solidity to the hollow walls of the Pictish towers. In this case, however, the ties – or struts – had not functioned too well, as the infilling walls had fallen inwards, slipping along the ties, which remained in situ, and away from the original walling of the chamber.
A stone axe and some sherds of pottery were found on the floor at the entrance to one of the chambers between the portal slabs. Other recesses also contained evidence of human burial remains, and in a two-storeyed ambry a skull and bones of a burial were discovered. The skull is now held by the Marischal Museum in Aberdeen.
Reference. Text & b/w images:-
The Knowe of Lairo, Rousay, Orkney, Walter G Grant and D Wilson. Proceedings of the Society ofAntiquarians of Scotland, January 1943.
London was the name of a small tenement house, one storey in height and thatched, between Hullion and Mount Pleasant in Frotoft. It was occupied in the 1840’s by fisherman and farmer David Mainland and his family. David, the son of David Mainland of Tratland and his first wife Margaret Sinclair, was born on May 19th 1808. He married Ann Wood of Wyre, who was born in 1815, and they had five children, Robert, Hugh, Lydia, John and Mary, born between 1838 and 1848. In 1846 David paid rent of £3 10s, increasing between 1854 and 1860 £4 10s.
London – with Hullion below left, Viera Lodge just above, Banks and Corse to the right, Eynhallow, and Costa Head on mainland in the distance.
Mount Pleasant, a cottage built high up on a ledge of Sinclair’s Hill above Frotoft, was occupied by two families in 1871. 55-year-old widow Janet Inkster lived there with her sons William (21) and John (19) who were sailors, and James (14) who was a scholar. Janet married William Craigie of Fa’doon in 1839 and between then and 1861 they had eight children. Janet’s eldest daughter Margaret also lived at Mount Pleasant. She was 31-years-of-age and married to John Corsie of Breek, who was also a sailor. Margaret had given birth to a baby daughter, Mary Ann, just three days before the census was carried out in 1871.
Ten years later Janet Inkster’s eldest son William and his family were the only occupants of Mount Pleasant. William, born on May 1st 1849, married Elizabeth Baikie of Cloke, Birsay in 1872. Their first child was Elizabeth Baikie, born on February 9th 1873. Thomas William was born on October 27th 1876 but he died at the tender age of just three years. William was born on July 13th 1880 and another Thomas, Thomas Baikie, was born on October 2nd 1882.
The Inkster family left the island and Mount Pleasant was then occupied by James Grieve, a 65-year-old retired seaman and cottar, and his wife Mary Mainland of Banks in Sourin. While staying at his brother’s house of Outerdykes in Sourin James gave evidence against the laird, General Burroughs, at a hearing of The Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Condition of Crofters and Cottars in the Highlands and Islands, which was held in Stromness in July 1883. For doing so the laird evicted him from Outerdykes, but James was able to move into Mount Pleasant on land outwith Burroughs’ control.
The following is a paragraph from a letter written by Burroughs to the editors of The Scotsman and Orkney Herald newspapers in reply to their stories regarding the evictions of the Rousay Crofters:-
“……..James Grieve, too, is not my tenant. He returned a few years ago from the colonies [Australia], boasting of having made money, and that he was looking out for a farm. He came to visit his brother, who is tenant of Outerdykes in the district of Sourin, Rousay. He married a housemaid who had been some years in my house, and out of kindness to her her husband was permitted to squat for a time on his brother’s farm to enable him to look out for a farm for himself. Years have passed, farms in various parts of this county have been advertised to be let, but James Grieve is still here. He joined the Free Church minister in his attack upon me, and said he agreed in his evil opinion of me; that my tenants were “in a condition generally of great and increasing poverty;” that they were ground down and oppressed, and generally most miserable. I have no wish that any of my tenants should be miserable, and not being desirous of being a party to James Grieve’s misery, I decline to accept him as a tenant……”
James passed away on August 4th 1897, closely followed by his wife Mary on June 4th 1899. They were interred in the Scockness kirkyard
The 1901 census, carried out on April 6th of that year, reveals Mount Pleasant being occupied by 83-year-old retired boat builder John Mainland and his wife Lydia, then 72 years of age. John was the son of David Mainland of Tratland, and his second wife Marion Mainland of Cotafea, and he was born on March 1st 1819. His wife Lydia was the daughter of John Mowat and Isabel Yorston of Scowan [a small croft below Midgar, part of Knarston, Sourin], and she was born on March 30th 1829.
Under the same roof was their 34-year-old daughter Betsy Craigie Mainland, a dressmaker, and her husband John, a 37-year-old seaman. At that time they had two sons, George William (3) and John, who was just twelve months old. Betsy was one of nine children, and she was born on February 16th 1867. Husband John was the son of John Mainland of Cotafea and Mary Reid of Wasdale, and was born on March 5th 1864. John was captain of the Orkney Steam Navigation Company vessel Fawn for some time. Built in 1869 the company acquired the ship in 1892, and she served Rousay and the North Isles until she was replaced by the Countess of Bantry in 1917.
John Mainland at the wheel – and below, the Fawn, unloading at Trumland Pier. [Both images courtesy of Orkney Library & Archive]
In 1911 the only occupants of Mount Pleasant were widowed fisherman William Logie, then 46 years of age, and his eight-year-old son John, having moved from Gripps, or No.7 Frotoft. William’s mother was Betty Logie, daughter of Alexander Logie and Isabel Harrold of Cott, Westside. William married Isabella Robertson, daughter of John Robertson of Banks, Frotoft, and Isabella Corsie of Nears, who was born on November 23 1871. William and Isabella, known as Isie o’ Gripps, had three children, Charles, John, and William. Sadly Isabella suffered complications during pregnancy, leading to heart failure and her demise at 2pm on February 13th 1910.
Newhouse, locally known as News, is an old farm above Hullion in Frotoft, and a good place to start to talk about the Sinclair family of old.
Thomas Sinclair, who was born about the year 1680, is the earliest traceable ancestor of many Rousay people. His son Peter lived at Faraclett, married Marian Murray, and had four sons; George, Archibald, John, and James.
George lived at Brendale, and is recorded as having been at Faraclett in 1771 and 1788. His eldest son Archibald, was born at Wasthouse on Knarston on May 1st 1752. He lived at Pow between 1774 and 1789, and he married Bell Louttit from Mouncey, Quandale. Their oldest son James was born at Pow in 1783.
James Sinclair lived at Newhouse and in 1808 he married 28-year-old Maidie Hourston, the daughter of James Hourston and Marian Craigie of Sound, Egilsay. They had six children: Mary was born on July 17th 1809 at Bergodale (Guidal); Margaret, on April 9th 1813 at Brendale; Janet, who was born on December 24th 1815 at News; James, on August 21st 1818 at News; Hugh, on March 1st 1821 also at News; and John, who was also born there on March 20th 1824.
In December 1825 James Sinclair was drowned when his boat sank off Scabra Head. Also lost in the accident were 13-year-old Alexander Mainland of Tratland and one of his elder half-brothers, James or Robert, through his father’s first marriage to Margaret Sinclair.
The following is the inscription on James’ gravestone in the Westside kirkyard:-
Here lies the body of James Sinclair husband of Mey Hourston who was drowned on the reef of Skebray the 20th December 1825 aged 41 years.
His wife Maidie, or Mey, or even Marjory as she was called in the censuses, continued to run the farm at News, and as the children grew up they were either employed on the farm or in the house.
By 1861, Marjory was described as a 76-year-old landed proprietor, and son John, 36, and daughter Janet, 42, both unmarried, still lived with her at News. Oldest son James, then a 42-year-old fisherman, was also living there with his own family. He was married to Mary Inkster Craigie, the daughter of John Craigie and Margaret Inkster of Hullion and they had two children; Ann Craigie, born on June 24th 1848, and James Hugh Craigie on June 25th 1854.
By 1891, the size of the land at News had grown to 120 acres. James Sinclair had retired from the land, and his son James Hugh Craigie Sinclair had taken over the running of the farm. He was married to Margaret McKinlay of Sound, Egilsay, and they had six children: Hugh, born in December 1882; James, in April 1885; John William, in April 1887; Harry Hourston, in October 1889; Robert, born in September 1892; and Mary Ann, in June 1896.
In 1893 the sea was to claim another member of the Sinclair family. James the elder, then in his 75th year, operated the small open mail boat, which plied between Rousay and Evie, with 56-year-old John Reid of Tratland. On Wednesday October 11th 1893, while crossing Eynhallow Sound, the boat was lost in a south-westerly gale. It was struck by a squall and overturned, claiming the lives of not only James and John, but also 35-year-old Lydia Craigie, wife of Robert Gibson, originally of Langskaill, and three of her children, David 9, Maggie Jessie 6, and Lily Ann 4, who were being conveyed as passengers. Another boat in vicinity saw the boatmen and passengers clinging briefly to the upturned hull but could do nothing to help, and several days later the mail boat was washed ashore on Papa Stronsay.
The bodies of James and John were recovered and interred in the Westside kirkyard – 68 years after James’s father was lost nearby at Scabra Head. Lydia and her three children’s lives are commemorated on a headstone in the kirkyard at Stenness, the family having earlier moved to Lochend in that parish. Lydia’s name is also inscribed on the family headstone in the Wester kirkyard on Rousay.
This is how The Orcadian and Orkney Herald newspapers reported the tragedy:
SAD BOATING ACCIDENT IN EYNHALLOW SOUND MAIL BOAT AND SIX LIVES LOST
A terrible boating accident occurred in Orkney on Wednesday, resulting in the loss of six lives. The island of Rousay is separated from the mainland by Eynhallow Sound, which is about two miles in breadth, and through which the tide runs with great velocity. With a south-westerly gale, such as was raging on Wednesday, there is always a nasty sea in this Sound; but notwithstanding this, the little boat which plies between Rousay and the mainland with the mails, successfully made the run to Evie that forenoon. After taking on board the mails from the South, and Mrs Gibson, of Lochside, Stenness, and her three children, the boat left Evie on the home journey. When only a short distance from the land, however, the boat was struck by a sudden squall, and the agonised spectators on shore saw it overturn with its living freight. Boat and occupants were swept away with the tide, before any assistance could be rendered – and crew, passengers, and mails were lost. The boat was managed by two Rousay men – one named John Reid, (56 years of age), residing at [Tratland] Frotoft, and the other named James Sinclair, (75 years of age), residing at Newhouse, Frotoft. Mrs Gibson, who with her three children had been lost, was going across to Rousay to visit some friends. When the upturned mail boat was last seen, it was rapidly drifting out of Eynhallow Sound.
Later information regarding the accident is to the effect that when the ill-fated boat left Evie on Wednesday, it was close reefed. All went well while it was under the lea of the land, but immediately it rounded Aikerness Point, it was struck by a squall and was upset. The two boatmen – Reid and Sinclair – were seen clinging to the boat for a minute or two, but it partly righted itself throwing them in the water – and they were never seen again. A small boat manned by William Wood, Wads, and John Mowat, Woodwick, Evie, was at that moment within 150 yards of the scene of the accident, but owing to the terrific gale then blowing, had great difficulty in getting up to the place, and by that time men, woman, and children had disappeared. A boat manned by David Miller, merchant, and Magnus Mowat, Evie, also put off from the shore, but could get no trace of the unfortunate people who were on board the mail boat. The boat was seen to turn over several times, and was carried away past Rousay towards the Atlantic. [The Orcadian – Saturday, October 14, 1893]
LOSS OF SIX LIVES SAD BOAT ACCIDENT
A sad boat accident, resulting in the loss of six lives, occurred in Eynhallow Sound about noon on Wednesday. A small square-sterned boat, which was temporarily being used to carry the mails between Evie and Rousay, capsized off Aikerness, Evie, soon after starting for Rousay. The boat had safely crossed from Rousay earlier in the day, and though there is always a rapid tide through the sound, and a strong gale was blowing from the south-west, the men did not think there was any danger. Beside the two boatmen, John Reid and James Sinclair, there were on board Mrs. Gibson, jr., of Lochside, Stenness, and three of her children. The boat was close-reefed, and was only a short distance from the shore when she was suddenly struck by a squall and capsized. She turned over several times and then drifted northwards between the island of Eynhallow and Rousay out to the Atlantic. The woman and children seem to have gone down almost at once, but the men were seen for a little time, Reid clinging to the bottom of the boat till it turned over again and he lost his hold. The accident was seen from the shore, and steps were at once taken to render help. A boat which was lobster-fishing in the neighbourhood and boats from the shore went to the spot where the accident had occurred and after the drifting boat, but were too late to render any assistance. Much sympathy is felt with the relatives of those who have lost their lives. The two mail-bags came ashore at Westness, Rousay, on Friday, and the mails were delivered the following day. Many of the addresses were almost illegible. The oars and loose boards in the bottom of the boat have also been washed ashore, but no trace of the missing bodies has yet been found. [Orkney Herald]
THE RECENT BOATING DISASTER
Some further accounts are coming to hand of the terrible boating disaster which occurred at Evie on Wednesday last. It seems that though a severe gale of south-westerly wind was blowing, neither crew nor passengers had any misgivings regarding the two-miles’ passage across Eynhallow Sound. Mrs Gibson and her children seemed quite delighted at the prospect of the sail. The boat, however, had scarcely rounded Aikerness Point when it was swamped by the sudden squall. Mrs Gibson and her three children were never again seen, but one of the two boatmen, John Reid, was observed scrambling onto the keel of the boat. He was only there a few minutes, however, when the little craft gave a heavy lurch, pitching the unfortunate man once more into the sea. The two mail bags which were in the boat have been washed ashore at Rousay. A small boat, 10½ feet keel, square-sterned, and painted light blue outside, supposed to be the one lost at Evie, was driven ashore on the north side of Papa Stronsay last week. It has three fixed thwarts in it, two fitted for a mast, evidently for either a smack or lug rig, but there were no traces of either a mast or sail attached. It had a square iron rollock on each side, fastened with a chain, and two small sail thimbles, fastened one on each quarter, evidently for the sheet. Feeling allusion was made to the sad event in many of the pulpits in Orkney last Sunday. None of the bodies have yet been recovered. [The Orcadian – Saturday, October 21, 1893]
BODY FOUND
The body of a boy, son of Mr Gibson, jr. Lochside, Stenness, and one of the children drowned through the capsizing of the Rousay post boat in Eynhallow Sound on October 11th, came ashore near Burgar, Evie, on Tuesday last week. [Orkney Herald – November 15, 1893]
BODIES FOUND
The body of a man, which has been identified as that of John Reid, one of the boatmen who were drowned by the capsizing of the Rousay post boat in Eynhallow Sound on the 11th of October, came ashore on Saturday on the west side of the Sand of Evie. The body of Mrs Gibson, Lochside, Stenness, who was lost in the same accident, has been found at Rousay. [Orkney Herald – November 22, 1893]
BODY FOUND
The body of James Sinclair, one of the boatmen lost in the Rousay post boat on the 11th October in Eynhallow Sound, was found on Saturday morning. This makes the fourth body that has been found of the six lost by the accident. [Orkney Herald – December 13, 1893]
The gravestones of Robert Sinclair and John Reid, in the Westside Kirkyard – and that of Lydia Craigie, wife of Robert Gibson, and their three children in the Stenness kirkyard
A painting of the Rousay post boat that was lost between Evie and Rousay in 1893 with the loss of six lives
ROUSAY – PRESENTATION TO A SABBATH-SCHOOL TEACHER
Frotoft School was on Tuesday night last week the scene of a large and interesting meeting, when Mr. James Mainland, of Tratland, was presented by the scholars of the Sabbath-school with a Bible in recognition of his long and valued services as a teacher. The Rev. A Irvine Pirie made the presentation in name of the scholars, and in doing so said that Mr Mainland had been a teacher in the school for forty-seven years, that owing to advancing age he felt himself unable to continue longer in the work, and that consequently the scholars and other friends desired to express to him their gratitude for all his faithful services, and the earnest hope that he may be long spared amongst them. Mr Pirie stated that Mr Mainland had in the school as his colleague the late Mr James Sinclair, of Newhouse, who for the long period of fifty-four years had laboured as a Sabbath-school teacher. If Mr Sinclair had been spared he would doubtless have received a similar expression of good feeling and gratitude. He had, however, been taken from them to receive a higher award, and his class had heartily united with the rest in offering this token of esteem and affection to Mr Mainland. Mr Mainland, who was much affected, said in reply that he did not know how to thank them all for this unexpected kindness. His labours in the school had been one of his greatest sources of pleasure, but since his old much-esteemed friend and fellow-labourer, Mr Sinclair, had been taken away, and also his own beloved son-in-law by that sore boat accident, he felt he was not able to meet his class as formerly. The burden of increasing years was also telling upon him, so that he had resolved to retire from the school. He had seen a great number of his class go out into the world, and set up homes for themselves, and when he heard of them doing well he was as proud of it as if they were members of his own family. He looked upon them all as his children, and his prayer was that the choicest blessings of the gospel may ever rest upon them. The members of the Bible class enlivened the proceedings by singing a number of beautiful hymns.
…………………….
ROUSAY MAILS
SIR, – I observe in your last issue a statement that during the previous week the mail boat went only twice to Evie, Your informant might make himself more certain as to facts before publishing them, as the mail boat went three times notwithstanding the stormy character of the weather. As this mis-statement must wound hearts already sore enough from the recent sad mail-boat fatality, I deem it a duty to correct it. I will add that, while we have been accustomed to such faithful daily service between Rousay and Evie by those who have paid dearly with their lives, we have already found in their successors men as faithful and as brave, against whom if we have any complaint, that complaint must be that they should venture to cross those wild seas in uncertain weather, which the public would rather they should not. – Yours, &c.,
ALEXANDER SPARK. Rousay Manse, 15th Dec. 1893.
[The Orcadian]
James Hugh Sinclair, his wife Margaret, and children John and Harry [rear], Robert and Mary Anne. c1900
When the 1911 census was carried out the first mention of a shop at News was made. Head of the household was farmer/employer James Hugh Sinclair, now in his 56th year. Wife Margaret was 53, and they had been married for precisely 33 years, three months, and three days! 21-year-old son Harry was employed as a ploughman, Robert was an eighteen-year-old apprentice grocer, Mary Ann was a fourteen-year-old scholar, and John M Craigie was the 32-year-old shop keeper/grocer.
Today’s view of the News shop interior, still housing many implements from the distant past.
The land at Banks, between Hullion and Corse, was cultivated and where animals were reared by farmer Nicol Mainland. He was the son of James Mainland and Christian Louttit of Cotafea, and he was born on June 9th 1800. In his younger days Nicol was engaged in the whaling industry in the Davis Strait, lying between Greenland and Nunavut, Canada. The industry was a great attraction for young Orcadians, the whaling ships calling in at Stromness to take on stores and extra crew before voyaging up to Greenland and the Davis Strait. At its peak recruitment could be as high as 20-25 men per ship and records show that in 1824 some 700 men from Orkney went whaling. It was a dangerous trade and many ships were lost, or stranded in the ice for months at a time.
In 1822 Nicol fathered an illegitimate son by Isabel Harrold. James Mainland was born on July 20th at Peeno, an old house near the bank of the Burn of Oldman in Sourin. The Old Parochial Register birth record reads as follows:
James, natural son to Nicol Mainland, son of Jas Mainland in Cotafea, and Isabel Harold in Pino, son born 20th July and baptised the 27th August before witnesses Christian Mowat, Mother of Isabel Harold being Sponsor of the child, as neither the father, who was absent at the Straits, fishing, and the mother who has not yet been absolved from Scandal, could be so and the child was apprehended to be ill and dying from chest cough.
Isabel Harrold was born on February 18th 1801 at Woo, Sourin. Her parents were James Harrold and Christian Mowat. There is no trace of Isabel and son James thereafter in any Scottish records. Perhaps James was indeed sickly as suggested by the OPR and he died in infancy. It has also been rumoured that James survived, but because of the scandal mother and son left Rousay (and Scotland) shortly afterwards.
On March 26th 1830 Nicol married Margaret Louttit, one of the twin daughters of William Louttit and Isabella Craigie of Faraclett, born on January 19th 1803. Between 1831 and 1846 they had of seven children; Margaret, William, Lydia, John, Mary, Isabella and Robert Dennison. In 1839 Nicol Mainland took on a 19-year lease, paying an annual rent of £15.15.0. By 1862 the rent had risen to £22.10.0, and in 1876 he was paying £25.10.0.
Son William, born in 1833, earned his living as a tailor and he lived at Banks with his wife Hannah Marwick, daughter of Alexander Marwick and Isabella Gibson of Negar in Wester, later Corse. They had a son John who was born on November 26th 1866, but he died three years later.
The laird’s wife Lizzie Burroughs was interested in the condition of the tenants’ houses. She was keen to see them establish flower gardens in front of their cottages and offered to provide roots and cuttings from her own garden, but she did not meet with much response. At her instigation a clause was included in the new estate regulations of 1876 that all buildings were to be whitewashed every three years, and supplies of lime for this purpose were supplied free of charge to the smaller tenants. From 1877 she offered a prize for the best-kept cottage ‘within fifty yards of the public road’ – as she evidently did not intend to inspect some of the more out of the way places. Prizes usually went to cottages in the Frotoft and Trumland areas, those parts of Rousay most under her influence and containing a large number of estate servants.
The following is an item from the Orkney Herald of August 29th 1877:-
In the competition for cleanest and most tastefully kept cottages throughout the year, within 50 yards of the public road in Rousay, the prizes were won in the following order on Saturday: – First prize, (£1), Mrs Hannah Mainland, Banks, Frotoft; Second Prize (15s.), Mr Nicol Mainland, Banks, Frotoft; Third Prize (10s.), Miss Ann Marwick, Corse, Frotoft; Fourth Prize (5s.), Mr Reid, Sourin.
Nicol died of general debility and ‘old age’ on July 13th 1881. His son Robert Dennison Mainland married Margaret Baikie from Cloke, Birsay, and farmed Nears for many years. He died in 1927.
The spectacular waterfalls above Banks, in full spate following snow melt
At the time of the 1891 census Banks was occupied by farmer John Robertson and his wife Isabella Corsie. John, born in November 1846, was the son of William Robertson of Egilsay and Elizabeth Harcus. He and Isabella had four daughters; Isabella, Mary Ann, Elizabeth, and Margaret. The Robertsons later moved to Cotafea.
Living at Lower Banks at this time was widowed joiner James Low, who was seventy-four years of age. He used to live with his wife Christina at Quoyjenny, on the east side of the road down to Hunclet. James’ unmarried 40-year-old daughter Margaret, a former dressmaker, lived with him at Lower Banks, as did his widowed daughter Mary Corsie, then 36 years old, and her fifteen-year-old son James. Mary married James Sinclair Corsie of Nears in 1873, but their son, also christened James Sinclair Corsie, was born – six months after his father’s untimely death.
James Corsie senior was interred in the Westside kirkyard. The headstone on his grave is inscribed as follows:
‘Erected by Mary Corsie in memory of her dearly beloved husband James S Corsie who died 19 Feb 1875 aged 42 years. “A few short years of evil past: We reach the happy shore: Where death divided friends at last. Shall meet to part no more.” Also the above Mary Corsie who died 22 Dec 1925aged71′
Living under another roof at Banks in 1891 was 26-year-old tailor and grocer John Shearer from Sanday. With him was his 23-year-old wife Lydia Marwick, and their two young sons, John aged two, and William, just 11 months old. Lydia was the daughter of William Marwick and Robina Gibson of Corse, and was born in July 1867. She and husband John, who worked for the Craigies of Hullion, went on to have six more children; Robert, Eva, James, David, Hugh, and Lydia.
The old flagstone roof at Banks being replaced.
Thomas Sinclair was a later inhabitant of Banks. He was the son of Thomas Sinclair of Swandale and Hurtiso and Mary Gibson of Broland. In 1905 Thomas junior married Mary Inkster, daughter of Hugh Inkster of Westness and Isabella Kirkness of Quoyostray. They had four children; Thomas, born in 1907; Ann [Cissie] born in 1908; Mary Isabel [Mabel] in 1910; and Lily in 1918.
Tom Sinclair, wife Mary, daughters Lilly & Cissie & Chip the dog
Tom Sinclair sen wife Mary, son Tom [jun] & daughters Lilly & Mabel
Like his father before him Thomas [leaning on the wall above] ran the Rousay–Evie post-boat for many years. He married Bella Flaws of Wyre and they had two children; Thomas and Muriel. Ann [Cissie] married William Moar of Saviskaill, later Aberdeenshire, and they had four children, Greta, Joyce, William, and Verdon. Mabel married Bill Flaws of Hammerfield. Lily married David Miller of Hestival, Evie, and later Aberdeenshire, and they had three children; Ruth, William, and Judy. Lily was the teacher at Wasbister from 1943 until the school closed down in 1960.
Thomas Sinclair crossing Eynhallow Sound in the Bella, between Hullion pier & Evie, c1955 – and the Sinclair sisters Cissie, Lily & Mabel. c1930.
Mary Mainland [known to one and all as Granny], daughter of Nicol, was born on August 3rd 1840 and featured in the columns of The Orcadian when she celebrated her 100th birthday. – Mabel Sinclair with husband Bill Flaws, posing for my camera at Hammerfield in 1975.
Another view of the waterfall above Banks, with the lush green fields of Frotoft, Eynhallow Sound, Gairsay, and the Orkney mainland in the distance.
[All b/w photos are courtesy of the Tommy Gibson Collection, unless otherwise stated.]
Viera Lodge, close to the water’s edge of Eynhallow Sound, was a former residence of George William Traill. Having retired from the Bengal Civil Service in 1836 he used his wealth to buy property in Rousay as it came on the market. His ultimate achievement was the purchase of Westness [but not Westness House, it being the property of William Trail and later his widow], including Inner and Outer Westness, Quandale, and parts of Wasbister. He was to be remembered as the tyrannical laird of Rousay, who effected the most thoroughgoing clearance to take place on any Orkney estate – whole communities being evicted to make way for sheep after the harvest of 1845.
In 1842 Viera Lodge was occupied by William Graham, who paid rent of £10 and later the Reverend George Ritchie lived there, in 1844, when he paid a lower rate of £5.
Viera Lodge c1930 [Photo: Tommy Gibson Collection]
Westness Farm extended to about 2,800 acres, of which about 220 acres were arable and a further 1,000 acres consisted of low ground pasture. While in George William Traill’s own hands, it generally provided full-time employment for nine to eleven people and casual work for a great many more.
The most important of the full-time employees was the farm manager, or ‘overseer’ as he was commonly called. His duties were more extensive than merely the management of the farm.
Since the factor lived in Kirkwall, the overseer was the estate’s resident agent, undertaking such duties as supervising the construction of the island’s roads and inspecting improvement on tenant farms on which a rent reduction was claimed. The first overseer was George Lyall, who was engaged when Traill purchased Westness. He was paid a salary of £25 per half-year, later reduced to £20, and occupied Viera Lodge rent-free with additional benefits such as free coal.
In November 1847 Traill died of a heart attack in London at the age of fifty-four, his nephew Frederick William Traill-Burroughs inheriting the estate.
Viera Lodge, overlooking the crystal clear waters of Eynhallow Sound
The 1851 census refers to George Lyall as being a 53-year-old land steward, born in Garvald, Haddingtonshire [East Lothian]. His wife Elizabeth was 50 years old, and at that time they had six children in the house; 24-year-old Ann was employed at home; George (14), Elizabeth (12), Agnes (10), and Alice (6), were all school pupils, and their second oldest daughter Mary Stewart was paying them a visit from Edinburgh with her one-year-old son Charles.
In 1861 the only occupants of Viera Lodge was Andrew Hislop, a 49-year-old gamekeeper, and his 39-year-old wife Jennet, both from Crawfordjohn, Lanarkshire.
In 1863 Alexander Marwick paid rent of £15, at the same time as he was paying £18 for the farm of Corse.
Another view of Viera Lodge, just above the old Hullion phone box
At the time of the 1871 census the lodge was unoccupied. 59-year-old George Murrison and his 53-year-old wife Mary Johnston were in residence according to the census of 1881. Staying with them was their 24-year-old niece Ann McKay from Reay, Caithness, and 19-year-old Mary Heddle from Sanday, who was employed as a domestic servant. George Murrison, from Old Deer, Aberdeenshire, had been employed by General Burroughs as a full-time resident factor, or manager, of his estate.
In 1891, a blacksmith/fisherman lived at Viera Lodge, for which he paid an annual rent of £15.0.0. He was Paterson Craigie, the son of James Craigie and Betty Marwick of Claybank, and he was born in January 10th 1832.
In 1858 he married 21-year-old Mary Craigie, daughter of Alexander Craigie and Ann Murray of Whoam, later Feolquoy. They had four children; James, who was born on February 12th 1860, but died in infancy; James Paterson, born on February 16th 1862; Robert, on March 26th 1866; and Ann Elizabeth, born on January 5th 1879.
Paterson and Mary Craigie, with their daughter Ann
[Photo: Orkney Library & Archive]
Ann had a son by Hugh Sinclair, born on January 19th 1903 and christened James. Hugh was the son of James Hugh Sinclair of Newhouse and Margaret McKinlay of Sound, Egilsay, and was born in December 1882. He later emigrated to America.
Mary Craigie was 77 when she died on March 1st 1915. Her husband Paterson died at Viera Lodge on August 12th 1916 aged 81. They were interred in the same grave in the Wasbister kirkyard – “Asleep in Jesus” inscribed on their headstone. Their daughter Ann was interred nearby, having passed away at Viera Lodge on April 30th 1958.
Viera Lodge today, in this view across Eynhallow Sound from the Broch of Gurness.
According to old rentals Corse in Frotoft was occupied by John Seatter in 1739, Roland Marwick in 1741, and Alexander Yorston in 1800. In 1840 the tenant was Magnus Marwick and he paid rent ‘in kind’, though in 1845 the rent stood at £12 1s 0d. Magnus at that time was 49 years of age, he was married to Rebecca Craigie, daughter of Rowland and Janet Craigie, and they had three children, Mary, William and Ann. Soon after that Magnus and his family moved to Gripps, also known as Frotoft No 7.
By 1851 Corse had a change of ownership, Alexander Marwick now farming the 50 acres. He was the son of William and Elizabeth Marwick, born on July 11th 1801 at Negar, Wasbister, and on March 6th 1829 he married Isabella Gibson, daughter of David Gibson of Langskaill and Barbara Craigie, originally from Burness. By 1851 they had five children: William was 18 years of age and employed on the farm and David, one year younger, was an apprentice joiner. Daughters Hannah, Isabella, and Jean were all scholars.
Detail from an old map of Rousay showing the location of Corse
Thirty years on – and by 1881, Alexander Marwick, pictured to the left, had retired from running the farm. His wife Isabella died in 1860, and he had handed the 60-acre farm over to his son William, now 49 years of age. On December 3rd 1857 William married Robina Gibson, daughter of George Gibson and Ann Mainland of Langskaill. Between 1858 and 1877 they had nine children.
William Marwick and his wife Robina Gibson of Langskaill in their latter years
At the time of the 1881 census the first-born, Ann Cattanach was a 22-year-old dress-maker; William, 18, was a ploughman; Alexander, 15, was an apprentice shoemaker; and Lydia, 13, James Robertson, 11, and Hannah, 10, were scholars. Another daughter, Bella had died at the age of six, and a son George died in infancy. Another son christened George was born on September 11th 1877.
Above left is William Marwick, the ploughman mentioned above. He was also employed as a gardener at Westness House. He married Annie Taylor of Holm in 1894 and they had two children, George William and Edith. – In the centre is Lydia Marwick, born in 1867. She married John Shearer of nearby Banks, and they had eight children, one of whom, James, became a tailor, working for the Craigies of Hullion. To the right is George Gibson Marwick, born in 1877. He married Lottie Martin, and they had three children, Olive, George, and Kenneth. The family later moved south to Edinburgh.
Ann Cattanach Marwick, born in 1858, was employed as a dressmaker when she married James Wood on February 25th1886. He was a 27-year-old joiner of Castlehall, Wyre, son of farmer/boatbuilder John Wood and Isabella Sinclair, the daughter of John Sinclair and Magdalene Craigie of Tratland, Rousay. In the photograph to the right are their three children, James, Robina, and William. Ann died of heart problems at the age of 41 whilst living at New Scapa Road, Kirkwall on January 19th 1900.
George William Marwick, born on December 1st 1896, was the son of William Marwick, the ploughman just mentioned, and Annie Taylor. He married Peggy Sutherland, daughter of William Sutherland and Margaret Harrold of Wyre. George had a shop at Rousay pier, and went round the island once a week with a horse-drawn van. His father-in-law was a blacksmith at the pier.
In 1896 John Logie was the tenant of Corse, having moved from Quoygrinnie on the Westside, and was paying rent of £16. John, born in 1850, was the son of Alexander Logie and Barbara Murray, and he married Mary Gibson of Vacquoy in 1872. They had two children, Mary, who later became a nurse, and John, who was killed in World War 1.
In 1900 James Craigie of Burness was the tenant of Corse, also paying £16, for the 16 acres of arable and 42 acres of pasture land. He was the son of fisherman Gilbert Craigie, originally from Turbitail, and Jean Gibson [her second marriage] of Lower Burness. James’ wife was Janet Marwick of Whitemeadows.
Frotoft picnic with Marwick ladies and children of Corse
The census of 1911 tells of Corse being occupied by 65-year-old farmer’s widow Isabella Craigie. Isabella was the daughter of James Kirkness of Quoyostray, later Grain, and Grace Craigie of Deithe. [In the mid-1800s Deithe, or Quoydeith as it was known, was in the field opposite the main road end of what today is the Post Office track – literally just yards away from Quoyostray]. Born in 1846 Isabella married James Craigie of Claybank, later Corse, and they had four children, Isabella, born in 1869, Mary Kirkness, born in 1871, James, and John Kirkness in 1876. Isabella’s husband John died in 1905, and at the time of the 1911 census his widow Isabella was living at Corse with her daughter Mary, engaged in domestic work, son John, who was a ploughman, and his family – wife Annabella Scarth, and their children, James Forbes, Isabella Inkster, Mary Louise, Maggie, and John.
John Kirkness Craigie with his wife Annabella Scarth c1930 – and Mary Louise, their daughter, born in February 1903
All the above photos are from the Tommy Gibson Collection
I found the photo below in Tommy Gibson’s collection, noting how odd it was to see a lady sitting on a roof playing the banjo! Written on the back was the following: General Burroughs with his guests at Lows House, Westness, Rousay. A few days later I spent a while in the Library & Archive in Kirkwall, and whilst turning the pages of Burroughs’ collection of newspaper cuttings I came across one from The Orcadian, dated November 16th 1889, which gave details of a ‘Free Concert’ at the Frotoft School. Lo and behold – it contained the name of the banjo player……
ROUSAY FREE CONCERT. – On the evening of Friday, 8th November, a free concert was given by the ladies of Westness House in the Frotoft Public School. Rev A. Pirie occupied the chair, and General and Mrs Burroughs were present on the platform. The inhabitants of Rousay should feel deeply indebted to the ladies of Westness for providing them with such a treat as was afforded on Friday evening. The services of Misses McDonald and Ewbank toward the success of the concert cannot be over-rated; and the accompaniments played by Mrs McDonald left nothing to be desired. The songs sung by Mr Hugh Inkster did not fail to tickle the comic faculties of every individual in the audience. Several solos were exquisitely rendered by Miss McDonald on the banjo. Master D. Learmonth’s rendering of “Duck Foot Sue” was excellent, and loudly applauded. Mr Marwick’s contributions to the programme do him great credit. The recitations were well rendered. The plantation songs reflect great praise both on the conductor and the chorus. The school children performed their part well under the able superintendence of Mr Muir.
Programme. – Plantation song, ‘Clitter Clatter’, chorus; song, ‘Powder Monkey Jim’, Mr Hugh Inkster; recitation, ‘Boys’ Rights’, Mr John Craigie; song, ‘Just as well’, Miss Ewbank, Violin; ‘Scotch Airs’, Mr N. Mainland; song, ‘Ballyhooly’, Mr Marwick; duet, ‘Down where the Blue Bells grow’, Mr Craigie and Mr D. Learmonth; song, ‘The Fishers’, Mrs Pirie; recitation, ‘Hodge and the Vicar’, Mr Muir; song, ‘Sailing’, Mr W. Learmonth; plantation song, ‘Dinah’s Wedding’, chorus; violin and song, ‘Serenade’, Miss Ewbank and Miss McDonald; song, ‘Razors in the Air’, Mr Hugh Inkster; banjo solo, ‘Darling Clementine’, Miss McDonald; duet, ‘A.B.C.’, Miss Low and Mr Mainland; song, ‘The Three Dreamers’, Mr W. Learmonth; song, ‘Duckfoot Sue’, Mr D. Learmonth; chorus, ‘Silverlake’, school children; melodeon, ‘Scotch Airs’, Mr R. Flett; song, ‘No Sir’, Miss S. Ewbank; piano, ‘Dance Music’, Miss Pirie; recitation, ‘ Modern Music’, Mr James Craigie; banjo solo, ‘Peptia’, Miss McDonald; plantation song, ‘Goodnight’, chorus.
General Burroughs in a neat speech proposed a hearty vote of thanks to the ladies from Westness House for getting up the concert, and also to the performers who had taken part. A vote of thanks was given to the Rev A. Pirie for his conduct in the chair. After singing ‘God Save the Queen,’ a very enjoyable evening was brought to a close.
[Orkney Archive reference: D19/6 p139]
The lyrics of two of the songs mentioned above are not without interest:
DUCK-FOOT SUE
written by Harry Bennet in 1884
Just keep your seats awhile And I will tell to you, Of the love I used to feel for A gal named Duck-foot Sue; She was gentle and divine, Long-waisted in the feet; Her heel stuck out behind, Like an eighteen karat beet.
Chorus. So now I’ll tell to you of the Gal I loved so true; She was second-hand mate in a Chinese laundry out in Kalamazoo. Her beauty was all that she had, She was built like a North River shad; She’d an India-rubber lip, like the rudder of a ship, With a razor she was bad.
She wasn’t very fat. Or either very thin; She looked, when she was dressed, Like a straw in a barrel of gin. I took her to the ball Of the Hardly Able Club, It cost a ten-case note For to fill her up with grub.
Chorus. She’d an eye like a hard-shell clam, And a voice like a catamaran; She could chin for an hour at a forty-horse power, And an ear like a Japanese tan. Her hair was an indigo blue, She was as graceful as a kangaroo; You ought to hear her rustle with her patent leather bustle. She could whistle like a steamboat, too.
But since she ran away, I’ve almost lost my breath; If she travels on her shape, She’s sure to starve to death. If I had married her, I’d almost been afraid Of being shot or scalped By the mother-in-law brigade.
Chorus. For she was a funny old guy, With a double-barrelled squint in her eye; Her number ten feet used to cover up the street, She’d a mouth like a crack in a pie. She’d a cheerful cemetery laugh, And a head like a Mexican calf; When she’d cry, you’d think she’d died, This gal who was so fond of her half-and half.
SAILING
written in 1880 by Godfrey Marks, a pseudonym of British organist and composer James Frederick Swift (1847–1931)
Y’heave ho! my lads, the wind blows free, A pleasant gale is on our lee; And soon across the ocean clear, Our gallant barque shall bravely steer. But ere we part from England’s shores to-night, A song we’ll sing for home and beauty bright.
CHORUS. Then here’s to the sailor, and here’s to the hearts so true, Who will think of him upon the waters blue! Sailing, sailing, over the bounding main; For many a stormy wind shall blow, ere Jack comes home again! Sailing, sailing, over the bounding main; For many a stormy wind shall blow, ere Jack comes home again!
The sailor’s life is bold and free, His home is on the rolling sea; And never heart more true or brave Than his who launches on the wave, Afar he speeds in distant climes to roam, With jocund song he rides the sparkling foam.
The tide is flowing with the gale, Y’Heave ho! my lads, set ev’ry sail; The harbor bar we soon shall clear; Farewell once more to home so dear, For when the tempest rages loud and long, That home shall be our guiding star and song.
Highland Airways plane crash at Westness, September 1935.
Piloted by John Rae and carrying five passengers, the Highland Airways de Havilland DH.84 Dragon crashed on its approach to the Trumland airfield east of Westness on Rousay. The pilot’s head went through the windscreen and the passengers were all thrown from their seats as the plane came to rest against trees and a high wall after ploughing through the Westness House vegetable garden.
Despite the violence of the crash everyone escaped with minor cuts and bruises. The plane was later dismantled, and the latter pictures show the wings and fuselage being loaded onto Tom Sinclair’s post boat to be taken to Kirkwall.
The plane was rebuilt and returned to service, but – on February 14th 1940 it crashed again, this time on its approach to Dalcross Airport, Inverness. Luckily all eight aboard escaped injury, but the plane was written off, having been damaged beyond repair.
