Rousay Diamond and Silver Wedding Anniversaries
Celebrating their Diamond and Silver Wedding anniversaries in Rousay on February 27th 1939 –
Magnus and Helen Craigie, and their son Alexander and his wife Rose.
Magnus Craigie, Falquoy, later Ploverha’, was born on April 24th 1856, the son of Alexander Craigie, Whoam later Falquoy, and Ann Murray, Tofts, Quandale. At Holm on February 27th 1879 he married Helen Cooper, born on February 7th 1859 at Sound, Egilsay, daughter of David Cooper and Douglas Craigie. Her name was spelled Ellen Couper on the marriage certificate, and she was living at Newbigging, Holm, at the time. The ceremony was carried out by the Rev Charles Runcieman, and the witnesses were James B. Craigie, and Margaret Manson.
Magnus and Helen raised a family of 13 children: Alexander was born at Newbigging, Holm on the afternoon of April 17th 1879; Maggie Ann was born on May 17th 1880 when the family were living at Claybank, Wasbister – where the rest of her siblings were born: Magnus, on August 4th 1881; Betsy, on August 20th 1882; Wilhelmina Logie, on August 25th 1883; Clara, on May 5th 1885; James, on July 18th 1886; Mary Jessie Inkster, on July 22nd 1887; David, on August 9th 1888; John, on February 18th 1890; Lily, on May 11th 1891; Alice Gibson, on October 9th 1893; and Helen Mary, who was born on August 5th 1898 after the family moved the short distance to Ploverha’.
Alexander Craigie was a 34 year old ploughman living at Furse when he married Rose Ida Violet Hourston Gibson on February 27th 1914. She was born in 1885, the daughter of farmer David Gibson, Hullion, and Ann Craigie Sinclair, Newhouse. The ceremony at Hullion was performed by the Rev. Alexander Spark, and witnessed by the groom’s brother James Craigie, and cousin Sarah Sinclair Craigie.
Extremes of longevity existed in the family: Maggie Ann lived to the age of 108; Lily, 101; Helen, 95; Magnus, 90; Alexander, 85; Alice, 80; David, 70; and Wilhelmina, 63. Their brother John was 29 years of age when he died in 1917, and is remembered on the Rousay war memorial. Mary Jessie died at the age of 2, and Betsy died at birth.
[My thanks to Muriel Marwick, Innister, for bringing this cutting from The Orcadian
to my attention for inclusion on the website.]