sources outside scotland for orkney family history · rendall founded the orkney family history...
TRANSCRIPT
Second Edition
Acknowledgements
I am indebted to the National Archives of Scotland for their permission to reproduce excerpts from NRS CC17/2/9
(p20) and RS46/4, RS78/3 and RS45/7 (p24), and to the Orkney Archive for their permission to reproduce the 1535 deed from OA D2/33/13 (front cover), the family tree by Henry Leask from D17/1 (rear cover), and excerpts from
OCR27/2, SC11/8/1, CO6/1/8, D13/86 and SC11/86/18/3 (pp 19, 22, 26, 27 and 29 respectively). Sheena Wenham has
kindly allowed me to quote an excerpt from OA D5/33/5 (p27), and Malcolm Macrae to access his Breckness Estate
records (p13). Archie Bevan traced the quote of George Mackay Brown (p6) to his “Winter Tales”, and John Brown
introduced me to the Naming Stone (p40). David Mackie provided the photograph for the rear cover and assisted with
that for the front cover, which was very kindly taken, along with all the other photographs, by my brother Bruce Irvine.
I also owe thanks to many others. It was the late Janet Sinclair who encouraged me to embark on an overview of
sources for Orcadian genealogy. Moving from this concept to publication has been a fascinating and illuminating
challenge that I could not have achieved without the patience and assistance of the staff of the National Archives of
Scotland and the Orkney Archive, especially Peter Anderson, Susan Corrigall, Alison Fraser, Phil Astley, Lucy Gibbon and SarahJane Gibbon née Grieve. I have also been helped by Hazel Anderson of the Scottish Archives Network, John
Ballantyne, Patti Heimsness, Dave Higgins, Bobby Leslie, Robert Marwick, John Moar, Stan Sutherland, and Nan
Scott, Anne Rendall and the Committee of the Orkney Family History Society. Rosemary Bigwood has sharpened my
understanding of Scottish genealogy, Willie Thomson has taught me much on Orkney’s history, and Ray Fereday has
been painstaking in his comments on my drafts. The staff of The Orcadian have been most co-operative. My wife
Sally, besides making my spellchecker redundant, has shown remarkable forbearance.
Notwithstanding all this support, no doubt some errors and ambiguities have escaped my attention. For these I offer
the reader my apologies.
I am much obliged to the Orkney Islands Council for their financial support.
June 2004 James M Irvine
Preface to Second Edition
The print run of my first edition of 1,000 books having been exhausted, in this second, CD edition I have taken the
opportunity to correct several small errors, incorporate important developments at the National Records of Scotland and
Scotlandspeople, update various other websites and contact details, add a brief section on DNA, and introduce many
minor refinements. However the basic structure and 76 A4 page format remain unchanged, with my text primarily
aimed at established genealogists, but beginners and local historians being catered for as well.
January 2015 James M Irvine
Trace Your Orkney Ancestors:
A Guide to Sources for
Orcadian Family and Local History
James M. Irvine
© James M. Irvine 2004, 2015
All rights reserved
ISBN No. 0-9544571-1-0
First edition published in 2004 by
James M. Irvine
11 Agates Lane, Ashtead, Surrey KT21 2NG
Printed in Orkney by
The Orcadian Limited, Hell’s Half Acre, Hatston, Kirkwall KW15 1DW
www.orcadian.co.uk
Second, on-line, edition published in 2015 by
The Orkney Family History Society, 44 Junction Road, Kirkwall KW15 1AG
www.orkneyfhs.co.uk
Contents
PREFACE …………….…………………...….. 6
INTRODUCTION
1 Access to sources
1.1 Private sources …………………...……… 8
1.2 Internet sources …………………….……. 8 1.3 LDS sources ……………………………... 9
1.4 Libraries & Societies ……………..……… 9
1.5 Sources in Edinburgh(incl. NRS & NLS). 9
1.6 Sources in Kirkwall (incl. OA & OFHS). 11 1.7 Archives elsewhere ……………………… 13
2 Research Principles 2.1 Choices: costs, convenience & reliability 14
2.2 Care of documents ………………………. 14
2.3 Confidentiality & Copyright ………..….... 14
3 Handwriting, language and technical terms 15
THE RECORDS AND THEIR USE
4 Census Returns …………………………….. 17
5 Hatches, Matches and Dispatches
5.1 Births, baptisms, marriages & deaths .…... 18 5.2 Monumental Inscriptions ………………... 20
5.3 Wills & Testaments ………..……………. 20
5.4 Retours & Services of Heirs …….…..…… 21
6 Transfers of Land-ownership 6.2 Register of the Great Seal, 1314-1919 .….. 23
6.3 Records of Sasines, 1576-date ………….. 23
7 Census Substitutes
7.1 Admission Registers of Schools, 1874-date 25 7.2 Communicant Rolls, 1830-date …………. 25
7.3 Electors Rolls, 1730-date …………….….. 25
7.4 Valuation & Land Tax Records, 1601-date 25
7.5 Poll Tax Returns, 1690s …………………. 26 7.6 Poor Relief Records, 1801, 1845-1930 ….. 26
7.7 Rentals (Bishopric & Earldom), 1492-1974 27
7.8 Suit Rolls, 1617-1747 …………………… 29 7.9 Taxation Returns ….……….….…….…… 29
7.10 Other Lists of Orcadians ………...………. 29
8 Other Sources
8.1 Church Records ………………….………. 30
8.2 Court Records, Deeds & Diligences …...… 31
8.3 Estate Records ………………………….... 35 8.4 Genealogists' & Local Antiquaries' Records 35
8.5 Government Records ………………….…. 35
8.6 Hudson's Bay Company Archives …….…. 36 8.7 Maps, Plans & Gazetteers ………….…..… 36
8.8 Newspapers, Periodicals & Directories ….. 36
THE CONTEXT
9 Orkney's Topography and History …….…. 37
APPENDICES
DETAILS OF SOURCE MATERIALS
A Archives - Current Reference Codes …..….. 41
B Archives - Former Reference Numbers …… 42 C Archives - LDS Reference Numbers ……… 43
D Baptisms, marriages & burials - the OPRs ... 44
E Baptisms, marriages & burials not in OPRs 45
F Census Substitutes ………….……………... 46
G Church Records …………………….……... 47
H Court Records (excl. Deeds & Diligences) .. 48 J Deeds ……………………………..……..… 49
K Debt, Diligence & Bankruptcy Records ….. 50
L Estate Records …………………………….. 51
M Local Antiquaries’ Records ……………..… 51
N Monumental Inscriptions on Gravestones … 52
O Newspapers, Periodicals & Directories …… 53
P Poll Tax of 1693 - scope of parish returns … 53 Q Rentals of the Bishopric & Earldom ....….... 54
R Sasines …………………………………….. 57
S Suit Rolls ………………………….………. 58
T Testaments, Retours & Services of Heirs .... 59
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
U Map of the Orkney Parishes ……..………… 61
V Notes on Currency, Weights & Land values 62
W Notes on Dates …………………………….. 63
X Notes on Land ownership in Orkney ……… 64
Y Notes on Names, Clans, Tartans, Heraldry
and Genetic Genealogy (DNA) 66
Z Glossary of Abbreviations and Legal terms 68
BIBLIOGRAPHY ….…………………………. 72
INDEX ….……………………………………… 74
______________________
Illustrations
Orkney Library and Archive, Kirkwall ……….... 38 Orkney Room ………………………..…………. 38
Orkney Archive Public Search Room ……..….... 39
Orkney Family History Society …………….…... 39
Gravestone in Orphir churchyard …………….… 40 Naming Stone near Black Craig, Stromness …… 40
PREFACE
We cannot live fully without the treasury our ancestors left us. (George Mackay Brown)
God has been kind to those seeking their Orcadian roots: like its agriculture, archaeology, history, hospitality, ornithology and scenery, Orkney’s genealogical heritage “punches well above its weight”. Local interest in
genealogy has a long tradition, the supporting records are extensive, and their accessibility is much improved.
Orkney’s long winter nights were conducive to oral tales
of ancestors. The Orkneyinga Saga,1 written c.1200, relates the ancestry of four centuries of Viking earls and
warriors, implying family history has been in the blood of Orcadians for at least forty generations.2 Many local
surnames go back over twenty generations, and at least two farms have probably been inhabited by the same
family for a dozen generations or more.3 The Norse system of udal land-ownership, based on ancestral rights,
has co-existed with the Scots system of feudal ownership for five centuries and contributed to a litigious society in
which old records retain enduring significance. Insularity has helped protect these records from raids and plunder.
Although most Orcadians married within the islands,4 successive waves of immigrants have introduced fresh
blood. In contrast to the Scottish Highlands, Orkney was
largely free from the “clearances” of the late 18th and early 19th centuries,5 but over the years many thousands of
Orcadians migrated “aff sooth”6 and to Canada, USA, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. Today about a
quarter of the membership of the Orkney Family History Society live outside the UK.
In Edinburgh, the National Records of Scotland (NRS)
holds records of the censuses and the registers of births, marriages, deaths, wills and testaments7 for every Scottish
county, and many other records too. The Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-day Saints (LDS) makes makes
indexes and copies of many of these records available at over 2,000 Family History Centers around the world.
Less well known are the efforts over three centuries of Orcadian antiquaries such as Mackenzie, Peterkin, Petrie,
Balfour, Denniston, Leask, Craven, Johnston, Clouston, Spence, Reid, Hugh and Ernest Marwicks, and
MacGillivray to preserve local records. Much has been lost, but the contents of many attics, charter chests, filing
cabinets and safes are now lodged with NRS and in Kirkwall with the Orkney Archive (OA), enabling the
conservation, free access and study of this rich heritage. A succession of authors has drawn from these documents
and helped to foster a mature awareness of local history through the journals of antiquarian societies and other
publications. Currently there are over 100 books on Orkney in print!
1 Italics denote published works listed in the Bibliography.
2 On the basis of thirty years per generation.
3 Laughtons have lived in Easterbister, Holm from 1492 to the
present day (Wenham 2003, p204), and Irvines and their in-law
descendants have lived in Clovigarth in Stromness from 1470 to the
present day (Irvine 2009, pp262, 268). 4 And often the same parish, which makes genealogy much easier!
5 With the notable exception of Rousay (Thomson 2000), and lesser
evictions from Birsay, Hoy, N.Ronaldsay and Shapinsay. 6 i.e. to the Scottish mainland and England.
7 Technical terms used in this Preface are explained in later chapters
and a glossary in Appendix Z.
A century ago Roland St.Clair and Storer Clouston
showed how contemporary records can reveal pedigrees of many Orcadian families, and over the years a steady
flow of Orcadian family histories have been published. In 1997, after editing Westray Roots for ten years, Gavin
Rendall founded the Orkney Family History Society (OFHS), whose membership now extends around the
world. This forum for Orcadian genealogists publishes Sib Folk News every quarter as well as excellent
transcriptions of local Census Returns and Monumental Inscriptions.
The Internet now carries a vast amount of genealogical
material. Accessing the International Genealogy Index (IGI), private websites, mailing lists and blogsites is often
informative, but some of the data therein may be
misleading, if not fallacious.8 Fortunately several official websites have been steadily improved: the pay-to-view
site of Scotlandspeople now offers indexes and digital images of many of the NRS records, while free sites such
as GENUKI, SCAN, NRS and OFHS identify many other manuscript and published sources.
How then do you decide which of these many sources will
be most useful for researching your ancestry? How much can be done from home, and what can only be done in
Edinburgh or Kirkwall? How expensive need all this be? Where old records may be found is not always logical,9
while indexing and duplications are often unclear. For most genealogists, finding the time and money to study in
one of these locations, let alone both, is a challenge. For some it is impossible. Even when a specific record is
found, deciphering its script can be difficult; the Scots language and legal terms present additional challenges to
those not brought up in Scotland; while the old Norse weights, measures and legal terms are unfamiliar to us all.
This is the first text devoted specifically to researching
Orcadian ancestry. It seeks to introduce the many sources now available in a manner suitable for both
inexperienced and experienced genealogists.10 But it does not attempt to address the basic features common to
all family history research, or how such research can best be written-up and presented; nor does it cover all the
idiosyncrasies of Scottish genealogy. For these subjects, many excellent books are already available.11
8 See Chapters 1.2 and 5.1.3 for details and explanation.
9 The present location of many of Orkney’s records is a compromise.
10 Despite my extensive listings of the Orcadian source material held
by NRS, OA and OFHS, this text does not include a comprehensive
list of the holdings of these organisations, or substitute for their
detailed catalogues, source lists and guides. Nor does it replicate
several excellent features of the Orkney pages of the GENUKI
website. 11
I recommend Collins Pocket Reference Tracing Scottish Family
History (Adolph, 2008).
TRACE YOUR ORKNEY ANCESTORS 7
This text has three objectives:
1. To summarise the many options now available for accessing the basic data relating to the censuses and births, marriages and deaths in Orkney, and to identify the various pros and cons relevant to choosing the options best suited to each reader’s individual circumstances and interests.
2. To introduce those readers who have become “stuck” when trying to trace their ancestry further back, and others who think that all their needs can be met by the IGI and the Internet, to the vast amount of additional genealogical material that may be found elsewhere, and particularly in the vast archives held in Edinburgh and Kirkwall.
3. To stimulate research into more than the bare branches of a family tree. Our ancestors lived in a fascinating world very different to today, and much more can be discovered about them than just determining their identities and dates and places of birth, marriage and death.
The latter two objectives often involve laborious research,
but the results can be most revealing. And even if an ancestor apparently left no footprint in contemporary
records, much can be learnt of Orkney’s economic and social conditions of the times when he or she flourished or
struggled and eventually succumbed or migrated.
The text is written for both the few genealogists who have ready access to libraries and archives in Edinburgh and
Kirkwall, and for the many others whose access to these locations is infrequent or unlikely, and instead have to
rely on the Internet and local libraries, societies and LDS Family History Centers. For those who can only visit the
NRS and OA occasionally, it will help to make their
research better focused and to avoid wasting time spent seeking sources that could be studied at more leisure
without travelling afar. Hopefully it will stimulate some to make at least one pilgrimage to their ancestral
homeland - a visit they are sure to treasure forever.
The first three chapters introduce the locations where the relevant genealogical material can be found, and
summarise the records held there and how these may be accessed. Fctors impacting the efficiency and quality of
genealogical research are then addressed: choosing which indexes and records or copies to use, the inter-related
issues of cost, time and reliability, and the challenges in
reading old handwriting, and in interpreting and
understanding the many foreign and technical terms used.
The next five chapters discuss the context, content, and relevance of the individual sources.12 Chapters 4 and 5
address the most useful data - the census returns and various indexes and copies of records relating to births,
marriages and deaths. Several options are identified for accessing this data, and the pros and cons of each option
explained so that each reader may choose options most appropriate their particular circumstances: where they live,
and how much time and money they may wish to spend.
For some readers the pursuit of these sources may be all they have time for, or the results may prove sufficient to
satisfy their curiosity - if so, they can skip to Chapter 9!
12
I introduce the sources in the sequence they are usually best used:
first indexes, then abstracts, and then the full texts. For each source
there are often several versions that I introduce in the sequence
most likely to be convenient: first websites, then publications, then
copies (micro-film, -fiche or digital), and finally the original
records themselves.
For more zealous researchers, Chapters 6, 7 and 8 address
sources which involve significantly greater effort and have a significantly lower probability of finding
references to possible ancestors, but which nevertheless can yield revealing insights into their lives and times.
Chapter 6 introduces the main sources concerning land-ownership. These records are widely accessible and often
mention owners and tenants of very small parcels of land, so their usefulness is often greater than might be expected.
The remaining sources are less widely available. Chapter
7 groups the many relatively concise listings of former Orcadians in their roles as pupils, communicants, electors,
jurymen, landowners, tenants, taxpayers and paupers. Chapter 8 introduces the more extensive records whose
genealogical relevance only arises if you either have a
specific lead to pursue for more detailed information, or have considerable time and patience to peruse the indexes
and original texts for chance “sightings” of possible ancestors as lairds, tenants, employees, witnesses,
litigants, debtors, criminals and sinners.13
Chapter 9 suggests how to see the results of genealogical research in the wider context of Orkney’s social history.
Our legacy of source material in both Edinburgh and
Kirkwall is well catalogued, but this does not make its use straightforward, even with the help of the patient archivists
and the aid of various existing guides and textbooks. Appendices A - T summarise the more extensive series of
sources, showing their reference codes, dates, and where copies may be found. These tables are rather complex,
but the format gives an overview of various inter-relationships that should help when deciding the best
sequence for studying the sources. Appendices U - Z add
background on technical terms, landownership and names.
This text is written primarily for family historians, but much of it is equally relevant to local historians. For
example, using the sources identified, the reader should be able to trace the owners and tenants of most rural
properties in Orkney back for three centuries; in the Bishopric parishes this is often possible back to 1601.
The text reflects five decades of largely self-taught study
of the archives in Edinburgh and Kirkwall.14 Not having been brought up in Scotland, I have had to learn subtleties
of the Scots language and legal system that few Scottish writers on genealogy explain. Hopefully this text can
help others avoid some of the pitfalls into which I have stumbled from time to time.
Inevitably some the text will soon become dated: I keep
an updated Addenda and Corrigenda of relevant developments which I am happy to e-mail on request.
And while I am reluctant to respond to specific research queries, I will be pleased to answer e-mails on issues
arising directly from this contribution to Orcadian research.
13
Within Chapters 7 & 8 I introduce the sources in alphabetical order,
as the relative importance of each will depend on the circumstances
of both the researcher and the ancestor (s) they are researching. 14
The text expands on the lecture “Family History Sources in
Orkney” that I gave to the OFHS in April 2002, and my articles in
the OFHS' Sib Folk News Nos. 17, 19, 24, 25 and 31.
8 TRACE YOUR ORKNEY ANCESTORS
INTRODUCTION
Chapter 1
Access to Sources
This Chapter introduces the many locations where sources for Orcadian genealogy may be found.
Prior consultation is advisable before visiting any public
library or archive, as viewing equipment may need to be
reserved, and the facility may be closed for stocktaking or
bank holidays (which differ in Scotland from elsewhere).
Most facilities now cater for lap-top computers, but
require coats, bags, food and pens to be left in lockers.
1.1 Private sources But before planning visits to public libraries or archives,
much initial work can be done from home. No matter where you live, unnecessary duplication of much research
can be avoided by contacting relatives who may already
have genealogical material such as old letters, photographs,
or even a family bible. Recording the memories and
anecdotes of elderly relatives should be a priority. It is
important to identify the parish in Orkney from which
your ancestors came (see Appendix U), as this is the key
to many public records. Identifying relevant townships,
farm-names and occupations will save you time later on.
Did the family own any land? Did they rent? Who from?
Other private, unrelated individuals may hold relevant
records. Learning of such sources will often be by
hearsay, but the privacy of the owners and confidentiality of their records should be respected. It may be
appropriate to seek the advice of a professional archivist.
1.2 Internet sources I still believe the Internet to be an over-rated tool for
genealogists, but two website “message boards” and two
e-mail “mailing lists” (to which “subscription” is free) can
each yield useful information and contacts, from both
passive monitoring and pro-active queries:
www.genforum/scotland/ and click “Orkney”;
www.genforum.com/ [surname];
www.orkneyfhs.co.uk > Members Page
www.rootsweb.com Rootsweb sites are widely read; try
Message Boards/Localities/UK/Scotland/Orkney, for:
(i) [surname]15 in “Orkney Category”, for old messages;
(ii) “General”, for on-going messages.16
[Surname][email protected]
The extensive information to be found on these sites is
given in good faith, but always try to check the reliability
of critical items from independent sources.
There is a continuously evolving plethora of commercial
and private genealogical websites. Some are sound, but
many are spoilt by the apparent zeal of their webmasters
who seem less concerned with historical accuracy than
15
Searches may be enhanced if surname is all in lower case, and
trying “Soundex” and/or wild cards (“*”) if its spelling is uncertain. 16
“Add To Favourites” or “Add To Notifications” are useful.
with romantic presentations of unattributed data of
questionable veracity, and/or with technical gimmicks to
enhance the visual and even audio impact of their site.
At the time of going to print, quality websites and features
thereof relevant to Orcadian genealogy include:
1.2.1 Orkney
www.genuki.org.uk/big/sct/OKI
The UK & Ireland Genealogical Information Service
(GENUKI) is a non-commercial organisation run by
volunteers that provides the most comprehensive website for UK genealogical data. Its 50 Orkney pages, re-
vamped in 2002, are a “must”. All data is free. Three
lists on the “Genealogy” pages are of particular note, even
if the accuracy of the resulting data cannot be guaranteed:
- Genealogies of Orcadian families available on websites;
- Genealogies of Orcadian families that have been published; - Individuals’ interests in researching Orcadian families.
The “Parish” pages identify further useful source material.
www.orkneyfhs.co.uk
The website of the Orkney Family History Society
(OFHS)(see Chapter 1.6.2), with their current programme,
publications, membership details and much useful data.
Free, although some data is restricted to members only.
http://tilley.dynodns.net:8000/ This private site of Mike Bostwick includes transcripts of
effectively all Orkney OPR baptisms and marriages in
LDS’ Scottish Church Records Index (see Chapter 5.1.3),
plus a surname index of Westray’s 1841-1891 census
returns. Care is needed on surname spelling, even with
his Soundex facility.
www.cursiter.com
This private site of Walt Custer includes access to free
downloads of transcripts of IGI baptisms and marriages
for nearly 400 Orcadian surnames.
www.rousayroots.com
This private site of John Marwick includes all the census
and monumental inscriptions of Rousay, plus extensive
genealogies of Rousay’s inhabitants.
www.southronaldsay.net/ This private site of Lisa Conrad includes surname indexes
for S.Ronaldsay & Burray of census returns 1821, burials
1832-1854 and deaths 1855-1899.
www.orcadian.co.uk/bookshop
Details of most books on Orkney currently in print.
www.ancestralorkney.com
A promotional site, with genealogy and tourism links.
www.orknet.co.uk
www.orkneycommunities.co.uk
Two “portals” for Orkney websites, including several free
sites with genealogical data.
TRACE YOUR ORKNEY ANCESTORS 9
1.2.2 Scotland
www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk
The official “pay-to-view” site of the National Records of
Scotland (NRS), Edinburgh (see Chapter 1.5.1). For £7,
30 “page credits” of data may be accessed, valid for 1
year. Continuously being extended, this site now makes
accessible the indexes and digital images of all the Civil,
Old Parish and Catholic Registers (see Chapter 5.1.1-
5.1.4), Census returns (see Chapter 4), Wills & Testaments (see Chapter 5.3), and some of the Valuation
Rolls (see Chapter 7.4.1) held by NRS. Useful “Research
Tools” include glossaries and handwriting help.
www.nrs.gov.uk
The official site of the National Records of Scotland
(NRS), Edinburgh. It now includes most of their extensive catalogues (see Chapter 1.5.2) and Research
Guides. Data is free.
www.scotlandsplaces.gov.uk This site enables free access to a gazetteer and a variety of
images, and “pay-to-view” access (for £15 per quarter) to databases of the National Library of Scotland (NLS),
National Records of Scotland (NRS) and the Royal
Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of
Scotland (RCAHMS), including various historical tax
rolls (see Chapter 7.9), and the Ordnance Survey Name
Books (see Chapter 8.7).
www.scan.org.uk
The site of the Scottish Archives Network (SCAN),
sponsored by NRS and regional archives including
Orkney Archive (OA), Kirkwall. The “Online Catalogue”
includes the provenance and “high level” indexes of the
NRS, NLS and OA collections that may be “searched” by
reference, name, place or date. Their “Research Tools”
are excellent. Data is free.
www.scottishhandwriting.com
An excellent tutorial site sponsored by NRS. Free.
www.nls.uk
The site of the National Library of Scotland, with free access to their catalogues (see Chapters 1.5.4 and 1.5.5).
www.edina.ac.uk/stat-acc-scot
The site of the University of Edinburgh, with free
printouts of the Old (1790s) and New (1840s) Statistical
Accounts of the parishes of Scotland (see Chapter 9).
www.safhs.org.uk
The site of the Scottish Association of Family History
Societies, to which the OFHS is affiliated. It includes
contact details of member societies and bi-annual
Bulletins of general interest.
1.2.3 Other
www.familysearch.org
The site of the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-day
Saints (LDS), offering free on-line access in “Search for
Ancestors” to their “International Genealogical Index”
(IGI) (see Chapters 1.3 and 5.1), “Ancestral” and
“Pedigree Resource” Files (data submitted by private
individuals, mostly American), and their extensive
“Library Catalogue” (whose relevant micro-films and
-fiches are listed in Appendix C).
www.nationalarchives.gov.uk The site of The National Archives (TNA)(formerly PRO),
with free access to their catalogues (see Chapter 1.7.7).
www.discovery/nationalarchives.gov.uk
A gateway to genealogical resources in UK archives.
www.bayanne.info/Shetland/
An amazing site for Shetland genealogy.
www.gov.mb.ca/chc/archives/hbca/
The site of the Hudson’s Bay Company Archives.
1.3 LDS Family History Centers The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the
“Mormons”) has about 100 of their “Family History
Centers” in the UK,17 120 in Australia, 130 in Canada, 40
in New Zealand and over 1,800 in USA. The address and
opening hours of each Center may be found on the
“Library” page of the LDS website. Everyone is welcome
and no charge is made for use of their basic facilities.
Prior booking of micro-fiche and -film readers is advised.
Most Centers hold a full set of LDS CD-ROMs and
microfiches, plus some microfilms (see Chapter 5.1 and
Appendix C). Access to material held on site is free, but a
handling fee, typically less than £5, is payable if a
microfilm has to be ordered. This may take several weeks to arrive, and is returnable by the Center after 3 months.
Most Centers can photocopy and scan micro-films and -
fiches, at reasonable cost. Each Center should be a useful
booklet Scotland Research Outline (Document no.
32960000), that can also be ordered for $1.00 + p&p.
These Centers enable extensive genealogical research to
be undertaken at little cost, and are especially useful to
individuals unable to visit Edinburgh or Kirkwall.
1.4 Libraries and Societies Few of the popular books and magazines on genealogy
have much relevance to Orkney; the publications that do
are listed in the Bibliography or Appendix O, and in the
GENUKI pages for Orkney. Copies of many of these
publications may be found in major public libraries and
the libraries of national genealogical societies and older
universities. Many such libraries now have websites that
include their catalogues. Some have pre-visit ordering
facilities that can save valuable time while at the library.
Space here does not permit the listing of all of the many
libraries and societies that hold Orcadian material,18 but details of the most useful in Edinburgh and Kirkwall are
summarised as they complement the archives held there,
enhancing the potential of visits to these two locations.
1.5 Sources in Edinburgh
Some public records of interest to students of Orcadian
genealogy have been returned to Kirkwall, and indexes
and copies of other records still held in Edinburgh are now available on websites and at the LDS Family History
Centers. However the various archives in Edinburgh still
retain a truly vast amount of material of potential
genealogical interest that is not available elsewhere, and
the libraries there hold relevant publications that may be
more readily accessible than elsewhere.
17
LDS have no FHC in Orkney. However LDS has little material of
relevance to Orkney that is not already held by OA or OFHS. 18
Cox 1999 has an extensive listing of Scottish libraries and societies.
10 TRACE YOUR ORKNEY ANCESTORS
1.5.1 ScotlandsPeople Centre The Centre is the history research centre for the National
Records of Scotland (formerly GROS in New Register
House), the repository for: - decennial census returns since 1841 (see Chapter 4); - Civil Registers of births, deaths and marriages since 1855; - surviving “old” Parochial Registers of baptisms, marriages and
burials (“OPRs”) of the Church of Scotland before 1855; and - various “Minor Registers” (see Chapter 5.1).
The Centre is now on the ground floor of General Register
House, near Waverley Station. Contact details:
- Address: HM General Register House,
2 Princes St., Edinburgh EH1 3YY
- Tel: 0131 314 4300
- e-mail: see website
- www.nrscotland.gov.uk > Features > Visit the Centre
The Centre’s Search Rooms, the Adam Dome and the
Reid Room, are open Monday to Friday 0900-1630.
Entry is £15 per day. Pre-booking is recommended.
The public no longer have access to the original
documents or, excepting computer failure, to the micro-
film or -fiche copies thereof. Instead they now use a
computer terminal to access the ScotlandsPeople indexes
and digital images, can ask a supervisor to read original
records if the quality of an image is poor, and order digital
images or certified transcripts (see Chapter 5.1).
Long been a popular venue for Scottish genealogists, the
relative value of visits to the Centre has been reduced by
the availability of the indexes and digital images on the Scotlandspeople website, and the IGI and other LDS
indexes (see Appendix C). Micro-fiches and -films of
many of GROS’ records are also available at less cost at
their Family History Centers, at SGS and free of charge at
ECL in Edinburgh and OA and OFHS in Kirkwall, and in
many other major libraries and genealogical societies.
1.5.2 National Records of Scotland (NRS)
Formerly known as the Scottish Record Office and then as the National Archives of Scotland, NRS is the vast
repository for Scotland’s state records dating from 1189,
and for many private records. Contact details:
- Address: HM General Register House,
2, Princes Street, Edinburgh EH1 3YY
- Tel: 0131 535 1314 (Historical S. Rm.: 535 1334)
- e-mail: [email protected]
- www.nrscotland.gov.uk
NRS has one Search Room open to the public,19 the
Historical Search Room, in HM General Register House -(GRH). It is open Monday to Friday 0900-1630. Entry is
free. A reader's ticket, valid 3 years, requires proof of
identity.
Adjacent to the Historical Search Room are Catalogue
Rooms that house hundreds of volumes of catalogues
(“repertories” and more detailed “inventories”). Useful
introductions include copies of the “Summary Catalogue
Index” (1 volume), the “Summary Catalogue” (3
volumes), and a series of typewritten “Source Lists”, of
19
The sesarch room in West Register House, Charlotte Square is now
closed.
which No. 30 is a “List of Orkney and Shetland
Documents”,20 in three parts: Gifts and Deposits (pp31),
Maps, Charts and Plans (pp7), and Central Government
Records (pp19).21
Digital images of NRS’ main catalogues22 can now also be
viewed on the NRS and SCAN websites. Prior perusal
will help prospective visitors familiarise themselves with
the arrangements and material and save valuable time
when visiting NRS.
Each original archive record (i.e. document, volume or
plan) is identified by a unique reference code, comprising
an initial letter or letters followed by a series of digits. The letter(s) identify the “collection” of records - see
Appendix A. The collections most relevant to Orkney
genealogy are discussed in Chapters 5 through 8.
Only three documents or volumes may be examined at a
time. Records held on-site in GRH are delivered in 10-30
minutes. Records held off-site at West Register House
(WRH) or Thomas Thomson House (TTH) can be viewed
in the Historical Search Room, but orders (up to 12 items
per day) have to be placed by 1415 the day before, or by
post or e-mail before arrival. Records that have been
digitised (notably the Registers of Sasines and
Testaments) may only be viewed in that form, in the
Historical Search Room. Seek staff advice on the evolving arrangements for storage and digitising.
Photocopy fees start at 50p/sheet; for details see
www.nrscotland.gov.uk/files//research/historical-
search-room/fees-and-charges.pdf
Useful Research Guides are available on-line and in hard
copy. Two excellent books on NRS are:
- Tracing Your Scottish Ancestors (Sinclair 1990, 6th edn, 2012);
- Guide to the National Archives of Scotland (HMSO 1996).
1.5.3 The Court of Lord Lyon (CLL) The authority on armorial matters in Scotland (see
Appendix Y.5). Contact details:
- Address: The Court of the Lord Lyon,
HM New Register House, Edinburgh EH1 3YT
- Tel: 0131 556 7255
- e-mail: [email protected]
- www.lyon-court.com
Staff do not undertake genealogical research, but can
pursue enquiries relating to their genealogical records of armigerous families. A charge is made for viewing the
Public Register of All Arms and Bearings in Scotland (see
www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk).
1.5.4 Edinburgh Central Library (ECL)
Edinburgh's “local” library. Contact details: - Address: George IV Bridge, Edinburgh EH1 1EG
- Tel: 0131 242 8020
- e-mail: [email protected]
- www.edinburgh.gov.uk/directory/12/libraries >
Central Lending Library
20
Copies of this Source List can also be viewed at OA. 21
This list omits references to NRS CR4, E885, GD190/3 and TE. 22
But not the Summaries, Source Lists or Indexes.
TRACE YOUR ORKNEY ANCESTORS 11
The library is open Monday to Wednesday 1000-2000,
Thursday to Saturday 1000-1700. Entry is free (no
reader’s ticket required). Photocopying is 15p/sheet.
ECL’s excellent “Scottish Library” in the basement holds
70,000 volumes on culture and history, many of which are
on open shelves. There is a good collection of periodicals
and trade directories; card index a.1980, computer index
p.1980; IGI fiches (1992 edition) for all Scotland.
1.5.5 Edinburgh University Library (EUL)
Contact details:
- Address: George Square, Edinburgh EH8 9LJ
- Tel.: 0131 651 5151
- e-mail: [email protected]
- www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/information-
services/library-museum-gallery
The Main Library is open 0900 (Saturday, Sunday 1200)
to 1950 (Friday, Sunday 1850, Saturday 1750, earlier in
vacations). The Special Collections library closes at 1700.
Admission free, after registeration. Photocopying is
10p/sheet.
1.5.6 National Library of Scotland (NLS) Scotland’s largest library, with 6 million printed items
and 100,000 volumes of manuscripts. Contact details:
- Address: George IV Bridge, Edinburgh EH1 1EW
- Tel: 0131 623 3700 Fax: 0131 623 3701
- e-mail: [email protected]
- www.nls.uk Includes on-line catalogues and and on-line
ordering (except for periodicals).
NLS is open Monday to Friday 0900 (Wednesday 1000) -2020; Saturday 0930-1250. Entry is free, but registration
is required, either on-line or on arrival, to obtain a
reader’s ticket, valid 3 years. Self-service photocopying
is 20p/sheet; scanning to memory stick is 10p/sheet.
Reference works and journals of most of the Scottish
antiquarian societies (see Appendix O) are stored on open
shelves. Other books held on-site are delivered within 20
minutes. Some volumes stored off-site have to be
delivered overnight.
Rare Books and Manuscripts, including non-legal items of the Advocates Library, may be viewed in the Special
Collections Reading Room (Level 15).
1.5.7 NLS Map Library With over 1.5 million maps, this is one of the largest
collections in the world. Contact details: - Address: Causewayside Building, 159 Causewaysidee,
Edinburgh EH9 1PH
- Tel: 0131 623 3970 Fax: 0131 623 3971
- e-mail: [email protected]
- www.nls.uk An excellent site - see Chapter 8.7.
The Map Library is open Monday to Saturday 0930
(Wednesday 1000) -1700 (Saturday -1300). Entry is free,
but a NLS reader’s ticket is required, and handling
charges may apply.
1.5.8 National Museum of Scotland Library Their manuscript records include papers of George Petrie
and the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland. Contact details:
- Address: Level 3, National Museum of Scotland,
Chambers St., Edinburgh EH1 1JF
- Tel: 0131 247 4137 Fax: 0131 247 4311 - e-mail: [email protected]
- www.nms.ac.uk >NMS >Discover Library >InfoZone
The library is open Monday to Friday, 1000-1700. Entry
is free, but by appointment, and an ID photo is required.
The catalogue is on-line.
1.5.9 Scottish Genealogy Society (SGS)
The Society’s Library and Family History Centre is open Monday to Thursday 1030-1730 (Wednesday -2030); .
1000-1700. Access is free to members (£20pa), £4 per
half-day, £7 per day to non-members. The Centre holds:
- most OPR and some census microfilms (NRS editions); - collection of Monumental Inscriptions (see Appendix N); - some OFHS publications; - extensive library of genealogical material;
- extensive retail store of genealogical publications in print.
Contact details:
- Address: 15 Victoria Terrace, Edinburgh EH1 2JL
- Tel & Fax: 0131 220 3677
- e-mail: [email protected]
- www.scotsgenealogy.com
Photocopying is 10p/A4 sheet.
1.5.10 Local assistance For those unable to visit Edinburgh, several professional
researchers undertake detailed searches. Members of The
Association of Scottish Genealogists and Record Agents
(ASGRA) generally charge from £22/hour. For details
see www.asgra.co.uk or www.cyndislist.com/Scotland
1.6 Sources in Kirkwall
1.6.1 The Orkney Library and Archive
Founded in 1683, this is the oldest public library in
Scotland. Formerly in Laing Street, in December 2003 it
moved to purpose-built premises which house:
- The County Lending Library;
- The Orkney Room;
- The Orkney Archive; - The office of the Orkney Family History Society.
Contact details:
- Address: 44 Junction Rd., Kirkwall, Orkney KW15 1AG (enclose return postage or International Reply Coupons.) - Tel: 01856 873166 Fax: 01856 875260
- e-mail: [email protected]
- www.orkneylibrary.org.uk
Gary Amos is Chief Librarian and Archive Manager.
The Lending Library Open Monday to Saturday 0915-1700 (Monday and Thursday -1900). Many of the more popular books on
Orkney are available for loan to local residents and
registering visitors. Free Internet terminals are available.
12 TRACE YOUR ORKNEY ANCESTORS
The Orkney Room This contains over 3,000 books and 1,200 pamphlets on
Orkney, including printed transcripts of 18th century law
suits and 19th century planking actions. The on-line
computerised title/authoir index uses a modified Dewey
decimal system, with suffixes: Y indicating Orkney, Z
Shetland, YZ both.
The Room is open the same times as the Lending Library, at no charge. 23 Books are not available on loan, but up to
5% of any one volume may be photocopied at 15p/sheet.
The Orkney Archive (OA)
Scotland’s first regional archive, founded in 1973, Orkney
Archive comprises extensive storage (not open to the
public), a photographic archive room, and a Public Search
Room with desks, micro-film and -fiche readers with
printers, and two audio booths. David Mackie is Principal
Archivist, assisted by Lucy Gibbon and Sarah MacLean.
Their e-mail address is: [email protected]
The Archive is open Monday, Thursday, Friday and
Saturday 0915-1645 (Thursday -1845, Saturday closed 1300-1400). Making an appointment is recommended as
access to some resources is limited and the archive is
occasionally closed for stock-taking etc.
Access to the Public Search Room is free. Most
documents other than parchments and items in very poor
repair can be photocopied. Charges are:
- photocopying per sheet: 30p; archives: 50p; + £5
handling charge per 50 sheets, incl. VAT & p&p.
- CD/disc copies of d.-bases/“D” catalogues: £5+£5/list.
- power for laptop use: £1 per day.
The Archive includes: - Manuscript collections in volumes, boxes, and maps/plans.
The collections are catalogued thus: Gifts and Deposits (code “D”), comprising over 800 minor
gifts (code “D1/...”),24 and some 90 major collections, occupying 130 linear metres of shelving; the largest of these, the records of the Balfour and Trenabie estate (D2), includes some 50,000 separate items (17 metres);
Sheriff Court Records (“SC11”) (91 metres); Orkney Church Records (“OCR”) of Church of Scotland
(“/KC”) and Secession Churches (“/FC”) (16 metres); Orkney County Council Records (“CO”) (63 metres); Kirkwall Town Council Records (“K”) (31 metres); Stromness Town Council Records (“S”) (10 metres); Kirkwall Customs and Excise Records (“CE55”) (6 metres); Justice of the Peace Court Records (“JP34”) 25 (0.7 metres);
Copies of manuscripts on Orkney held elsewhere (“Y”). OA: Catalogues to the Records;
Guide to Records (high level index); Handlists on Monumental Inscriptions, Parishes;
Indexes of Monumental Inscriptions held by OA OFHS: Census abstracts, 1821-1901; Monumental Inscriptions (in progress); NRS: Guide to National Archives of Scotland (HMSO 1996);
Source Lists (Orkney & Shetland; Jacobite; Military); Catalogues to: AF 29, 38; CC17; CR 3, 4;
GD31, 106, 217, 263; RH9/15; RHP; SC10;
23
A similar but much smaller collection of reference books on
Orkney is held by the Public Library at the Pierhead, Stromness. 24
“D numeral/numeral” generally indicates a volume, while
“D numeral/numeral/numeral” indicates loose documents in boxes; 25
OA hold the “CE55”, “JP34” and “SC11” collections under the
charge and superintendence of the Keeper of Records of Scotland.
Descriptive List of Plans; List of American Documents;
NRAS: Index of Collections 1-3566 (1995); NYCRO: Index to Zetland (Dundas) Archives; RCAHMS: Catalogue of Trumland House plans; TNA, Kew: PRO Information sheets 1-111.
- Other material in the Public Search Room includes: Biographical Resources at HBC Archives (1996); Census Returns for 182126 (on open shelves, in Boxes 1-3); Education Returns for Orkney and Shetland (1834); Files on: HMS Royal Oak; Lyness Naval Base;
Orkney Place-names (Heddle, JT 1958/1977); and Index to Orcadian entries in RMS (Sandison 1987);
Guide to Census Reports 1801-1966 (HMSO 1977); Monumental Inscriptions (see Appendix N); Ordnance Survey maps - comprehensive collection; Registers of Sasines: * General Register Index, 1701-1720; Annual Abridgements, Orkney, 1781-1868;
Annual Abridgements, Orkney and Shetland, 1869-1937; Register of the Great Seal, 1306-1668 (1984); Reports of the Crofters Commission, 1886-1912; Report of the Scottish Land Court, 1923-1924.
- Searchable Computer Databases of: 27 OA: Catalogues of Gifts and Deposits (“D” series); Sheriff Court Records, 1561-1956 (SC11/5); Sheriff Court Testaments, 1831-1980 (SC11/38);
OFHS: Census abstracts, 1821-1901; Monumental Inscriptions (in progress); Private: Orkney Deeds to 1615 (see Chapter 8.2.2); Orkney Placenames (see Chapter 8.7).
- Card Indexes of: estate rentals held in D series; subjects in Orkney Herald, 1860-87 & 1919-33. - Microfiches of :
International Genealogical Index (IGI) for:
Orkney and Shetland (1992); Scotland (1988); PRO Current Guide (1991; 17 fiches).
- Microfilms of : * Hudson’s Bay Company Archives (see Chapter 8.7); Local newspapers (see Appendix O); Orkney Census Returns, 1841-1891 (see Chapter 4); Orkney OPRs (Baptisms and Marriages) (see Chapter 5).
- Photographic Archive, containing some 50,000 photographs
dating back to the 1870s, from several notable collections. Reproduction facilities. David Mackie is the Photographic Archivist, assisted by Colin Rendall.
- Sound and Video Archive, comprising over 2,000 recordings, including deposits from EW Marwick and Radio Orkney.
See also www.scan.org.uk/catalogue/ > GB241, and www.orkneylibrary.org.uk/html/archive.htm > Download, a guide to the records held by the archives.
1.6.2 Orkney Family History Society (OFHS)
Founded in 1997, the Society now has a paid-up
membership of over 1,600. Since December 2003 the
Society's office has been on the first floor the new library
building, adjacent to the Orkney Room and Archive.
Contact details:
- Address: OFHS, 44 Junction Rd., Kirkwall KW15 1AG
- Tel: 01856 879207 (when office is manned)
- e-mail: general enquiries: [email protected]
research enquiries: [email protected]
- www.orkneyfhs.co.uk Includes membership, events, sales and ‘members only’ pages, the latter listing an
ever-growing amount of primary and secondary source
material.
26
Only for six parishes - see Chapter 4. 27
Some of these databases are not yet complete.
* OA D1/181 has microfilms of Minutes of Orkney Sasines 1661-1791.
TRACE YOUR ORKNEY ANCESTORS 13
Volunteer members man the OFHS office Monday to
Saturday 1400 (Saturday 1100) -1630.
The OFHS office contains: - Catalogue of records held (see ‘Resources’ on OFHS website). - Manuscript records: over 500 tabulations of members' ancestors; over 200 gifts of private genealogical studies.
- OFHS Publications: Decennial censuses, 1821-1911 (174 booklets); Monumental Inscriptions (c.15 booklets, in progress); Sib Folk News (quarterly newsletter).
- Other Publications: Westray Roots (published privately); recent newsletters of many Family History Societies; various other genealogical/family history publications.
- Microfiches:
IGI (1992 edition); 1891 Census index.
- Microfilms: Orkney Census Returns, 1841-1891 (see Chapter 4); Orkney OPRs (Baptisms and Marriages) (see Chapter 5).
- Searchable Computer Databases; a growing number, some on-line, searchable by category, parish or surname, including:
Census abstracts, 1821-1911;
Directory of Members’ Names and Interests Monumental Inscriptions (in progress).
1.6.3 Local assistance OFHS volunteers address simple research queries from
members and non-members, and the Society’s Research
Secretary publicises more difficult queries amongst local
members. Staff of the Orkney Archive answer enquiries
on their records and databases (see 1.6.1 opposite), but do
not have time to undertake more extensive genealogical
searches. Assistance may be sought from individuals
whose specific interests are listed on the Orkney pages of
the GENUKI website. All these services are free, apart
from photocopying and postage.
Dr. Sarah Jane Gibbon, [email protected],
provides a professional research service.
1.7 Archives elsewhere Other archives with material relevant to Orkney
genealogy include:
1.7.1 Breckness Estate Archives (SH)
This private collection, including Estate Rentals and
additional to NRS GD217, OA D3 and OA D34/T, is held
by the present laird, Major M Macrae, of Binscarth,
Finstown, Orkney KW17 2JZ.
1.7.2 Hudson’s Bay Company Archives (HBCA)
These archives include the service records of the many
Orcadians who served with the Hudson’s Bay Company
(see Chapter 8.6).28 Contact details:
- Address: 130-200, rue Vaughan,
Winnipeg (MB), R3C 1T5, Canada.
- Tel: (204) 945 3871 Fax: (204) 948 2672
- e-mail: [email protected]
- www.gov.mb.ca/chc/archives/hbca
HBCA's Research Room is open Monday to Friday 0900-
1600.
28
Micro-film copies of staff employment contracts are also held by
OA and TNA, Kew.
1.7.3 National Register of Archives (Scotland) (NRAS)
Administered by NRS, this is an index of some 4,000
collections of archive material that are or were in private
hands. Many Orcadian collections have been indexed, but
nearly all have now been deposited with OA. See
Appendix B and www.nrs.gov.uk/nras/register.asp,
where the index to the register may be searched on-line.
1.7.4 North Yorkshire County Record Office Formerly the North Riding Record Office, their Zetland
(Dundas) Archive (“ZNKa”) contains correspondence
concerning tenants of the Earldom estate. Contact details:
- Address: County Records Office, Malplas Rd.,
Northallerton, DL7 8TB. Contact details: - Tel: 01609 777585 Fax : 01609 777078
- e-mail [email protected]
- www.northyorks.gov.uk > Library and Archives
The office is open Monday to Saturday 0900 (Wedneday,
Saturday 0930) -1645 (Friday, Saturday -1615).
1.7.5 Shetland Museum and Archives (SA)
SA includes miscellaneous items relating to Orcadians. The Archivist is Brian Smith. Contact details:
- Address: Hay’s Dock, Lerwick ZE1 0WP
- Tel: 01595 695057 Fax: 01595 696533
- e-mail: [email protected]
- www.shetlandmuseumandarchives.org.uk
SA is open Monday to Friday 0900-1600. Catalogue is at
www.calmview.eu/ShetlandArchive/CalmView/
1.7.6 The National Archives (TNA)
Formed in 2003 by combining the Public Record Office
and Historic Manuscripts Commission. The former
Family Records Centre was absorbed in 2008, and TNA
temporarily hosts the London FHC. TNA’s vast holdings
include original service records of Orcadians who served
in the armed forces, merchant navy and fishing fleets,
wills of 66 Orcadians proven in Archdiocese of
Canterbury 1679-1857,29 and copies of some of HBC
Archives. There is a useful library of genealogical works
on open shelves. Contact details: - Address: Bessant Drive, Kew, Surrey, TW9 4DU
- Tel: 0208 876 3444-
- www.nationalarchives.gov.uk Includes comprehensive
“Research Guides” available on-line. Online Catalogue
is at www.discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/.
Digital images of wills cost at least £10.
TNA is near Kew Gardens tube station, just off the South
Circular Road, close to Junction 1 of the M4. It is open
Tuesday to Saturday 0900-1700 (Thursday -1900); Saturday 1000-1900. Entry is free. Proof of identity is
required for a reader’s ticket, which is valid for 3 years.
29
Indexed on websites of PRO and OFHS (“members only” pages).
14 TRACE YOUR ORKNEY ANCESTORS
Chapter 2
Research Principles
Several important principles underlie the use of the sources identified in this text:
2.1 Choices: costs, convenience and reliability Chapter 1 shows that students of Orkney genealogy are
now blessed with copious source material, and with a
wide variety of locations and mediums through which
much of this material may be accessed. So before
considering each source in detail it is appropriate to first address some important underlying principles. From
these each reader may develop research strategies
appropriate to their individual circumstances - priorities,
scope of interests, constraints of time, travel and finance
etc. - before becoming too engrossed in the details.
Today the most important sources for genealogists (see
Chapters 4 and 5) can be sighted in several locations,
each with different associated costs and degrees of detail.
Careful planning of which sources are to be explored,
where, and in what sequence can avoid considerable waste of both time and money. Until experience is
gained it is difficult to judge how long it will take to
examine each document. So it is usually prudent to start
where you are under the least time pressure, and to tackle
what can be done at and near home before travelling afar.
Each of the following considerations is important:
- Even within small townships in Orkney, several
contemporary individuals often bore the same forename
and surname.30 So don’t assume that all references to,
say, a Magnus Sinclair in a particular township during a
plausible lifetime refer to the same individual.
- For the same reason, always trace ancestry “upwards”,
i.e. back in time from known ancestors, and do not
work “downwards” from conveniently available
pedigrees or an illustrious namesake on the assumption
that you are related or even a direct descendant.
- Relying on memory until you return home is fatal.
Taking only brief notes is often short sighted, as details
omitted may subsequently be found important. A full
transcript is better, but takes time and introduces copying
errors. Photocopies avoid these problems, but their
costs can quickly mount. A tape-recorder and camera
can be very useful (but not in libraries or archives).
- Annotate all notes, transcripts and photocopies with the
full document reference no., page no. and context, so
that you can recheck details when ambiguities arise.
- When searching registers for entries of baptisms,
marriages, deaths, testaments, retours, sasines and
deeds, bear in mind that registration occurred later than
the event. Thus a death in December 1869 may not
have been registered until January 1870, and any
resulting testamentary procedure (see Chapter 5.3) not
commenced until 1875 nor completed until 1876.
- “Folklore” adds colour and is often based on real
events, but must never be confused with verifiable facts.
- Anecdotal sources are useful, but usually less reliable
than written sources.
30
See also Appendix Y.
- Distinguish clearly between historical facts and your
own assumptions. Be vigilant for assumptions of others.
- Source material written or copied retrospectively is
usually less reliable than contemporary material.
- “Unattributed” material (i.e. that lacking a clearly
identified and reputable source), especially from private
websites, should be treated with scepticism until its
source can be identified and its veracity confirmed.
- Secondary sources (e.g. printed histories) provide
valuable context, but genealogical details therein are
usually less reliable than in primary sources, i.e. the
original contemporary records (usually in manuscript).
- Indexes (including the IGI and other computerised data-
bases), minutes,31 abstracts and abridgements (even if
printed) of original records are convenient and save
time, but are all liable to errors and omissions, and lack
the context of the original material.
- Even original material is prone to both error (e.g. ages in census records and on gravestones) and omission
(e.g. events never recorded, or records later lost).
- Don’t assume some record survives for every ancestor.
Such considerations will not deter serious genealogists, and should help stimulate searches for further material to
extend knowledge and to verify or disprove assumptions.
2.2 Care in handling documents Manuscript records held in archives are unique, and must
be handled with care so that others may share this
privilege in the future. A few simple protocols apply:
- Keep food, drink, pens and biros away from old records;
- Always work in pencil; - Use a slip of paper, not a finger, to help focus on the
line when reading old script;
- Keep loose documents in the sequence you find them;
- Take care of the spines of old volumes, especially when
making photocopies;
- Respect any other local regulations.
Archivists are always pleased to help and advise.
2.3 Confidentiality and Copyright Archivists may restrict access to recent public archives;
for example, many records on criminals, the customs
service, the poor and schools are closed for 75 years.
Ascertain and respect any copyright constraints. Useful
guidance on this difficult subject may be found at:
www.genuki.org.uk/org/Copyright.html
Respect the sensitivities of living persons, and particularly
the owners of private records.
Always acknowledge your sources - out of respect to
their author, and to anticipate the inevitable needs of yourself and your readers to refer back to them.
31
Indexes list names in alphabetical (sometimes chronological) order;
Minutes summarise entries in chronological order;
Calendars summarise documents in no particular order.
TRACE YOUR ORKNEY ANCESTORS 15
Chapter 3
Old Handwriting, Language, and Legal and Technical Terminology
The inexperienced genealogist is likely to encounter three problems while using contemporary sources:
- deciphering the handwriting of old documents,
- interpreting texts not written in English, and - understanding many of the legal and technical terms used.
The following notes offer some assistance in overcoming these challenges.
3.1 Old Handwriting As your research reaches further back in time, so the
difficulties in reading the handwriting used in manuscripts
increase, particularly with those written before about
1750. Some transcripts of such documents have been
published - the Register of the Great Seal, 1306-1668 and
Clouston’s Records of the Earldom of Orkney, 1299-1614
are two relatively accessible examples - and a few other transcripts are held by OA, but inevitably the vast
majority of old records mentioning Orcadian ancestors
have not been transcribed.
Learning to read old handwriting takes time, but ability
quickly improves with practice and perseverance.
Assistance may be found in:
www.scottishhandwriting.com (interactive SCAN site);
Reading Old Handwriting (McLaughlin 1987);
Scottish Handwriting, 1500-1700 (Rosie 1994);
Scottish Handwriting, 1150-1650 (Simpson 1973, 1998).
Note that in old documents spelling, especially of names
and places, is often inconsistent, even within one
document; it is typically phonetic and at the whim of the
clerk. Captilisation is also haphazard, and abbreviations
are common. When the script is weak a magnifying glass
and a sheet of clear yellow plastic or an ultra-violet light
(available in most libraries) may help. In practice
relatively few key words in legal documents actually need
deciphering, as most deeds follow a standard format. The
examples on pages 20, 22, 24, 28 and 34 may be of help.
Also useful in this respect are:
www.scan.org.uk/researchrtools/glossary.htm (sic)
Formulary of Old Scots Legal Documents
(Gouldesbrough 1985);
Orkney Testaments and Inventories, 1573-1615
(Barclay 1977);
Records of the Earldom of Orkney, 1299-1614 (Clouston 1914).
3.2 Language Orcadian records survive in four languages:32
(a) English. Although few records before the mid 19th
century are in English, in practice this is not a major
problem.
(b) Scots. Nearly all Orcadian records before the mid 19th
century were written in the Scots, the language of lowland
Scotland. At first sight, Scots texts differ little from
32
The use of gaelic in Orkney was very rare.
English, but when the script is unclear and technical and
legal terms abound, comprehension can become more difficult, especially by those not educated in Scotland.
Fortunately most differences are small and quickly
assimilated. The most obvious of these are:
- plurals often end in is instead of s;
- present participles end in and instead of ing;
- past participles often end in at, it or yt instead of ed;
- au, ua and a denote o (as in auld, sua, awand (owing));
- quh denotes wh; - c and t, i and j, and u, v and w, are interchangeable;
- n is often represented by ň;
- the symbol “thorn”, looking like a y, denotes th;
- the symbol “yogh”, looking like a z, denotes y.
Help with some of the less recognisable terms and
phraseology is suggested overleaf. For others recourse to
a dictionary is necessary, for example:
www.dsl.ac.uk/dsl (Dictionary of the Scottish Language);
Chambers Twentieth Century Dictionary
(remarkably useful);
Concise Scots Dictionary (Robinson 1985, 1996).
(c) Latin. Relatively few records were written in Latin,33 and when this was used it was not in the classic form but
instead a much simplified version with a limited
vocabulary and many hybrid words. And as already
noted, most documents had a standardised format. So a
school primer such as:
The Revised Latin Primer (Kennedy 1962)
will often suffice, but may be supplemented by:
Latin for Local History (Gooder 1978);
Revised Medieval Latin Word-List (Latham 1973);
Simple Latin for Family Historians (McLaughlin 1994).
(d) Norn. This local dialect of Old Norse was spoken in
some country districts of Orkney as late as the mid 18th
century. Although the latest surviving written deed is
dated 1425, and this and the few earlier examples have all
been translated and published (Clouston 1914), many Old
Norse words appear in later deeds and remain in common use in Orkney today. Useful references are:
Orkney Word Book (Lamb 1988, 1995, 2012);
The Orkney Norn (Marwick 1929, 1992, 1993).
Some of the Norn words most frequently encountered in
old records are included in Appendix Z.
33
Some early sasines and services of heirs are notable exceptions.
16 TRACE YOUR ORKNEY ANCESTORS
3.3 Legal and Technical Terms Unfortunately the ability to read the handwriting and
interpret the language does not necessarily lead to full
comprehension. Orcadian records include many obsolete
or obscure legal and technical terms, particularly units of
weight, volume and land value. Dates and currencies can pose further challenges.
Some of the more common Norn and Scots legal and
technical terms found in Orcadian sources are listed in
Appendix Z. Other terms may be found in the
dictionaries and the glossaries of other references already
given in this chapter, or in:
Robert Stewart, Earl of Orkney, Lord of Shetland
(Anderson 1982);
The Court Book of Orkney and Shetland, 1612-1613
(Barclay 1962);
Orkney and Shetland Court Books, 1614-1615
(Barclay 1967);
Dictionary and Digest of the Law of Scotland
(Bell 1890);
The Northern Islands: Orkney and Shetland
(Fenton 1978, 1996);
Student’s Glossary of Scottish Legal Terms
(Gibb 1946, 1971);
The Breckness Estate (Irvine 2009);
Orkney Farm-Names (Marwick 1952);
The Northern and Western Islands of Scotland
(Shaw 1980);
(New) History of Orkney (Thomson 1987, 2001);
Lord Henry Sinclair's 1492 Rental of Orkney
(Thomson 1996).
A variety of noteworthy features are attributable to
Orkney's Norse and Scottish heritage. These include:
- The Norse lawmen and lawthings were replaced by
sheriffs and sheriff courts in 1540. Norse law was
superseded by Scottish law in 1614, but Scottish law
was not superseded in 1707, and remains valid today.
And while feudal tenure was introduced in the 16th
century, some udal rights still survive (see Appendix X).
- Norse units of weight and volume remained in use in
Orkney until the 19th century (see Appendix V.2).
- Land in Orkney was measured by value rather than area
until the 19th century (see Appendix V.3 and V.4).
- The Scottish customs of using “[Scott] of [Kirkton]” to
signify a landowner, “[Johnstone] in [Sutherton]” to signify a tenant, and even “[Smith] at [Aberforth]” to
signify a visitor, were not rigidly applied in Orkney.34
- Scotland, including Orkney, changed its New Year from
March 25th to January 1st in 1600 (see Appendix W).35
- Although the Scots currency originally had parity with
sterling, it depreciated during the 16th century,
stabilising at 1/12 of the value of sterling throughout the 17
th century. Officially it ceased to be legal tender in
1707, but its use in contemporary records continued
until the early 19th century (see Appendix V.1).
- Until 1868 Scottish law prohibited bequeathing of land in a will. Unless land had been alienated before death,
under udal law it had to be divided equally amongst the
sons (with half shares for daughters); under feudal law
it all passed to the eldest son (see Appendix X).
- Until at least the mid 19th century it was common
practice in Scotland for wives to retain their maiden
names, even in official documents (see Appendix Y).
These last two features can be useful to genealogists.
34
This was perhaps due to many “peedie lairds” being udallers of
some lands, with sub-tenants, and tenants of others, or wadsetting or
selling title to their land but retaining occupancy. See Appendix X,
also OA D23/1/1/5. 35
In England and Wales this change did not take place until 1752.
TRACE YOUR ORKNEY ANCESTORS 17
THE RECORDS AND THEIR USE
Chapter 4
Census Returns
Census returns give “snapshots” on particular dates of who was living where, and their ages, occupations,
and relationships. Various new indexes and abstracts now help to make these records much more accessible.
Decennial censuses have been held throughout the UK
since 1801. The official detailed returns for the first four
censuses have been destroyed, but OA hold old transcripts
of the enumerators' notes for 1821 for the parishes of
Deerness, Orphir, St.Andrews, Sandwick, S.Ronaldsay
and Burray, and Stromness. The official returns for all
the parishes in Scotland since 1841 are held by NRS,
although those less than 100 years old remain confidential.
The available census records relate to the nights of:36
1821: Monday May 21st
1841: Sunday June 6th 1881: Sunday April 3rd 1851: Sunday March 30th 1891: Sunday April 5th
1861: Sunday April 7th 1901: Sunday March 31st 1871: Sunday April 2nd 1911: Sunday April 2nd.
The entries within each parish return are sequenced
geographically, by “enumeration districts”, which
changed slightly over the years. The ages of adults are
rounded down in the 1841 returns, and are often inaccurate
in subsequent censuses. Returns since 1851 include
“Relation[ship] to Head of Family” and “Where born”.
Orkney’s census data can now be accessed by index, by
abstract, and in the original format:
Several surname indexes of individual parish census
returns are available:
1821-1901: at the front of the OFHS booklets (see opposite); 1821,1851: Armstrong fiches (see opposite); 1821 (S.Ronaldsay only) www.southronaldsay.net/ 1841: http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~relys4u 1841-1901: on the Scotlandspeople website and at GRH; 1841-1901 (Westray only): http://tilley/dynodns.net:8000/
1841-1911: www.orkneyfhs.co.uk/census/census.php 1851 (Westray, Papa Westray only): the Custer website, “Related Web Sites” page; 1881: the LDS website and microfiche no. 6086634.
A placename index of the 1881 census returns is
available on LDS microfiche no. 6086636.
Comprehensive abstracts of returns are available for:37
1821-1901: in 153 OFHS booklets (see opposite); 1821,1851: Armstrong fiches (see opposite); 1861,1871: Scotsorigins website (for a fee); 1881: LDS microfiche no. 6086637; 1891 (Rousay, Egilsay, Wyre only):
Orkney pages of the GENUKI website (free).
Useful as these abstracts are, copyists often had trouble
deciphering the original handwriting, so for critical entries either microfilms or digital images of the original returns
(see opposite) should be checked.38
36
From HMSO 1977. 37
There are other short abstracts in several OA D1 collections. 38
Rootsweb has a “freecen” initiative, but at the time of going to print
this does not include any Orkney census data.
Booklets with indexes and abstracts can be ordered from
OFHS. Prices per census per parish are £2.00 - £7.00 to
OFHS members, or £3.00 - £10.50 to non-members, plus
p&p; for full details see OFHS website, which alos lists
corrections. OFHS volunteers will also conduct simple
searches on request.
Microfiche indexes and abstracts by David Armstrong
can be ordered from [email protected] Prices per
census per parish are Aus$4.00 - $5.00, incl. p&p.
Microfilm copies of the original returns for 1841-1891
may be ordered for viewing at LDS Family History
Centers (1821 also); relevant microfilm numbers are listed
in Appendix C. They are also available in Edinburgh at
SGS (1851 only) and ECL, in Kirkwall at OA and OFHS,
and in many major libraries and genealogical societies.
Digital images of the original returns for 1841-1901 can
be viewed at GRH and downloaded, for a fee, from the
Scotlandspeople website.
The originals of the census returns held by NRS are no
longer accessible by members of the public. The
transcripts of the enumerators’ notes for 1821 can be
inspected and photocopied at the Orkney Archive.39
Separate census returns were also made for shipping in
Scottish ports: the Merchant Navy from 1861, and Royal
Navy from 1881. SGS hold some microfilm copies.
OFHS have extensive indexes of Orcadians.
See Chapter 7 for other lists of inhabitants, or “census
substitutes”, for later, intervening and earlier years.
Population data Details of Orkney’s population, derived from decennial
census returns since 1801 and other sources, are given on
the Orkney pages of the GENUKI website and in Barclay
1961, Thomson 1978 and Appendix C of Irvine 2003b,
from which the following summary is adapted:
39
See Appendix F.
0
5,000
10,000
15,000
20,000
25,000
30,000
35,000
1600 1700 1800 1900 2000
C e n s u s d a t a
E s t I m a t e s
18 TRACE YOUR ORKNEY ANCESTORS
Chapter 5
Hatches, Matches and Dispatches
This chapter addresses the principal indexes and registers of births and baptisms, banns and marriages, and
deaths, mortcloth dues, burials, monumental inscriptions, wills, testaments, retours and services of heirs.
5.1 Births, baptisms, marriages, deaths & burials
5.1.1 Statutory (or Civil) Registers (SR) The statutory “Civil Registration” of births, marriages and
deaths in Scotland dates from 1855. Registrars in each
parish retain copies, and can arrange for these to be
sighted or transcribed.40 The originals are sent to NRS,
and used to make up annual volumes known as Registers.
NRS also keep a Register of corrections to the main
Registers (“RCE”) and other “Minor Registers” of Scottish
persons outside Scotland, although these are incomplete:
- births and deaths at sea since 1855, in the air since 1948, and High Commissioners' returns since 1964;
- births, marriages and deaths in foreign countries 1860-1965, in consular returns since 1914, in the Army 1881-1959, and in the armed forces since 1959;
- marriages in foreign countries since 1947; - divorces since 1984;
- war deaths since 1899 (see also Chapter 5.1.5).
5.1.2 Old Parochial (or Parish) Registers (OPRs)
Before 1855, many baptisms, marriages and burials were recorded in the Church of Scotland's OPRs. Sadly, these registrations are not comprehensive. Parish ministers were instructed to register baptisms and marriages in 1552, 1616, 1636 and 1820, but compliance remained lax, particularly in earlier years. A tax of 3d per entry, from 1783 till 1794, was a deterrent;41 secessions of various Free Churches (see Chapter 8.1) led to further omissions. There was no standard format for entries in the Registers, but details such as the date of birth, names of witnesses, and occupation or place of residence of the parents/ spouses were often included. Such data can be crucial in distinguishing between contemporaries with the same forename and surname. Spelling of names was arbitrary, and usually at the whim of the Minister or Session Clerk. Entries in the Registers are not always in chronological sequence, and many early Registers have periods when few or no entries were made. Some entries are duplicated, e.g. from Registers of secession churches. Marriages and baptisms, particularly of the first child, were sometimes only recorded in the bride’s parish. In “joint parishes”, marriages and baptisms were sometimes recorded in the Register of the “other” parish, e.g. events in Sandwick were recorded in the Stromness Register, and vice-versa.42 Many of the older Registers have been lost or damaged. Registers of burials and mortcloth dues are particularly scarce and their entries often terse. The oldest surviving OPR for Orkney dates back to 1632.
40
The Orkney pages of the GENUKI website list current Registrars.
The registers for the mainland Orkney parishes are now held in the
Council Offices, Kirkwall, tel. 01856 873535. 41
Local fees could be charged, and there is evidence of a charge for
baptisms in 1734 (NRS OPR27/1). 42
Reasons for this practice included the willingness of parents to
attend the “other” parish church rather than await the minister’s
next visit to their own church (baptisms were rarely more than a
month after birth, and sometimes just a day or two). See list of
joint parishes at the foot of Appendix D.
Appendix D lists the OPRs held by NRS.43 Members of
the public can no longer sight the original Civil Registers
or OPRs, but various indexes (see 5.1.3) and images,
copies and extracts (see 5.1.4) are available.
5.1.3 Indexes to Civil Registers and OPRs Several indexes of these registers exist, each of which
have various pros and cons. The three most useful are:
1. The International Genealogical Index (IGI),
introduced by LDS in 1981, includes core data44 from:
- baptisms: OPRs; - births: Civil Registers 1855-1875; - marriages: OPRs and Civil Registers 1855-1875;
- LDS sources: private additions by LDS church members.45 IGI does not include deaths, burials, data from the Minor Registers, or, for Orkney, from the Free Church Registers.
The IGI is more “complete” for Scotland than elsewhere,
and its 1984 edition for Orkney covered virtually all
entries in the OPRs and Civil Registers to 1875 (identified
by “Batch Nos.” prefixed by “C” and “M”). However the
IGI is continually being supplemented with additional
births and marriages supplied by LDS members
(identified by all other “Batch Nos.” or by dates “about
17xx” or “<17xx>”); batch nos. A and F are unreliable.
Such secondary data may be of interest, but must be
treated with caution until its accuracy can be checked. 46
The IGI may be accessed in many ways, at no cost:
- on the Custer website, under “Indices of Births, Baptisms and Marriages”, for some 400 Orcadian surnames;
- on the Scots Origins website, for all Scottish families; - on the LDS website, for families from many countries; - on Family Search CD-ROMs at LDS Family History Centers;47
- in microfiche format, by county, at LDS Family History Centers, GRH, ECL and SGS in Edinburgh, OA and OFHS in Kirkwall, and many major libraries and genealogical societies.
2. http://tilley.dynodns.net:8000/
Mike Bostwick’s indexes include all the Orkney OPR baptisms and marriages to 1854, taken from LDS
“Scottish Chruch Records Index” which excludes
secondary LDS material.
43
NRS also has a voluntary Register of Neglected Entries (“RNE”),
in which baptisms and marriages between 1801 and 1854 could be
registered retrospectively, but it has no entries for Orkney parishes. 44
i.e. Parish, date, surname(s), forename(s), sex and parents’ names. 45
When adding such material LDS do not amend the original data but
make an additional entry, even if the two entries conflict; so
interpretation of multiple entries of a single event needs extra care. 46
A check of sample IGI microfiches for Orkney implied secondary
LDS data represented 5% of the data in the 1984 edition and nearly
15% in the 1992 edition. Subsequent periodic CD-ROM editions
include further “updates” (the Custer website uses the 1994 and
1998 editions). The LDS website version is “updated” weekly. 47
LDS’ “Vital Records” CD-ROMs are similar but more powerful.
For other LDS indexes, see Appendix C.
TRACE YOUR ORKNEY ANCESTORS 19
3. Indexes to NRS database, available at GRH, TNA,
and, for a fee, on the Scotlandspeople website. These
indexes include core data from:
- births: 1855 to 3 years ago (to date at GRH); - baptisms: OPRs; - marriages: OPRs and 1855 to 3 years ago (to date at GRH); - deaths: 1855 to 3 years ago (to date at GRH);48
- births, marriages and deaths in NRS’s Minor Registers. The NRS indexes thus have a wider scope than the IGI,
but the details included for each entry are very similar.
The basic searches in the IGI and NRS indexes only give one “event” per search (but see also “Same Parents” under IGI’s “Tips on How to Search”). My favourite source for most computer searches of these indexes is the Bostwick website. I also find very useful a “hard copy” printout of the relevant IGI microfiche of all Orkney entries for the surnames in which I am interested. Others may prefer to buy the relevant fiche(s), or to down-load data from the relevant LDS CD-ROM.49
The annual Civil Registration Indexes of Births, Marriages and Deaths for all Scotland are entered by surname (and by sex before 1866; maiden names are also included for most female deaths after 1858). The Indexes give the date and place of the event and source reference but name no relatives,50 and are tedious to search if the year is not known. The original volumes, now superseded by the NRS index, are no longer available, but microfilm copies may be viewed at LDS Family History Centers.
Use of these indexes can save much time and trouble, but they all have three important limitations: - The spelling of the surname entered can be critical. - The data is liable to transcription errors, especially in
spellings of proper nouns, and IGI omits a few entries. - The indexes omit detail such as occupation or place of
residence, the dates of birth or proclamation of banns, the location of the event (often the manse) and witness’s names. In the entry below from OCR27/2 the text in bold is an example of how much more data can
be in the original OPR entry than in any index:
Isabella, lawful daughter of John Bews and Helen Sabiston,
residenters at Hurstigarth [Sandwick] was born 15th
Augt.
1849 and Baptised by the Rev. John Garson Minr. of the Free
Church at Twatt [Birsay] on the 2nd
December 1849.
Entries in Civil Registers are more detailed than most OPR entries, while their index entries are even briefer.
These limitations can be overcome by viewing microfilm copies or digital images of the original register - relatively easy once the likely date has been found in an index.
5.1.4 Copies of Civil Registers and OPRs Microfilms of Civil Registers of births, marriages and deaths for 1855-1875, 1881 and 1891 can be ordered for viewing at LDS Centers.51
Microfilms of OPRs can be viewed at GRH, SGS, and OFHS, and ordered for viewing at LDS Centers. LDS’ 1976 edition is usually
more legible than that of 1952 (see Appendix C).52
48
For a free, on-line index of deaths in S.Ronaldsay & Burray, 1832-
1899, see www.southronaldsay.net/ 49
Or, for Rousay data already “processed”, see Marwick 1999. 50
Though death entries for 1855 & after 1866 include the deceased’s
age, and birth entries after 1929 include the mother’s maiden name. 51
LDS do not hold copies of the Scottish Minor Registers. 52
Reference is by the ‘parish number’: see Appendix D. Rootsweb
has a ‘freeereg’ initative to index Orkney’s OPRs – see
www.freereg.org.uk/parishes/oki.htm.
Digital images of all Civil, Minor and OP Registers can
be viewed at GRH. Images of birth/baptism, marriage and
death entries, up to 100, 75 and 50 years ago respectively,
can be printed from the Scotlandspeople website.53
Reading older entries in both microfilm and digital format
can be difficult. Referring to the relevant index may help.
Certified extracts of individual entries in the NRS Civil,
Minor and OP Registers can be ordered, for £10, from
NRS via the Scotlandspeople website or, for Civil
Registers only, from the relevant Registrar.
5.1.5 Baptisms, marriages & burials not in OPRs Nearly all the pre-1855 Registers of the established
Church of Scotland were sent to SRO in 1855, becoming
known as the OPRs. Various other Registers of baptisms,
proclamations of banns of marriage,54 marriages and
burials55 of the Church of Scotland and of the free/ secession Churches, including a few pre-1855, were sent
to SRO in the 1960s and 70s, and of these the Registers
relating to Orkney were subsequently sent to OA, though
NRS hold microfilm copies of most. Appendix E lists
details of the surviving baptism, banns, marriage and
burial Registers not held by NRS, and copies thereof.
As all church records were kept on a voluntary basis, their
creation, survival and degree of detail vary accordingly.
For example, records of baptisms and marriages of
members of free/secession churches may be found in
Registers of their own church or of a neighbouring parish,
or in OPRs or other Church of Scotland records
(identifiable by the name of the officiating free church
minister), or in both, or not at all (because the event was
never registered, or the Register was later lost)!
Various other sources list Orcadian births, marriages and
deaths. However these records are incomplete and mostly
poorly indexed, so searching is usually tedious:
- Kirk Session Minutes and other records of all the Scottish churches, discussed more fully in Chapter 8.1, contain occasional references to baptisms, banns, marriages, deaths, mortcloth dues and burials.56
- Births, marriages and deaths from 1889 till 1894 were recorded in The Orkney and Shetland American - see OFHS website members pages.
- The Orcadian and The Orkney Herald newspapers include some birth, marriage and death notices and obituaries, though relatively few before the 1940s.
- Marriages involving propertied families were often accompanied by a “contract of marriage” providing for the financial security of the wife and future children. Registration of these contracts was not compulsory, but originals or copies may be found in private collections (NRS GD, RH9/7; OA
D), Estate papers (Appendix L), Court records (App. H), and Registers of Deeds (App. J) and of Sasines (App. R).
- “Irregular” marriages57 were included in Kirk Session minutes and, from 1855 till 1940, in OA SC11/1.
- Divorces before the 20th century were rare. Some pre-1823 divorces may be found in NRS CC8 (SRS 1909).
53
The 100, 75 and 50 year cut-offs are for confidentiality reasons. 54
The “booking” of the proclamation (or “contract to marriage”, with
payment of pawn money) corresponded to today’s Engagement. 55
I am not aware of any lair books (old graveyard plans) in Orkney. 56
LDS has fiches of the indexes, but not of the records themselves. 57
Irregular marriages were “by dispatch”, i.e. not after a proclamation
of banns, or carried out by ministers who were not members of the
Church of Scotland or, for Plymouth Bretheren, by Sheriff’s
warrant. They were “legal” if they were registered.
20 TRACE YOUR ORKNEY ANCESTORS
- Deaths of service personnel in the two world wars are listed in www.cwgc.org, www.rbls-kirkwall.org.uk > Memorials, and
Commonwealth War Graves Commission 2000 (copy in St.Magnus Cathedral).
- Deaths of communicants (see Chapter 7.2). - Accidental deaths at work since 1895 are in OA SC11/7. - Funeral notices, 1833-1869 in OA D33/1/23. - Deaths of prominent citizens of Kirkwall are included in The
Diary of Thomas Brown 1675-1693 (Steuart 1898). - 23 UK Minor Registers (more extensive than the similarly
named Scottish Minor Registers) record births, marriages and
deaths of British citizens abroad and in the armed forces. Indexes or microfilm/fiche copies of these registers may be viewed at TNA and at LDS Family History Centers.
5.2 Monumental Inscriptions on gravestones Gravestones used by wealthy Orcadian families survive
from the 16th century, but were not used by ordinary folk
until the mid 19th century, and even then many were not
inscribed. Over the years many stones have broken,
fallen, or been removed, while many inscriptions have
weathered or become overgrown by lichen or grass. But
the legible inscriptions that have survived provide a
valuable genealogical resource,58
even if some of the
inscriptions, especially ages at death,59 can be inaccurate,
and some of the transcriptions, particularly of the older stones, can introduce errors.
Most Orkney parishes have more than one graveyard.
This is attributable to either pre-reformation chapels or to
20th century “overflows” and not, unusually for rural
Scotland, to seceding or non-Presbyterian congregations
establishing their own graveyards. Altogether over 50
graveyards in Orkney contain more than 20,000 legible
headstones. Various initiatives have led to the recording
of inscriptions in most but not yet all of these graveyards.
Appendix N lists the present extent of this work and
locations of the resulting records. The degree of detail recorded varies: besides the inscription, some include the
stone’s design and dimensions, some add a photograph.
While the work of recording monumental inscriptions
continues. OFHS has transferred many records to
computer and published these by parish. The Publications
page of the OFHS website carries an up-to-date list of
these booklets, and the “members only” page carries
Parish and Surname indexes of the inscriptions. Specific
queries on inscriptions may be sent to OA or OFHS.
5.3 Testaments, Inventories and Confirmations These deeds were registered with the Orkney
Commissary Court between 1611 and 1832 or, since
1824, with the Kirkwall Sheriff Court.60
Few Orcadians made a “will”, “legacy” or “settlement”
before their death, as this involved expense and, until
1868, all bequests were constrained by Scottish law.61 62
58
The example illustrated at the top of page 40 is exceptional! 59
For example, an infamous stone in the graveyard of St.Magnus
Cathedral, Kirkwall commemorates a death on 30th February 1882!
60 The testaments of a few Orcadians may be found in records of
courts in Edinburgh (NRS CC8/8) and Canterbury (TNA PROB11). 61
Unless disposed of before death, all heritable property (i.e. land,
buildings and rights thereto) in Scotland passed to the eldest son (or
if no sons, was portioned equally amongst the daughters), subject to
a liferent of one third passing to the widow (or, if udal property,
If a person died testate, the court confirmed their will etc.,
executors and inventory (list of “moveable” possessions)
in a “testament testamentar”.63 If a person died intestate,
the court could appoint executors and confirm an
inventory in a “testament dative”. This latter procedure
was relatively common, typically being invoked when the
assets even a poor deceased person were in dispute.
A typical Scottish testament was comprised of: - an introductory clause identifying the deceased, often
including their place of residence, occupation, month and year of death, and the executors (usually the next-of-kin and surviving children, other than the eldest son);64
- an inventory listing the deceased’s moveable possessions;
- any debts owed by and owing to the deceased; - the net value of the estate, how this was to be divided, and
liability for “quot”;65 - (occasionally) a transcript of the deceased's will, latter will,
last will, legacy, settlement, disposition made before death, or
reference to such a document had been registered previously;66
- confirmation by a court official and the appointment of cautioner(s) (i.e. guarantor(s), who were often relatives).
The following is an example of the registration of a
testament dative of 166667
(NRS CC17/2/9, 124v):
The Testament dative and Inventar of the guids gear and debts
(nothing omittit nor sett w[i]thin the Just availls yrof) quhilk pertaind to umql Marjorie Brown in Voy [at] the tyme of her
deceas quha deceast in the month of March Jajvjc Sextie tua ffaithfullie maid and givine up by Magnus Sinclair her relict
spous for himself and in name and behalff of James and Jonet Sinclairs yr lau[fu]ll bairns and exe[cto]ris datives to the said
defunct decernit and confirmed Be decreit of the Commiss[a]r deput of Orknay and Zetland as the samyne of the dait the fyft
of November Jajvjx Sextie Sex yeires at mair lenth beares
Imprime the said defunct and her said spous haid the guids and gear of the avails quantities and prices re[s]p[ect]ive following
perteineing to them the tyme forsaid of her decease viz ane old Schaltie pryce v lb Item ane old mear pryce 1lb x s Item ane ox
pryce x lb Item ane kow pryce viij lb Item the utencills and domecilis estimat at ij lb iiij s Item saitine68 of oats j m at the third corn of
Increas69 is iijm at ij lb p[er] m Inde vj lb Item saitine of bear 1m at the fourth corne of increase is iiij m at iij lb p[er] m Inde xij lb
Suma of the Inventar is _________________ xliiij lb xiiij s Na debts awand to the dead
ffollowis the debts awand be the dead Item for ane yeiris dewtie xiij lb
Item for the defuncts burriall ij lb iiij lb Inde xv lb iiij s Remainis of frie gear debts deductit _______ xxix lb x s
To be devydit thrie pairts deads pt is ______ ix lb iij s iiij d
Quott componit for ____________________ ix s70 James Murray of Pennyland Commiss[a]r deput of Orknay and
Yetland speciallie constitut be Nathaniell Fyff advocat pr[i]n[cipa]ll Commiss[a]r yrof ffor confirmatione of testaments decernit and
confirmed the saids James and Jonet Sinclairs in exe[cutou]ris datives to the said defunct and hath found Francis Breckn caut[io]ner
as ane act maid thereupon biersis.
was portioned amongst all the children - see Appendix X.1). All
“moveable property” (e.g. furniture, cash, farm stock and produce)
were divided into three “parts”, one part going to the spouse, one
part being divided equally amongst the children, and only the “free”
or “dead” part being disposed of according to the wishes of the
deceased. If there were no such wishes, or no spouse, or no
children, the moveables were halved. 62
For intestate lands, primogeniture applied until 1964. 63
The term “probate” is rarely used in Scotland. 64
The eldest son was omitted if he had inherited heritable property. 65
The court’s charge: typically 5%, but often nil for small estates. 66
For registered wills and settlements, see Chapter 8.2.2. 67
This date of registration had to be inferred: it was omitted by the
clerk, as was the customary naming the deceased in the margin. 68
i.e. settin (see Appendix V). 69
i.e. crop of oats estimated to have increased three-fold from seed. 70
The maths of this should be: Inventory £44 14s, less £13 duty & £2
4s (copied in error as 4 lb) for burial, leaving £29 10s, which was
evidently read as £27 10s, to be divided into three parts of £9 3s 4d.
TRACE YOUR ORKNEY ANCESTORS 21
After confirmation, the individual testamentary
“Warrants” were “bookit” (i.e. transcribed) into
contemporary volumes known as “Registers”.
No Registers for Orkney survive for 1690-1804. After
1804, Wills, Settlements and Inventories were registered
separately from their subsequent “Confirmations”.
Many of the technical terms used in these documents are
included in the “FAQs” and “Research Tools” pages of
the Scottishdocuments website.71 The “Introduction” in
Barclay 1977 discusses Orcadian features and still provides valuable background on this complex subject.
The “reference” date for entries in the Registers is that of
registration. This was entered on a separate line above
the first testament registered on that day, and so may not
appear in a digital image or photocopy of the testament,
but should always be sought.72 The appointment of
executors, confirmation and registration usually occurred
in quick succession, but the interval between death and
registration could be from a few weeks to several years.73
Over the years various documentary indexes of Orkney's
surviving testaments and inventories have been made, but
all these are now effectively superseded by six
computerised indexes - three indexes of Registers in the
SCAN database on the Scottishdocuments website, two databases held in the OA, and one index of Warrants that
I have been able to find, copied on the OFHS website.74
Alas the relationships between these indexes is complex.
The following table provides a practical summary:
As spellings are critical in the Scottishdocuments
database I recommend using its “Advanced Search”
facility, without entering any Forename or Description,
deselecting “Exact Match”,75 and, for 19th century deaths, searching two or even all three collections of Registers. Index: www.scottishdocuments.com OA OA www.OFHS
Approx . Date Ork.Com'y Kirkwall Sheriff Court Misc.
date of of Court Wills & Inv 's Confirmations Wills & Inv 's Testaments Tests & Inv's
death registration Registers Registers Registers Registers Warrants Warrants
1500-1572 - - - - - - yes
1573-1689 1614-1689 yes - - - some yes
1690-1800 - - - - - some yes
1800-1832 1804-1832 yes - - - some yes
1815-1901 1824-1901 - yes yes yes some yes
1895-1930 1902-1930 - - - yes some yes
1925-1980 1931-1980 - - - yes some -
refs. of source mss: NRS CC17/2OA SC11/38 OA SC11/41 OA SC11/38 OA SC11/5 v arious
approx . no. of entries: 2,400 1,497 c.1,500 11,500 333 1,900 Many of the Warrants on the OFHS website do not appear
in any of the Registers. Even those that do may be worth
sighting as the Registers can incorporate copying errors.
71
This otherwise excellent website confusingly refers to wills, which
make up only a minute portion of its content from its three sources:
Registers of Testaments of the Orkney Commissary Court (NRS
CC17/2), and of (Wills), Settlements and Inventories (OA SC11/38)
and of Confirmations (OA SC11/41) of the Kirkwall Sheriff Court. 72
The various dates associated with each testament can be confusing.
In chronological order, these may include:
- date of will, if any, at start of the penultimate paragraph;
- date of death, in the middle of the first paragraph;
- date of appointment of executors, at end of the first paragraph;
- date of confirmation of testament, at end of the last paragraph
(if not the same as date of registration);
- date of registration, above the first testament registered that day;
- date of any extract from the Register. 73
Barclay 1977 includes one exceptional interval of 39 years! 74
This simple index includes miscellaneous warrants from NRS, OA,
SHB and TNA, but not items in CC17/2, SC11/38 and SC11/41. 75
e.g. so that Irvin finds Irvine, Irving and Irvingson (but not Ervin).
Appendix T.1-.4 lists details of the various website,
computer, published and extant manuscript indexes,
Registers and Warrants of Orcadian testamentary records.
Abstracts and a few transcripts of testaments of Orcadians
who died between 1573 and 1615 are in Barclay 1977.
Microfilm copies (of variable quality) of the Registers
from 1611 to 1684 can be ordered for viewing at LDS
Centers (microfilm nos. 0231221-4). Note the manuscript
reference numbers copied on some of the microfilms are
outdated - see Appendix T.3.
Digital images (of excellent quality) of pages of all the original Registers held by NRS can be viewed in the
Historical Search Room without charge, and downloaded
from the Scotlandspeople website at £5 per testament.76
The original Registers held by NRS and copied on the
Scottishdocuments website are no longer available to the
public. Other Registers and Warrants may still be
inspected at NRS or OA as appropriate.
In addition to testaments, inventories and confirmations,
other testamentary records include:
- wills, contracts, settlements and trusts, and heritable
dispositions, bonds and discharges: arrangements for inheritance completed before death (see Chapter 8.2.2);
- codicils: extensions, typically to a will; - eiks: extensions, typically to a confirmation; - edicts of executory, tutory or curatory: writs issued on
behalf of next-of-kin calling for the appointment of executors, tutors (guardians for boys under 14 and girls under 12) or curators (guardians until age of 21);
- petitions: writs by executors, usually concerning debts;
- bonds of caution: undertakings by cautioners (guarantors) that the deceased’s debts will be honoured.
Appendix T.3-.4 includes collections of such surviving
testamentary deeds, which may be viewed at NRS or OA
as appropriate. Bigwood 2001 gives guidance on such
records. Regrettably few of them have been indexed.
5.4 Retours and services of heirs Testaments do not address the inheritance of land, as
feudal law required heritable property to pass from the
“heritor” (owner) to his eldest son, who could not “enter”
the lands until his right thereto had been proved.
If the lands were held from a “subject superior” rather
than direct from the Crown and the succession was
clearly established, the superior could issue a precept of
“clare constat” that acknowledged the new vassal's rights
and instructed the local baillie to “infeft” (give sasine77)
to the heir of the lands of the deceased.78 Sadly no record
of these precepts was kept until 1848 (NRS C36), but
many survive in Registers of Sasines (see Chapter 6.3)
and other archive collections (see Appendices H, J and L).
If the lands were held direct from the Crown, the
Chancery in Edinburgh issued a “Brieve of Succession”
to the local sheriff to convene an inquest, whose jury
(which often included a relative) had to determine if the
76
This tricky procedure is much helped by the “FAQ’s”. 77
See Chapter 6.1. 78
A charter of novodamus could alter or correct a former grant.
22 TRACE YOUR ORKNEY ANCESTORS
claimant was the true heir. The verdicts of these juries
were “retoured” to Chancery, where the “service” was
“entered” in the Register of “Retours” or, after 1847,
Records of “Services of Heirs”, entitling an “heir special”
to specified lands, and a precept of sasine followed, or an
“heir general”, e.g. if the service was for the whole estate.
Sadly there are problems: some heirs did not initiate this
procedure; others delayed many years; retours before
1700 do not include the date of death; some retours were
burnt or lost; and the older records that survive are in
Latin. On the other hand, some inheritances of udal lands
were included, even though this was not strictly necessary.
So while perusal of these records is likely to be less rewarding than the Registers of Sasines (see Chapter 6.3),
in which all inheritances of land should also be recorded,
the retours/services should not be overlooked if
researching families who owned land, however little.
Indexes (1546-date, in English) and Abridgements
(1546-1699, in Latin) of the retours have been published
in three volumes colloquially known as the Retours:79
- Vol. 3: Indexes to Special Services, General Services, the Supplements thereof,80 and to three minor retours;81
- Vol. 1: Abridgements of some of the Special Services, including those for Orkney and Shetland;
- Vol. 2: Abridgements of other Special Services, the General Services, the Supplements, and the minor retours.
Retours are listed by the date they were “entered”. The
indexes include brief details of the inherited property and
the descent of the heir. Copies of the Retours and the
subsequent Indexes (which include dates of deaths)
(Decennial, 1700-1859, then Annual, 1860-date) are only
held in NRS and a few of the largest libraries, but the
LDS microfilms/fiches and SGS CD-ROMs thereof are
more widely available.82 See Appendix T.5. The original
Registers of Retours (NRS C22) and their Supplements
(NRS C25) and Abridgements (NRS C23, 1701-1829) are
in Latin. In 1847 they were replaced by Records of Services of Heirs (NRS C28), in English.
Many Processes of the inquests considered by juries in
Orkney survive in OA SC11/8. A two-volume typewritten
index thereof may be consulted in the OA Public Search Room. The example opposite is of an inquest preceding
the service of an heir general in 1712 (OA SC11/8/1).
Miscellaneous references to services of heirs may also be
found in Exchequer Rolls and Sheriff Court Books (NRS ER, SC10/1, /2, /6; OA SC11/1, /9).
In practice a heritor often disponed (disposed of) the title
to his lands to the heir(s) of his choice, usually shortly
before his marriage or death, reserving “liferent” (i.e.
occupancy and income arising) to himself and his widow
(see Chapter 8.2.2 and Appendix J). 79
Full title: Inquisitionum Retornatorum ad Capellam Domini Regis
quae in publicus Archivis Scotiae adhuc servantur Abbreviatio
(Thomson 1811-16). 80
The Retours were not collected contemporaneously, so are only
entered in the Registers in approximate chronological order. The
Supplements contain retours that were found later. 81
Inquisitions of Tutory (to determine and appoint a “tutor” (if heir
under 14) or a “curator” (over 14 or insane) (normally the “agnate”,
i.e. the nearest male relative over 25 on father's side), of Value (to
determine extent of lands), and of Possession (to determine estate
forfeited for treason); rarely relevant, but indexes are easy to check. 82
At present none of these are available in Orkney.
Acts & Minutes of Compt And the General Service of Patrick Irving in
Sandwick in Sandwick in Orknay Imediat elder broyr german to the
deceast Hugh Irving younger of Garsone 1712
Att Kirkwall within S:Magnus .….. The fyth day of ffebuary 1712 The
which day In presence of William Liddell of Hammer Steward Sheriff
& Justitiar Substitute of Orknay sitting in Judgement Compeared
prsonalie James Mckenzie writer in Kirk’all as proc’r Constitute be
Patrick Irving in Sandwick in Orknay Immediat elder brother
germane to the deceast Hugh Irving younger of Garson & produced
Letters of pro’rie Granted by the sd Peter to him for yt effect dated
the ffyth day of ffebrij One thousand seven hundred and Twelve years
As also produced an breiff furth of our soveraigne ladies
Chancellarie direct to the Stewart of Orknay or his deputs for serving
of the said Peter aire in generall to his sd umql brother in what lands
& @rents he died last vest & saised Which breiff is dated at Ed’r the
nynteenth day of November One thousand seven hundred & eleven
years & produced the execu’ne of the said breiff & Mandate for
proclaiming yrof bearing that Joseph Jack Stewart officer did upon
the sixteenth day of January last proclaime the sd breive & Mandate
to be served this day And charged ane sufft number of prsones to
prass.nion his Inqueist Lykeas the sd officer & witness named &
designed in ful exemtione attested the same by yr oaths being
Judicially sworne yrupon And efter th??? openly calling all p’ties
pretending Interest to Compear & object &c. The @named Stewart
& sheriff Substitute ordained the sd breiff to pass to the knowledge of
the persones of Inqueist efternamed Viz
Andrew Young of Castleyards Magnus Marwick in Northdyke
provost of Kirkwall in Sandwick
John Coventrie of Enhallow Baylie Thomas Brass yr
William Rendall of Breck Baylie George Stocking in Hamer yr
Patrick Traill Baylie John Brown in Gorn yr
Robert Donaldson Baylie David Irveing in Clumley
Hendry Moncreiff of Ladaland
James Nisbet of Swanney
George Traill Chamberland
William Traill elder merchant
Andrew Liddell merchant
The abovenamed prsones of Inqueist removing apairt be themselves
They all but any variance Elected & chosed the said Andrew Young of
Castleyeards Provost of Kirkwall – there Cau’d & they all but any
variance as said is ffind the said breiff orderly execute & served by
the mouth of their ????? And yrfore all in one voyce issues the said
Peter Irving aire in generall to his sd umqll brother In all lands &
@rents wherein he died last vest & saised Affeirmative Conforme to
the said Breiff & exeral.nes And reensring in Judgement gave in the
said report to the @named Stewart Substitute Wheirupon James
Mckenzie forsd took Instruments And. Young
Att Kirkwall the fyfth day of ffebruary 1712 years
The @named Stewart Substitute of Orknay accepts of the @wrine
report And Interpones his au’tie yrto And ordaines the sd service to
be retoured to her Ma’ties Judge Chan’rie in comm’ry forma
Whrupon the sd pro’r took Instruments Wm Liddell
At Kirkwall the fyth day of February 1712
Hugh Linkletter in Quoys aged fifty years and upwards married being
deuley and Solemly Sworn purged of panall Counsell exammed and
Interogat whither or not the deceast Hugh Irveing yor of Garson was
the imediat elder brother german of Patrick Irveing in Sandwick in
Orkney or yt he was holden and repute sold he depone afirmative
causa Sience he was In Niborhood wt George Irveing of Garson
father to the sd Hugh and Patrick Irveing and heard knew and sa the
sd George own and acknowledge the sd Hugh for his eldest son and
the sd Petter an and Imediat sone to him and this is the truth as he
shall ansr to God and cannot wryte
Ego Carolus Stewart Norius publicus de speciali mandato dicti
Hugonis Linklatter Scribere nescientis ut asseruit in premissa
requisitus pro eodem Scribo
David Kirkness Coupper in Kirkwall aged fourtie Eight or thereabout
Married being Sworn and Interogat ut Supera depons afirmative as
the @deponent causa Sience He was born in the paroch of Sandwick
and hade frequent rasions to com to the House of Garson and being
Intimat wt the father and the Sone Sa and heard the sd George own
and acknowledge the sd Hugh and Patrick as above and this is the
truith as he should ansr to God
Ego Carolus Stewart Norius publicus de speciali mandato dicti
Davidis Kirknes Scribere nescientis ut asseruit in premissa requisitus
pro eodem Scribo
The succession to a few of the largest Orcadian estates
was prescribed in a deed of “entail” recorded in the
Register of Tailzies (see NRS RT, also OA SC11/64).
TRACE YOUR ORKNEY ANCESTORS 23
Chapter 6
Transfers of Land-ownership - Great Seal and Sasine Registers
Transfers of land-ownership in Orkney gave rise to a very large number of records. Although in theory udal land did not require written titles (see Appendix X), in practice copious records accumulated, even for very
small parcels. Many of these include genealogical details of one or both parties, and sometimes of the tenant
as well. Transfers on death are addressed in Chapter 5.4. The Registers of the Great Seal and of Sasines,
both widely available, are introduced below. First the related legal terminology is introduced.
6.1 Transfer of heritable rights (conveyance) Records pertaining to the transfer of land-ownership can
include valuable genealogical details. Sadly they are also
verbose and include many legal terms. The genealogist
doesn’t need to understand the subtleties of these terms,
but will benefit from recognising the basic concepts.
In Scotland the transfer (“transmission” or “alienation”) of ownership of heritable property (land, buildings, and
rights thereto) could be by: 83
- exchange (e.g. excambion,84 upgestrie85);
- gift (contract of marriage, settlement or liferent; - mortgage, either with right of reversion (heritable bond or
wadset) or without (bond & disposition); - reversion (disburden, discharge, redemption, renunciation):
when a loan was repaid and the associated security of land lapsed, enabling its reversion to the original owner.
- sale (disposition or, if mortgaged, disposition & assignment); - succession: retour.
Each of these transfers of land-ownership could involve
some or all of the following deeds (“writs” or “titles”):86
- contract: the commitment to transfer and terms thereof; - charter: the terms under which the land was to be held from
the previous owner); - charter of resignation (by seller to Crown, re-granting feudal
land to buyer), or confirmation, novodamus (by superior) or ratification (by court): the terms under which land was to be held from the feudal superior;
- procuratory: an authorisation to act;
- precept of clare constat (recognition of heir by superior) or of sasine (superior’s authority for sasine to be given to heir);87
- instrument of sasine:88 proof of “infeftment”, the formal act of possession & completion of the conveyancing procedure;
- registration of sasine, in Particular or General Register; - extract of registration (as evidence thereof).
Each type of deed had a standard pro forma.89 Not all
these deeds were necessarily drawn up for each transfer,
and some were combined. Many have not survived.
Those that have, as originals or copies thereof, may now
be found in various collections (see Chapters 8.2.2, 8.3,
and 8.4).
83
See also Chapter 5 above. Leases did not involve change in title. 84
An exchange of lands between two parties. 85
See Appendix X.1. 86
See also Chapter 8.2.2. 87
Dispensed with if the superior gave sasine “propriis manibus”. 88
Pronounced sayzin. Sasines involved several parties: the notary
public, as officiating lawyer; the local baillie, who traditionally
represented the previous owner of the land; the incoming owner or
his “procurator” (representative); and witnesses (who often differed
from the witnesses to the precept of sasine). 89
See Gouldesbrough 1985. The more interesting details of a deed
are usually to be found near the beginning or end of its text. If part
of a deed has been damaged or is illegible, many of the details may
be found repeated in the middle of the text.
6.2 Register of the Great Seal (RMS), 1314-1919
Charters recording grants of land (and confirmations
thereof) by the Crown received the Great Seal. The
original Registers (and the drafts thereof, in the Register
of the Privy Seal and the Register of Signatures) held by
NRS are complex and incomplete, but Indexes and
extensive Abridgements of the extant charters between
1314 and 1668 (in Latin till 1651) were published as
Registrum Magni Sigilli Regum Scotorum (RMS) in 11
volumes between 1882 and 1914. A facsimile edition
thereof published in 1984 is available in the NRS and OA
Search Rooms and in most large libraries. An 11 page
typescript index, by parish, of all Orcadian charters appearing in the published RMS, extracted by Ian
Sandison, is held in the OA Public Search Room.
Typescript indexes of RMS charters between 1669 and
1919 are held in the NRS Catalogue Rooms.
6.3 Records of Sasines, 1576-date Registers of Sasines and their predecessors, “Protocol
Books”, together serve as a de-facto public land registry,
which for Orkney dates back to 1576.
Sasines were drafted by notaries public, who often
entered copies thereof into their Protocol Books, many of which have survived. In 1617 a statute required all such
instruments to be copied into one of a series of Registers:90
- A General Register of Sasines (GRS) for all of Scotland was
held in Edinburgh; - Particular Registers of Sasines (PRS) were held in most
county towns (in Kirkwall, for Orkney and, till 1744, Zetland).
From 1681, Burgh Registers were held in royal burghs,
including Kirkwall. Leases could be included in the
Registers after 1857. In 1868, the General, Particular and
Burgh Registers were replaced by New Registers of
Sasines, held in Kirkwall for Orkney and Shetland.
Although very few of the Orcadian Registers have been
lost, in practice they are not as comprehensive as the law
required: registration of sasines was often overlooked, particularly for inheritances that were not in dispute, and
in Orkney the traditional right of udallers to inherit land
without written evidence provided further incentive to
avoid the costs inherent in registration. On the other
hand, if title was in dispute, then registering sasine
provided valuable evidence of ownership, and over half of
the 17th century sasines were for parcels of 1d land or less!
Many of the Registers have been indexed, abridged and
published. Contemporary manuscript Minute Books were
90
No Orcadian records survive from the earlier “Secretary’s Register”.
24 TRACE YOUR ORKNEY ANCESTORS
also kept. All the original records are held by NRS.
Details are given in Appendix R. Over 1,200 volumes
relate just to Orkney and Shetland! This material
provides an extensive and relatively accessible source for
details of heirs, buyers and sellers, and of some tenants
(who “occupy”, “possess” or “labour”) and relatives.
The Abridgements with their Indexes that have been
published since 1781, and before that the Minute Books
(since 1617 for GRS, 1661 for PRS Kirkwall, 1682 for
Kirkwall Burgh) suffice for most genealogical purposes.
The LDS microfilms of these Indexes and Abridgements (1781-1868) and Minutes (1661-1791) (see Appendix C)
thus provide a rich store for family and local historians
that can be perused at leisure. For critical references the
original registers should always be checked.
Alas in practice there are several problems: the printed
Indexes for later years are decennial or annual, i.e. many
volumes have to be searched unless the date is known;
references may be ambiguous as many contemporary
individuals and farms had the same name; the many
technical terms and the abbreviations in the Abridgements
take some mastering; the handwriting in the early Minute
Books was often not very legible; the quality of the NRS
and OA (D1/285) typescript indexes to the Orkney PRS is poor; and many of the early full sasines are in Latin.
However the printed Abridgements are all in English and
relatively comprehensible, as the following example
shows (abridged from the original PRS listed as NRS
RS46/4,91 folio 365):92
(177) Apr. 10 1789.
WILLIAM WARDS, son of William Wards, Carpenter, Stromness,
Seized, Apr. 6. 1789, - in a Tenement at the south end of
STROMNESS, & part of 1½ penny land in Innertown, par. Stromness;
- on Disp. by Marjory Irvine, relict of Adam Cromarty, Shipmaster,
Stromness, his grandmother, (reserving her liferent), Jun. 5 1779.
P.R. 13. 365.
Many of the terms used in these Abridgements, and in the
Minute Books and Registers, are explained in Appendix Z.
The manuscript entries in the Minute Books of older sasines can be more difficult to decipher. The following
1712 example is from NRS RS78/3:
Marked in margin: Saisine for Patt: Irveing, O[vi]r Garson:
The said day93 and houre anoyr Saisine is pnted by the sd Hugh Gyer
and duely regrat the sd day In favours of Patrick Irveing of Garsan of
four settings mealling udal land in North dyke wt houses &c Lying in
the paroch of Sandwick Mainland and Stewartry of Orkney disponed
to him Herelly under Reversione By Alexander Moir in Newgair Laull
Sone and appearand heir to umqll Thomas Moir in Stove this Saisine
is dated the Thirteenth day of June and year forsaid.
Further genealogical information may be recovered from
the full sasine and from adjacent entries in the Registers,
though only after careful reading. The example opposite is the full sasine in the Particular Register (NRS RS 45/7,
ff.354v-355r) from which this Minute above was written: 91
See Appendix R for this “decode” of “P.R. 13”. 92
From this we can infer that in 1779 William Ward jnr.’s widowed
grandmother had sold him her rights to a building in Stromness and
part of a small plot of land nearby, but reserved their occupancy and
income to herself. On 6th April 1789, presumably shortly after her
death, and on the strength of the ten year old deed, he took formal
possession of these properties, and registered this act four days later. 93
The same day, i.e. the date of registration. In this case this date, 26th
June 1712, appears above an earlier entry. It is important to record
the date of registration when taking notes or photocopies.
Marked in margin: Saisine for Peter Irveing:
Att Kirkwall the Twenty Sixth day of June One thousand Seven
hundered and Twelve years The Instrument of Saisine underwrne was
presented by Hugh Gyer wryter in Kirkwall about Seven hours in the
forenoon and duely registrate the said day Qrof the tennor follows
In the Name of God Amen Be it Known to all men by these presente
publ Instrument that upon the thirteenth day of the moneth of June
One thousand Seven hundered and twelve years And of the reign of
our Soveraigne Lady Ann by the Grace of God Queen of great Brittain
france and Ireland Defendar of the ffaith the Eleventh year In
Presence of me Nottar publ & Witneses hereto Subscryveing
Compeared personaly upon the Ground of the land underwrtine
Patrick Irveing of Garsan designed in the Heretable Bond aftermentd
Patrick Irveing in Garsan Haveing and holding in his hands ane
Heretable bond of the date underwrine made and granted to him be
Alexander Moir in Newgair eldest Lawll Sone and appearand heir to
umqll Thomas Moir in Stove Whereby and in Security of the prinll
Sum of Thirty Six pound scots money then borrowed and received by
the said alexr Moir from the said Patrick Irveing and @rents yrof He
band and obleidged him his heirs &c to Infeft the said Patrick Irveing
his heirs and Assis Heretly under Reversion in manner yrin speitt
All and Haill his four settings mealling udal Land in Northdyke
Extending to ane half penney Land with houses biggs &c Lying in the
paroch of Sandwick Mainland and Stewartry of Orknay as the said
Heretable Bond containing Seall other Clauses wt the precept of
Saisine after Insert in it Self more fully bears Which Heretable Bond
the said Patrick Irveing presented and delivered to Thomas Kirkness
of Quoyloo Baillie in that pairt Speally Constitute requyering him to
pntt the Same to due Execution and the said Baillie receiveing the
Same in his hands delivered it to me Nottar publ to be published and
read to the Witneses which Accordingly I did And of qch precept of
Saisin the tenor follows
Attour to Thomas Kirkness of Quoyloo &c my Baillies in that pt and
ilk one of you Conly and Seally hereby Speally Constitute it is my Will
and I require you that In Continent upon sight hereof ye pass and give
and delyver Heretable State and Saisine Actuall reale corporall and
peacable poone off all And Haill yt my four settings mealling uddal
Land in Northdyke Extending to half ane penney Land with houses
Biggs yairds tofts crofts tumales quoys quoylands outbrecks onsetts
anexis conexis pts pendicles and ptinents yrof Lyand as said is to the
said Patrick Irveing or to his certain prors or atturnay in his name
bearer hereof By deliverance of Earth and Stone of the Ground of the
said Land as use is conforme to the tenor hereof in all points
Redeemable always and under reversion in manner @ exprest And
this in nowayes ye have undon the qch to do I commit to you Conlly
and Seally my Baillies in yt pairt forsaid my full power be thir pnts
(wrine by George Emerson wryter in Kirkll, for Robert Ritchie Nor.
Publ) I have given command to the said Nottar because I cannot
write to Subve thir pnts for me Att Birsay the … Day of Jary Jajvj &
Ninety Six years befor these Witnesses Robert Brown wryter in Birsay
James Lowttit Laull sone to Edward Louttit of Likeing and George
Spence Sone to Mr George Spence Minr at Birsay the Witneses …….
After Reading & Publishing of which Heretable Bond and precept of
Saisine The said Thomas Kirknes by virtue of his said office of
Bailliary Exhibited gave and Delyvered Heretable State and Saisine
actuall reall and Corporall poone of all and Haill the said four setting
mealling udalland ….. forsaid Lyand as said is to Patrick Irveing by
delivering to him of Earth and Stone of the ground of the said land as
use is Redeemable and under reversion as is @ exprest after the form
and tenor of the said Heretable bond and ppt of Saisin @ insert yrin
Contained Whereupon and upon all and Sundry the premissis the
said Partick Irveing asked and tooke Instruments in the hands of me
Notar publ and required this precept publ Instrument or mae publick
Instrnts to be made by me to him thereupon Thir Things were acted
Spoken & sone at and upon the Ground of the said Land betwixt four
and five houres in the afternoon or yrby Day Moneth year of God And
of her Maties reigne rexive forsaid Befor and in presence of Mr Alexr
Keith Minister at Sandwick Thomas Graham at Skaill yr John Garson
of Bea and Hugh Gyer writer in Kirkll Witnesses to the premissis
Speally called and Requyred Sic Subr ………….
It is one of five sasines registered on the same day, all in favour of Patrick Irving. Together these reveal where he
lived and the names of his father, wife and son.
Bigwood 2001 provides excellent guidance on sasines,
while Gouldesbrough 1985 has further examples and
background.
TRACE YOUR ORKNEY ANCESTORS 25
Chapter 7
Census Substitutes: Lists of Inhabitants
The Decennial census returns (see Chapter 4) have two important limitations: they only cover the period
1821/1841 to 1911, and they don’t cover the years between each census. This chapter identifies, in
alphabetical order, various surviving listings of Orcadians, dating back to 1601, which partially overcome these limitations, though always take care to avoid confusing contemporaries bearing the same name. From
such lists, “sightings” of individuals may help identify their occupation and even the name of their spouse
and/or landlord. Comparing successive listings may help determine when individuals moved their place of residence or died. Alas few of these lists are widely accessible, and none have been copied by LDS.
7.1 Admission Registers of Schools, 1874-date The Education Act of 1872 introduced compulsory
education for children aged 5 to 13 (to 14, 1918-47). Each
school to keep a “Register of Admission, Progress and
Withdrawal”, in which was recorded each pupil’s name,
their dates of birth, joining and leaving, their previous
school, and the name & address of their parent or guardian.
Many of these Registers have been lost, but details of
those for over half of Orkney’s schools are summarised in
Appendix F.94 Note that access to Registers containing
sensitive material less than 75 years old may be restricted.
7.2 Communicants Rolls, 1830s-date Some parish Church Records include “Rolls” (lists) of
communicants, where they lived, and dates of attendance.
In many parishes, volumes kept solely for this purpose
have survived, typically since the 1880s. In other parishes
lists were kept in the back of Kirk Session Minutes. The
original records are held by OA, and microfilms may be
sighted in NRS. See Appendix F for details.
7.3 Electoral (or Voters’) Rolls, 1715-date As the franchise to vote in parliamentary elections was extended,95 so the resulting Rolls of “qualified voters”
become of increasing value to genealogists. Between
1832 and 1918 the rolls included the address, occupation
and whether the individual was a proprietor or a tenant.
Some earlier records even note how the electors voted!
94
Some of the “missing” Admissions Registers may still be in use by
the school. Orkney had over 60 schools in the 1870s; most of their
surviving records in OA CO5 are school log books, which rarely
include pupils’ names. Individual parishes had as many as 10
schools during the 1830s (see Education Returns for Orkney and
Shetland 1834, copy on OA open shelves), but few if any schools
during the 18th century. Very few records of early schools survive.
95 The franchise was originally based on ownership of land:
1681-1832: proprietor of property liable to £400 Scots of superior
dues (<1% of adult males);
1832-1868: proprietor of property worth £10pa, tenant of
property worth £50pa (c.13% of adult males);
1868-1884: proprietor of property worth £5pa, tenant of property
worth £14pa (c.20% of adult males);
1884-1918: all male householders, plus prosperous/skilled
lodgers (c.60% of adult males);
since 1918: all males aged over 21 (>99% of adult males).
Females did not appear on electoral rolls until 1882, and then only
for local elections and if they were proprietors or tenants and not
living with their husband. Women over 30 were enfranchised in
1918. Universal suffrage came in 1929. The minimum voting age
was reduced from 21 to 18 in 1969. Residents in the Burgh of
Kirkwall had different franchise qualifications until 1910.
A Register or Roll of Qualified Voters has been published annually since 1832, excluding 1915-17 & 1940-44. NLS
hold a complete series. Other extant records include:96
1715-30, 1833-69 OA: SC11/69/1
1730-1827 OA: D1/104/3D 1734-1784 OA: D13/4/19 1734-1792, 1820-1831 OA: SC11/59/1-/4, D17/5 1832 OA: D16/1/9/2, D1/153 1834-1837 OA: D13/2/9 1847 OA: D13/5/13 1851 OA: D13/6/14
1852 OA: D13/Addl.42 1864 NRS: GD263/119 1867-1916 Peace's Almanac 1919-date OA: CO4/5 1832-35, 1900-31 (Kirkwall only): OA: K6/1-/8.
7.4 Valuation Rolls and other land tax records
7.4.1 Valuation Rolls, 1855-date The present local (“Council”) rating system originated in
the Valuation of Lands Act of 1854. Valuation Rolls have
been published annually since 1855, listing owners
(“heritors” or “proprietors”) and tenants (“possessors” or
“occupiers”) of properties with a “yearly rent or value” of
over £4.97 98
This ability to identify a tenant’s landlord can
facilitate the use of Estate records (see Chapter 8.3).
Copies of the published rolls are held by NRS and OA:99 NRS OA OA
micro-film micro-film printed
Orkney (excl. Kirkwall till 1931/2)
1855/6-1903/5 VR 111/ 1-/22 CO 4/3 MF1-24 -
1905/6-1975/6 VR 111/23-/45 - CO 4/3/ 44-/113
1976/7- date - - CO 4/3/114-/141
Burgh of Kirkwall
1855/6-1930/1 VR 52/ 1-/11 - CO 4/4/ 1-/ 73
1931/2- date (included with Orkney) Rolls published since 1946 are held by NLS, and are
some are posted at www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk .
96 Valuations of freeholder properties and disputes thereon (the
“Baron Rolls”), 1734-92, 1820-31 are held as OA SC11/59 and /60.
Commissions to Orkney MPs are held as NRS PA7/25/25. 97
This threshold apparently represented about two thirds of the
properties of rural Orkney. In theory the Valuation Rolls were more
comprehensive than Electoral Rolls until 1884. 98
Valuation Rolls were replaced by Community Charge Rolls in 1990
and by Council Tax Rolls in 1994; both include less information. 99
The entries are not indexed, but the printed versions can be searched
quickly. Use of the microfilms is laborious, but is made easier by
awareness of the sequence in which the parishes are listed, which is
the same for most years: Hoy & Graemsay; Walls; Flotta;
S.Ronaldsay & Burray; Deerness; St.Andrews; Holm; St.Ola;
Orphir; Firth; Stenness; Stromness; Sandwick; Harray; Birsay;
Evie; Rendall; Rousay; Egilsay; Westray; Papa Westray; Eday;
Stronsay; Sanday; N.Ronaldsay; Kirkwall (since 1931).
Alternatively, for most years between 1889 and 1931, use the more
detailed manuscript versions (OA CO4/3/1 -/42).
26 TRACE YOUR ORKNEY ANCESTORS
7.4.2 Land Ownership Commission 1872-3 www.scotlandsplaces.gov.uk lists 762 owners of rural
land over 1 acre in Orkney in 1872/3.
7.4.3 Cess records and Valuations, 1643-1854 From 1643100 until 1854 land taxes were assessed (hence
“cess”) on “heritors” (landowners). Initially parliament
required “Commissioners of Supply”101 to supervise the levying of cess to meet the costs of the army and navy.
During the Napoleonic wars these arrangements proved
too cumbersome for a national tax, so other taxes had to
be introduced (see Chapter 7.9), but from 1724 parliament
had also empowered the Commissioners to raise local
taxes variously known as “cess”, “stent”, “road money”
and “rogue money” for the building and maintenance of
bridges, roads, ferries, prisons and asylums, and the
police. Levies of cess were payable in cash. The timing
of these levies was irregular till 1707, thereafter quarterly.
For these levies to be raised, valuations of property were
necessary. All the agricultural land in Orkney was valued
in 1653 in terms of the annual rent each parcel could
attract if it was rented out.102 At this time there were still
many small udal heritors, the ‘peedie lairds’, and so this Valuation named over 800 heritors. Subsequently this
Valuation was updated periodically to take account of
sales and inheritances, and despite objections to its many
inequities,103 its ‘valued rents’104 were used until 1854!105
Many booklets and fragments detailing cess liabilities,
receipts and valuations survive in estate records and other
archive collections. Extensive lists of heritors include:106
1653 Valuation Original is lost, but extant copies include: NRS E106/24/1; OA SC11/65/2.107 Published transcripts: Johnston 1940 and The Orcadian, July-Dec. 1888.
1671 Cess OA D16/1/9/1 1736 Cess OA D1/104/5 1742 Cess OA D2/1 1744/5 Cess OA D23/8/4
1771 Cess NRS E106/24/3; Timperley 1976 1774 Cess OA D13/Addl./37 1799 Cess OA D1/104/3/U, /W; D34/V/7 1808 Cess OA D1/104/3/X 1810 Val’n & Cess OA D1/104/3/O; NRS E106/24/2,/4 1811 Cess OA D1/104/3/G, /H; D2/8 1820 Valuation OA Peterkin 1820, xx (Bishopic only) c1834 Val’n & Cess OA D1/31/3 1841 Val’n & Cess OA D34/V/6
The parcels in each parish varied in number (see Appendix
F), and were rarely named. But diligent comparison of
the 19th century lists can identify “sightings” of successive
owners of each parcel, and even hint at relationships.108 100
Possibly 1640 (NRS E41/4), or even 1623 (Marwick 1939, 33). 101
See Chapter 7.10. 102
Unlike Council tax, liability for cess had no minimum threshold. 103
See, for example, Peterkin 1822, 145-211. 104
These differed from the actual rents payable by tenants. 105
Liability for cess could be redeemed after 1799, but there were still
over 100 heritors with “Unredeemed cess” in 1874! (OA D1/31/3). 106
These records occasionally also include names of tenants. 107 Also NRS GD1/303/1; OA D1/30/1, /2; D1/31/1, /3; D1/104/1, /3, /4;
D1/509; D8/13; D16/10; D17/1; D24/4/54; D34/ V/5. 108
e.g. for a small parcel of land in Sandwick, probably in Wasbuster:
1653: James Smith of Turmiston; 1671: James or Thomas Smith;
1736 & 1742: Thomas Smith for Nicolas Smith; 1774: George
Smith in Clouston, Stenness, for Nicolas Smith for Thomas Smith
in Turmiston; 1799: James or William Smith for Thomas Smith;
7.4.4 The Uthell Buik of Orkney, 1601 In addition to cess, the Scottish land tax, heritors of udal
land in Orkney and tenants of most Bishopric and
Earldom lands had to pay “skat”, the old Norse land tax.
Annual liabilities for skat were included in the Bishopric
and Earldom Rentals (see Chapter 7.6).
To prevent evasion of skat, in 1601 Earl Patrick had a list
compiled of all the udal lands in Orkney and the owners
thereof. Although the list is haphazard and includes a few tenants instead of heritors, it gives a pretty fair picture of
about 1000 udallers of the time, and the name and
pennyland or merkland value of the lands they owned.
The text of the “Uthell Buik” was never published and the
original has long been lost. Surviving transcripts include:
NRS: GD1/236/2
OA: D8/5, pp407-442; D8/14, pp29-82.
7.5 Poll Tax Returns, 1690s During the wars of the 1690s cess payments proved
inadequate to fund the costs of the army and navy, so in
1693 and 1695 Parliament sought to levy poll taxes. Returns were prepared listing all inhabitants other than
the poor and children under the age of 16. Two further
levies of poll tax were instigated in 1698, but these only
applied to wealthy individuals.
Whether any of these taxes were actually raised in Orkney
is unclear, but the surviving returns of pollable persons
for the following parishes are of genealogical interest:
- 1693 tax (compiled in 1693-1696) in NRS RH9/15/175: all parishes except St.Andrews & Deerness, Stenness,
and Westray & Papa Westray, and some small islands. - 1695 tax (compiled in 1697) in NRS GD217/709: Kirkwall.
- 1698 taxes (compiled in 1698) in NRS E70/10/1: Kirkwall.
The surviving returns for 1693 name some 3,500
individuals, with additional details that vary from parish
to parish - see Appendix P. Comprehensive abstracts and
detailed analyses of all these returns are included in The
Orkney Poll Taxes of the 1690s (Irvine 2003b).
7.6 Poor Relief Records, 1801, 1845-1930 Before 1845, relief of the poor was the responsibility of
the church and heritors of each parish. Frequent but
incomplete references are found in Kirk Session Minutes.
In 1801 parish ministers were required to list the
“indigent poor” (residents unable by age or infirmity to
maintain themselves or their families) and “industrious
poor” (residents unable by their own industry to maintain
themselves and their families without occasional assistance). These two returns for each parish,109 for 1801
only, with names, ages and number in family, are held in:
OA: Original: D13/5/1 (Stronsay D14/8/5). OFHS: Transcript: 8A/0, and members’ only web pages.
In 1845 the Poor Law Act established Parochial Boards
for the Relief of the Poor.110 The Act required these
1810: William Smith; c1834: James Smith in Queenabrockan;
1841 James Smith now Edward Irvine and William Sinclair. 109
The returns for Firth and N.Ronaldsay are missing. 110
see www.scan.org.uk/knowledgebase > Poor Relief Registers.
TRACE YOUR ORKNEY ANCESTORS 27
Boards to keep detailed records of recipients in the form
of the example below (from OA CO6/1/8, 35):
THE PARISH OF Birsay and Harray, 1868
Name Janet Folster or Stanger 111
Residence Barony, Birsay
Age About 40 years in 1867 Date of Minute of Parochial ) 6th February 1867
Board … authorising Relief) Amount … of Relief authorised Five shillings in money
Country and … Parish of Birth Birsay Religious Denomination …. Protestant
If Adult: Married/Single, Widow(er) Widow If child: Orphan, Deserted or Separated
Trade or Occupation General labour
Wholly or Partially Disabled Not disabled Description of Disablement
Wholly or Partially Destitute …Resources besides Parochial Relief
Nature of Settlement Birth and residence Name and Age of Wife, Child) Margaret 6 years of age
or Children living in Family ) Mary 2 years of age Name, Age, and Weekly Earnings ) Husband died
of Husband, Wife, Children not ) living with Family and circumstances)
Other Information not stated above Date Change of Circumstances and Subsequent Proceedings
1868 11 Feb Allowance raised to 7s 6d 8 Aug do. do. 10s
1869 2 Feb do. reduced to 7s 6d
1873 5 Aug Struck off the Roll of Paupers in consequence of being able bodied and now only one child to provide for.112
Although incomplete, the records in OA CO 6/1-/21 are extensive (see Appendix F). Applications for poor relief
between 1877 and 1900 are contained in OA SC11/23.
7.7 Rentals of Bishopric & Earldom, 1492 - 1974 A summary of the history of the Bishopric and Earldom
jurisdictions is given in Appendix X. The many surviving
annual “Rentals” of these jurisdictions provide a record
extending over four centuries of all the rural holdings113 in
the parishes concerned, and their economic values. They
can provide useful genealogical “sightings” of many
heritors and tenants, especially between 1643 and 1834.
These Rentals were effectively taxation rolls, for their
primary purpose was to enable the collection of “superior
dues”. These were duties payable by the occupier of each
landholding (i.e. heritor or his (sub)tenant) to the superior
(i.e. bishop, earl or their “tacksman”). The dues included:
- Skat:114 the old Norse land tax, levied on all udal lands and some Bishopric and Earldom lands;
- Rent: payable on all lands rented/feued from the Bishopric or Earldom estates;
- Teinds:115 where payable to the superior;
111
See Appendix Y.1. 112
Evidently Mr.Stanger died c.1866 and one child died in 1873. 113
Apart from some quoy lands - see Appendix X.4. 114
The origins of the skat taxes are described in detail in Marwick
1952, 191-204 and, more authoritatively, in Thomson 1996, x-xxii. Skat was a continuing source of grievance to Orcadian landowners
in the 18th and 19
th centuries, although most large landowners took
advantage of an Act of 1812 to “buy out” their future liabilities, e.g.
Balfour (in 1843), Graemshall (in 1847) and Breckness (in 1874),
while many smaller heritors in earldom parishes bought out their
liabilities in 1923. In 1974 the “buy out” cost was reduced to 7
years dues, but some liabilities for superior dues still remained
unredeemed in 1993 (Jones 1996, 194). 115
Teinds (tithes), a tenth of the value of lands, or, after 1629, a fifth
of their annual rental value. Parsonage teinds were payable from
crops to the parson, prebend or rector (originally offices of
St.Magnus Cathedral). Vicarage teinds were payable from other
produce to the local vicar. Teinds were heritable rights that could
be bought and sold, and most became owned by laymen, including
- Grassum: a fee payable at the start of a lease; - Steelbow: purchase of stock at the start of a lease (rare); - Schoolmaster’s salary: payable in early 19th century.
Some elements of these dues were payable to the superior in cash (e.g. “skat silver”, peat rights and contributions to
salaries), or in days of “service” (i.e. labour), but until at
least 1831 most were payable “in kind”: “victuals” of
malt, bere, butter, flesh (meat), oil, geese and poultry.116
Some of these victuals were “discharged” locally (e.g. to
the parish minister), but even after poor harvests most
were shipped to Shetland, Norway, Leith or elsewhere.117
Each Rental was compiled for a “crop year” (i.e.
Martinmas to Martinmas) by a clerk for the Chamberlain,
on behalf of the Tacksman. Entries in each Rental were
by parish, township and landholding, together with its
pennyland value, whether it was udal, earldom (pro rege
or “p.r.”) or bishopric (pro episcopo or “p.e.”) (e.g. “ 2/3 of
the 2d. p.e. land” - see Appendices V and X), and the
superior dues that each occupier “Pays” (i.e. is liable for).
Until the mid 18th century the Rentals were typically soft-
backed foolscap sized volumes, 1 cm thick. Thereafter
they were hard-backed volumes 43x28x2cm. Pages were
numbered from 1701. Handwriting is generally very clear after 1730. Each Rental was copied from the previous
year.118 The many resulting year-on-year continuities (for
example, the page numbering of individual holdings rarely
changed after 1764) greatly facilitate searches, but also
meant that some errors were repeated for several years.
Although the pre-1700 Rentals identify few individual
farms by name, the superior dues for each farm hardly
changed over the centuries - some remained unchanged
from 1492 to 1830! It is thus possible to infer the identity
of most individual farms in the earlier Rentals, some even
back to 1492.
Before 1643 the Rentals contain few names of occupiers.
Thereafter they were were annual, and name the
occupiers of most holdings. After 1725, if the occupier
was a tenant, they usually add the heritor’s name in the
margin.119 Sometimes they also identify the previous
tenant (“last laboured by”). When an occupier died, his
name was often retained for some years. For heritors
with small parcels of land scattered in more than one township, the amounts payable were often consolidated,
either under the main holding, or in a tabulated entry.
Sadly such entries usually omit the name of the tenant.
Some Rentals quote the relevant fiars prices for victuals, and/or stipends payable. Some entries include details of
leases and/or whether land was ley (uncultivated).
the tacksmen of the Bishop and Earl. Teinds were “augmented”
from time to time when Ministers were awarded an increase in their
stipends. Most Orcadian heritors took advantage of an Act of 1926
to pay a lump sum in lieu of future liabilities for teinds. 116
The “fiars price” for each victual was set retrospectively each
spring by the Fiars Court and used to calculate the value of
payments in kind for the previous year (see Irvine 2009, 285). 117
Out of income from the dues he managed to collect and sell (and
from fines imposed by sheriff courts - see Appendix X.2), the
tacksman had to pay his own tack, a fixed sum, to the Bishop or
Crown, the stipends to the Ministers of relevant parishes, and the
salaries and expenses of his chamberlain, factor and clerks, of
sheriff court officials and ferrymen, and, later, of schoolmasters. 118
For a few years, more than one copy has survived. 119
This can help clarify references in cess records (see 7.4.3 opposite).
28 TRACE YOUR ORKNEY ANCESTORS
Many of the surviving Rental volumes have dated
annotations with the amounts actually “Paid” by each
occupier, and some also with the name of a third party
payee, for example to a minister towards his stipend, or a
merchant or shipper. Following the poor harvests that
were inherent in subsistence farming, payments were
often several years in arrears.120 When each Rental
volume was eventually closed, the entry for each occupier was annotated with any “rests” (arrears), the cash
equivalent of the dues still outstanding (in Scots money
until 1797, thereafter in sterling).
Few entries in the annual Rentals provide more than
“sightings”, but over a period of years some can reveal
valuable genealogical details. For example, the Rentals
of 1776 (OA D13/86), 1739 (Peterkin 1820, 16) and 1727
(OA D5/33/5) give clues to three generations of the
occupiers of the lands of Clumlie in south Sandwick:121
1776 Clumlie 6d land
Heretors: Jno. Irvine yor & Jo Irvine Eldr compt for the same
Woodwick, and pay 1 Barrel 1 Lpd butter 2m 4st malt 1m 2st
now John meal and 12 poultr
Mackenzie’s Rests all is £60.18. 8d Delivered it at the Bishops
heirs Storehouse by John Irvine ½bal. Butter is £16.10sh
Rests yet £44. 8. 8d Paid by John Irvine Elder 10th
Septr 1777 £22. 4. 6d Rests yet by Jo: Irvine Yor.
£22. 4. 6d Paid by sd John Irvine Yor by the hands
of Helen Loutit his mother 12th Septr 1777
1739 Clumly 6d.land.
JAMES and THOMAS IRVINGS compt for the same, and
pay 1 bar. 1 lp. but., 2m. 4 sett. malt, 1m. 2 sett. meall,
and 12 poultry.
Payd 1 bar. butter. Rests 1 lp. and the oyr. duties is
L.28, 17s. 4d.
1727 Clumley 6d land
Jas Traile of Ps 1 barl 1 lp butter 2m 4st malt 1m 2st meale 12 pultr
Woodwicke David Irving Compts yrfor and p[ay] ye @ duties Is
her[itor] 53£ 10s 8d yrof
Pd by 1 barl by Ja: Irving & 5mk by him & by Thos
Irving 11½mk butter to Do:Groat & 1½m malt to Mr
John Nisbet122 by Wm Irving 39£ 2s 3d
Rests yet 14£ 5s 2d. 28 ffeb 1729 pd.
The Rental entries incorporated many abbreviations and
complex terms, the more common of which are listed in
Appendix Z. Much of the background in Thomson 1996
is also relevant to the later rentals.
Transcripts of eight of the Rentals of the Bishopric
(“B”) and Earldom (“E”) have been published: - 1492 (some B & E) in Lord Henry Sinclair's 1492 Rental of
Orkney (Thomson 1996);
- 1500-4 (E), 1595 (B & E), 1614 (B), 1625 (B), 1642 (B) and
1739 (B) in Rentals of the Ancient Earldom and Bishoprick of Orkney (Peterkin 1820);
- 1660x75 (B) in The Church in Orkney (Johnston 1940).
The originals of the Rentals for 1492, 1500-4, 1739 and
many other years have been lost. The first column in
Appendix Q lists the reference of all the surviving
Rentals that I have been able to locate. 123
120
To recover protracted arrears the tacksman’s chamberlain
sometimes initiated an action in the Sheriff Court (see Chapter 8.2),
but usually only against the larger landowners. 121
Earlier Rentals trace apparently unrelated occupiers back to 1492. 122
Donald Groat was Chamberlain of the Bishopric tacksman. Rev.
John Nisbet was minister of Sandwick and Stromness. 123
I have only been able to find a few of the post-1834 Rentals.
The charts below summarise the extent of these surviving
Rentals between 1614 and 1833, and where they are held.
0 5 10
1614 - 1623
1644 - 1653
1674 - 1683
1704 - 1713
1734 - 1743
1764 - 1773
1794 - 1803
1824 - 1833
No. of Rentals per decade in OA (black) and in NRS (white)
SURVIVING ANNUAL RENTALS FOR
BISHOPRIC PARISHES (Holm, Hoy, Orphir, Sandwick,
Shapinsay, Stromness & Walls, and
lands in Burray, Evie, Flotta & St.Ola)
0 5 10
1614 - 1623
1644 - 1653
1674 - 1683
1704 - 1713
1734 - 1743
1764 - 1773
1794 - 1803
1824 - 1833
No. of Rentals per decade in OA (black) and in NRS (white)
SURVIVING ANNUAL RENTALS FOR
EARLDOM PARISHES (other parishes)
More than 30 Earldom Rentals and 100 Bishopric Rentals
have survived. At least one Earldom Rental is extant for
most decades between the 1690s and the 1830s, while
one or more Bishopric Rentals are extant for most
decades between the 1610s and the 1770s, and thereafter
almost annually until 1834. This represents a
considerable resource that hitherto has been little used by family or local historians. And although the surviving
Rentals are now scattered amongst various collections in
OA in Kirkwall, in NRS in Edinburgh, and in private
hands, those in Kirkwall at least are sufficient for various
systematic analyses to be undertaken.
In addition to the annual Rentals, many associated
documents have survived. These include:
- Lists of receipts for actual payments of superior dues by
heritors and tenants, in small notebooks (“Compt Books”) or even on scraps of paper. Separate accounts were kept for each parish for each commodity (malt, butter etc.). Entries were chronological, noting the date, payee and payment.
- Lists of “Rests”, i.e. individuals’ arrears of superior dues. - Summaries of accounts (confusingly also called “Compt.”s)
relating to the periodic awards of the estates to the tacksmen, and to the tacksmen’s payments to the Crown or, before 1690,
to the Bishop.
Appendix Q includes many of the surviving receipts and
“Rests”, but not the summaries (most of which are now
held by OA) as these have no genealogical relevance.124
124
However the summary accounts were of course very relevant to the
tacksmen, who could make a handsome profit after a good harvest,
TRACE YOUR ORKNEY ANCESTORS 29
7.8 Suit Rolls, 1617-1747 All feudal charters of lands in Orkney included an
obigation for the heritor to give “suit and presence” at the
relevant Bishopric or Earldom Sheriff Court, i.e. to attend
these courts and serve on their assizes. The property
qualification was an annual rental value of 6 meils of malt.125 In practice many udallers also served as
“gentleman suitors of court”. The Bishopric and Earldom
Courts were combined from 1639 till 1660 and after 1690.
The duty to give suit lapsed in 1747.
The resulting Suit Rolls prepared by parish baillies two or
three times a year thus provide lists of over 250 of the
larger heritors for the 130 years this requirement
continued, although the Earldom lists were neglected in
the 1640s and 1650s. Many rolls even mark individuals
as being “p”(resent) or “a”(bsent). After the death of a
heritor there was often a delay of several years before the
name of their heir was substituted.
The excerpt below of a Suit Roll shows the entries for
four parishes for November 1710 (OA SC11/86/18/3):
Baillie of Holme
p James Grahame of Grahameshall
The aires of umqll Gilbert Measone for town lands in Holme
The aires of umqll Andrew Smith of Rothiesholm for their
lands in the Stewartrie & Bishoprick
Nicoll Craigie for his lands in Holme
Nicoll Tayleor for his lands in Swartaquoy
The aires of umqll Mr George Todd
Baillie of Burray
p Sir Archibald Stewart of Burray for his lands in the Stewartrie & Bishoprick
Baillie of St.Androis
p David Traill of Sabay
The aires of umqll Edward Sinclair of Campstoun
William Peatrie portioner of Foubister William Foubister portioner of That ilk
p Baillie of Deirnes
p Robert Stewart of Newark for his lands in Deirnes and Sanday
Thomas Buchanan of Sandsyde for his lands in the Stewartrie
and Bishoprick
The aires of umqll George Smith of Ropnes
The aires of umqll Jhon Voy in Sandaitkene
Andro Smith and Robert Pottinger for their lands in Deirnes
John Stove in Windbreck
Appendix S lists the surviving Suit Rolls that I have been
able to locate. Nearly all are held by OA.126
7.9 Taxation Returns In addition to local Rates (see 7.4.1), Cess (see 7.4.3),
Skat (see 7.4.4 and 7.7) and Poll tax (see 7.5), various
other lists of Orcadian taxpayers have survived:
Dog tax 1797-1798 NRS E 326/11 Farm horse tax 1796-1798 NRS E 326/10/4 Inhabited houses tax 1778-1798 NRS E 326/3/47
albeit this was partly offset by market forces, which in years of
plenty reduced the price that the tacksmen could obtain when they
came to sell the dues they had received in kind.
But after a series of bad harvests the tacksmen could be exposed to
ruin or even bankruptcy. The most notorious example was Sir
Alexander Brand, who having paid an inflated price for his tack,
then had arrears from the bad harvests of 1693-5 compounded by
the French plundering his rents from the girnel in St.Marys in Holm
and from a ship carrying his rents south, while another such ship
was wrecked (Wenham 2001, 29-30; Thomson 2001, 310). 125
Worth £42 Scots in 1612, £20 Scots in 1653, £66 Scots in 1739. 126
At the time of writing many are in poor condition and are being
restored, so are temporarily not available to members of the public.
Motor tax 1904-1973 OA CO 8 Window tax (if > 6 windows) 1747-1798 NRS E 326/1/94 Window tax Commutation 1784-1798 NRS E 326/2/39
Many of these are reproduced at
www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk.
The returns only provide “sightings”, and apart from the returns for Farm horse tax and Motor tax, include few
Orcadians.
No returns for Orkney have survived for the Hearth Tax
of 1691, the Clock and Watch, Carriage and Saddle,
Horse, Servants', and Shop Taxes of the 1790s, or for the
Income Tax that replaced these taxes in 1799.
7.10 Other Lists of Orcadians Lists of local officials include: Bishopric & Earldom Tacksmen 1614-1825 Hossack 1900, 94 Burgesses of Kirkwall127 1674-1678 OA D23/12/16 ” 1812-1858 OA D1/138 ” 1911-1975 OA K1/17 Commissioners of Supply128 1609-1929 OA CO1/2 Convenors of C.’s of S./Council 1780-1998 Hewison 1998, 185 Justices of the Peace 1811-1878 OA JP34/1 Lord Lieutenants 1715-1998 Hewison 1998, 184 Master Masons 1737-1860 Hossack 1900, 371
Members of Parliament 1669-1900 Hossack 1900, 467 “ 1607-1998 Hewison 1998, 181 Ministers of Established & UP churches Smith 1907, Scott 1928 Provosts of Kirkwall 1549-1892 Hossack 1900, 467 “ 1549-1975 Hewison 1998, 186 Provosts of Stromness 1893-1975 Hewison 1998, 186 Sheriffs 1567-1746 Hossack 1900, 182 “ 1846-1911 OA SC11/18
Office holders are also listed in the annual Edinburgh Almanacks since the mid 18th century.
Gentry, clergy, merchants, tradesmen/shopkeepers &
schoolmasters.129 These are listed in the annual
commercial directories of Pigott, Slater, Kelly, Peace and
Anderson (see Appendix O). 20th century editions also
identified members of School and Parochial Boards and
listed private residents.
Famous Orcadians. Nearly 700 individuals have mini-
biographies in Who Was Who in Orkney (Hewison 1998).
Emigrants. Some of the many emigrants from Orkney
are listed in Emigrants and Adventurers from Orkney and
Shetland (Dobson 1995), and in more general listings of
emigrants from Scotland, mainly in the 19th century.
Good collections of these published lists can be found in
NRS, NLS, SGS, OA, OFHS (including an on-line list of
migrants to S.Australia 1849-1853) and other major
libraries, but even in aggregate these lists are far from
comprehensive.
Appendix F includes some other miscellaneous listings.
127
Flett discussed 18th century burgess tickets in POAS v, 31-35.
128 Records for 1679-1780 are missing (Fereday 1990, 90; NOAJ iii,
23). Commissioners of Supply were elected by fellow landowners
between 1667 and 1930 and, after 1707, had to own lands with a
rental value of at least £100 Scots. They were accountable for the
collection of cess and the maintenance of roads, bridges and ferries.
See also OA CO1. 129
See also OA CO5.
30 TRACE YOUR ORKNEY ANCESTORS
Chapter 8
Other Sources
This Chapter addresses records that are less widely available, often less well indexed, and whose
genealogical content is less predictable. The use of such records by genealogists may arise in two contexts:
- A specific search when another source has indicated a known individual may have been mentioned in one
of the records on or about a certain date. Or: - A “browse” or general search for “sightings” of individuals whose surname and locality suggest they
might be possible ancestors. For such general searches, the ratio of effort to reward will be poor, as the
records are copious and in some the amount of genealogical material is limited. But with luck and perseverance, very useful and interesting information may be discovered - although if ancestors are found,
the circumstances may not be complimentary: kirk session minutes and court records reveal many sins,
crimes and other wrongs (not that sensitivity to such waywardness should deter the serious genealogist!)
As with all “sightings”, great care must be taken to avoid unjustified assumptions on the relationship, if any, between any person found and their contemporary namesakes who may appear in some existing pedigree or
may only be an unrelated neighbour.
8.1 Church Records In addition to the OPRs, over 800 volumes of Orkney Church Records survive. A full appreciation of this source requires some awareness of local church history.130
Generally, religious affairs in Orkney followed the many tumultuous and complex developments in the rest of Scotland, but without the extremes of zeal or intolerance. Reforms in 1544 retained the old “joint” parishes, but the absence of a resident minister in many of these contributed to a fall in support for Roman Catholicism after the Reformation of 1560.131 Episcopacy was imposed from 1606 to 1638, and again from 1662 to 1689. The subsequent adoption of Presbyterianism initially met with deep bitterness, but after 1700 the Episcopal Church only retained a small following, principally amongst some lairds with Jacobite sympathies. Today only Kirkwall and Stromness have Episcopal congregations.
During the 18th century nearly all Orcadians belonged to the “established” Presbyterian Church of Scotland. This was governed by a General Assembly that met annually, provincial Synods, Presbyteries (three in Orkney) that met more frequently, and Kirk Sessions in each parish. These usually met monthly and were responsible for local matters such as upkeep of the church, manse and school (if any), sexual morals, and, until 1845, relief of the poor.
However behind this apparent stability Presbyterianism was being threatened by a number of rival movements. The first issue to lead to new congregations in Orkney was the differences between the Evangelists and the traditional Moderates. The introduction of evangelism to Orkney by John Pemberton in 1785 and the Haldane brothers in 1797, 1799 and 1803 eventually led to Congregational churches in Kirkwall, Birsay, Rendall, Sandwick and Shapinsay. A Baptist congregation was established in Westray in 1803, followed by others in Burray, Eday and Orphir, although a Baptist church was not built in Kirkwall until 1888. The (Plymouth) Brethren, possibly introduced by herring fishers, attracted
130
The text in this section is derived from Craven 1893-1912, Harcus
1898, Smith 1907, Webster 1910, Campbell 1938, MacWhirter
1956, Thomson 1956, Picken 1972, Thomson 1989, Bardgett 2000. 131
Catholicism was banned in Scotland from 1689 till 1829. The
Catholic Church in Kirkwall was built in 1877 (Gray 2000).
adherents in Birsay, Fara, Kirkwall, Sandwick and Westray. The Salvation Army was established by the late 19th century. Though Quakers visited Orkney in 1669, neither they nor the Methodists formed congregations in Orkney. All the non-Presbyterian churches together probably never attracted more than 5% of Orcadians during the 18th century.
Meanwhile the Presbyterian church itself was undergoing internal splits and defections, most of which arose over matters of governance rather than doctrine. The most divisive issue was that of lay patronage, imposed by the Westminster Parliament between 1712 and 1874. This gave the right to “elect and call” a minister to a vacant parish to the heirs of original donor of the church (in Orkney, typically the Earldom tacksman)132 without necessarily involving the local congregation. Opposition to patronage led to secessions in 1733 and 1761, the former leading in 1747 to the formation of the General Associate Synod, known as “Antiburghers”, who objected to a requirement for burgesses to take an oath acknowledging “the true religion professed within this realm”. This church split again in 1806 to form the “New Lichts ” and “Auld Lichts”, the former disclaiming literal interpretation of the 17th century Confessions of Faith.
The first dissenting or secession church in Orkney was built by an Antiburgher congregation in Kirkwall in 1793. Between then and 1845 a further 14 such congregations were founded, all but one “New Licht”. After 1820 these became known as the United Secession Church, and after 1847 as the United Presbyterian (UP) Church, which attracted the growing middle classes of Orkney.133
Meanwhile several factors were re-kindling opposition to patronage and state interference in church affairs, leading to the “Disruption” of 1843. This resulted in the formation of 15 Free Church congregations in Orkney, which attracted many crofters and together represented at least one third of the membership of the Church of Scotland.
132
In Kirkwall this right lay with the town council. 133
Detailed statistics of all the congregations in 1836/7 in Birsay &
Harray, Evie & Rendall, Firth & Stenness, Hoy & Graemsay,
Kirkwall & St.Ola, S.Ronaldsay & Burray, Stronsay & Eday, Cross
& Burness, Stromness, Walls & Flotta and Westray & Papa Westray
are given in the Report of the Royal Commission on Religious
Instruction (British Parliamentary Papers), xxvi, 478-539.
TRACE YOUR ORKNEY ANCESTORS 31
One factor contributing to the Disruption had been the
joint parishes of the established church, which meant
many parishes could only claim a half-share of their
minister. To address this issue, the Church of Scotland
created several “quoad sacra” parishes, each with their
own minister and often a new church: Deerness was split
from St.Andrews and N.Ronaldsay from Sanday in 1830,
Sandwick from Stromness in 1833, Flotta from Walls in
1839, Stenness from Firth in 1871, Burray from S.Ronaldsay in 1875, Birsay from Harray in 1877, Eday
from Stronsay in 1882, and Rendall from Evie in 1894.134
All these vicissitudes led to there being over 70 different
congregations in Orkney at the end of the 19th century!135 But with the population declining and the patronage issue
resolved, unions became inevitable. In 1900 the United
Presbyterian and Free Churches united to form the United
Free (UF) Church, and in 1929 this Church in turn re-
united with the Church of Scotland. At parish level the
consequential uniting of congregations followed piece-
meal. More recently, declining attendances of all creeds
have led to many of the parishes being combined, leaving
many old church buildings abandoned or converted.136
The Church of Scotland and various “free” Church
Registers of baptisms, proclamations of banns, marriages,
burials and mortcloth dues are discussed in Chapter 5.1,
and Communicants’ Rolls in Chapter 7.2. Other records
include minutes of meetings and accounts of the Synods,
Presbyteries and parish Kirk Sessions. For the genealogist the most interesting of these records are the Kirk Session
Minutes, which address matters such as the weekly church
collections, mortcloth dues, pew rents, examination rolls,
lists of inhabitants, the parish school, the parish poor
(until 1845), and transgressions such as swearing, not
observing the sabbath, disrupting the peace, irregular
marriages, adultery and illegitimate births (“fornication”).
Excerpts of the Kirk Session Minutes of S.Ronaldsay for
1657-1699 were published in Craven 1911, 21-59 and
Picken 1972, 30-40, of Holm for 1673-1764, and of Orphir
for 1709-1819, in Johnston 1940, 13-85, 86-97, and of
Birsay 1747-1868 on the OFHS website members’ page.
The extant original Church records may be accessed thus: Church OA NRS LDS
(indexes only)
original mss microfilms microfiches
Church of Scotland OCR/KC 1-30 CH2/1081-1107 6084820-21
Free Churches OCR/FC 1-34 CH3/1086-1117 6084809,22
original mss
Episcopal Church D45 - -
" - CH12 6084818
Roman Catholic - CH17 6084819
" - RH21 1368203
More comprehensive details of these records are listed in
Appendix G. As explained in Chapter 5.1.5, the records
in OA are still being added to, so the microfilm
collections in NRS are no longer “complete”.
134
In at least two of these parishes the minister promptly conducted his
own census (Sandwick: OA D3/357; Flotta: Orkney Room). 135
In 1891 church membership in Orkney was apportioned thus:
Established Church 32.9%, Free Church 28.8%, United
Presbyterian 33.1%, Original Secession 1.4%, Baptist 1.3%,
Congregational 1.2%, Catholic 0.8%. But even then perhaps a
quarter of adults were “churchless” (Brown 1997, 51; Howie 1893). 136
Brief histories of individual Secession Churches are appended to the
OA OCR FC indexes on the SCAN website. Several histories of
individual churches and parishes have been written - see footnotes
to Appendix G and the parish pages of the GENUKI website.
No contemporary records relating to Orkney’s Baptist,
Catholic, Congregational or Plymouth Brethren
congregations appear to be available to the public.
8.2 Court Records137
Copious records of the Scottish Courts at both national
and local level have survived. From these the genealogist
can glean much useful and interesting information, but regrettably usually only with considerable effort: the legal
system and its terminology are confusing (particularly to
those not brought up in Scotland), the jurisdictions of the
courts overlap, many of the records have been lost, and
indexing of those that have survived is limited.
Scotland’s national Courts in Edinburgh were:
- Admiralty: Dealt with all maritime matters until 1830.
Records since 1557 are held by NRS as AC.
- Court of Session: The highest civil court. A vast
collection of records since 1478, held by NRS as CS,
and including the extensive Registers of Deeds, held as RD (see Chapter 8.2.2).
- High Court of the Justiciary: The highest criminal
court. Records since 1493 are held by NRS as JC.
- Scottish Land Court: Actions arising since the Crofters'
Act of 1886. Orcadian records since 1881 are held by
both NRS and OA (see Appendix H).
- Teind Court: This dealt with parish boundaries,
disjunctions and unions of parishes, ministers' stipends
and augmentations thereof, and teinds. Orcadian records
since 1584 are held by NRS as TE.
Only a very small proportion of the records of the national
courts relate to Orcadians, and very few are indexed by
place, so I have only included in Appendices H and J the
Land Court records and a brief summary of the index to
the Court of Session’s Register of Deeds.
The local courts and their jurisdictions were:138
- Admiralty: The Earldom Tacksman and his factor, as
Vice-Admiral of Orkney and Depute, adjudicated over
wrecks and other maritime cases till 1823.
- Baillie Courts: Parish courts were presided over by a
Baillie and administered the Country Acts of the early
17th century139 that addressed hill dykes, tradesmen and
other local issues. The few extant records are scattered
amongst many sources (see Appendix H).
- Burgh Courts and Dean of Guild Courts: Local civil
and criminal jurisdiction, over guild and police matters.
- Church Courts, incl. Kirk Sessions: see 8.1 opposite.140
- Commissary Courts: Jurisdiction for executory matters
and some civil cases, 1564-1823 (see Chapter 5.3).
- Justice of the Peace Courts: The criminal jurisdiction of JPs (magistrates) related to keeping the peace, feuds,
riots, unauthorised bearing of arms etc. Their civil roles
included maintaining roads and bridges, regulating
prices, wages, weights and measures, recruitment for
army and militia, licensing matters and, from 1795 till
1825, small debts (see Appendix H).
137
For a more comprehensive treatment of these records see Bigwood
2001, HMSO 1996 and Sinclair 2003, also Bell 1890, Gibb 1971. 138
The pre-1747 Sheriff Courts and Baillie Courts of the Bishopric and
Stewartry were also known as Franchise Courts. 139
See Barry 1808, 460-483; Begg 1924; Wenham 2001, 39. 140
SCAN is planning to digitise all the Kirk Session Minutes.
32 TRACE YOUR ORKNEY ANCESTORS
- Sheriff Courts: The Kirkwall Sheriff Court dates from
1541. Separate courts for the Bishopric and Stewartry
were held from 1614 to 1638, and from 1661 to 1689.141
Both had both civil and criminal jurisdiction. Other
roles included inquests for services of heirs (see Chapter
5.4), Fiars Courts (see Chapter 7.7), and Freeholder
meetings (see Chapter 7.3). Jurisdiction also included:
- Admiralty: local from 1824, national from 1830;
- Commissary: from 1824; - Small Debts: from 1825;
- Sequestration (bankruptcy): from 1839;
- Irregular marriages: from 1855;
- Fatal Accident Inquiries: from 1895;
- Workmen's Compensation: from 1897;
- Juvenile Summary courts: from 1908;
- Adoption of Children: from 1930.142
But their responsibility for Freeholder records lapsed in
1831 and for irregular marriages in 1940, while Debt
Recovery Courts were abolished in 1907, Small Debt
Courts in 1971 and Fiars Courts in 1973.
Records of most of the courts fall into three categories:143
1. Actions: Records of civil and criminal actions were
not separated until the 19th century, and include
“Processes”, “Court Books”, “Registers of Decreets”
and “Act”, “Diet”, “Jury”, “Minute”, and “Sederunt Books”. See 8.2.1 below and Appendix H.
2. Deeds: Several courts also acted as a court of record
for the voluntary registration of uncontested Deeds,
“Protests” and “Probative Writs” that survive as
bundles of loose “Warrants”, some of which were
subsequently transcribed into volumes known as
“Registers”. See 8.2.2 opposite and Appendix J.
3. Diligences: Enforcements of decrees against debtors
called “Letters of Horning”, “Poinding”, “Inhibition”,
“Apprising”, “Adjudication” and “Expired Charges”.
See 8.2.3 overleaf and Appendix K.
8.2.1 Court Actions The original records of court actions include: (a) Processes. These were the formal papers relating to
an action, including summonses, pleadings
(“Memorials”, “Minutes” and “Answers”) of the two
parties (often with graphic details on them and their
relatives), “Precognitions” (pre-trial statements of
witnesses) and “Interlocutors” (interim judgements),
but usually, and frustratingly, lacking the “decreet”
(final judgement). “Extracted processes” are the
relatively few for which a decreet was given.
Processes are tied in bundles, stored in boxes, and
unless indexed (see opposite), tedious to search. (b) Court Books and Registers of Extracts (copies) of
Decreets. These were the final judgements on the
actions. They are generally lengthy but well kept
manuscript volumes, with the type of action and the
two main parties involved annotated clearly in the
margin. Some have indexes at front or rear.
(c) Act/Diet Books. These were administrative journals,
often untidily kept. They provide “sightings” and can
be used as chronological indexes. Similar records
containing little of genealogical interest include
“Process Borrowing”, “Roll” and “Sederunt Books”.
141
The Stewartry lapsed 1638-69, the Bishopric 1638-60 and 1689. 142
Adoptions were not recognised under Scottish law before 1930. 143
For testaments of Commissary and Sheriff Courts, see Chapter 5.3.
Only major actions would be heard in Edinburgh, for
example disputes over the inheritance of large estates at
the Court of Session, and repeated plundering of wrecks at
the Admiralty Court. Minor actions were generally heard
in Kirkwall, or even elsewhere in Orkney, at one of the
local courts whose records are listed in Appendix H.
The principal court in Orkney was the Sheriff Court, for
which records of over 10,000 actions spanning four
centuries have survived. Most of these were civil actions,
e.g. claims for rent arrears, summons for removing tenants,
and disputes over deeds and debts (see 8.2.2 and 8.2.3).
Relatively few were criminal actions, brought by the
Procurator Fiscal and heard before juries of 15 men,144 typically for theft or “lawborrowis” (security against
injuring another person). The records also include oaths
of allegiance to the Crown, petitions and other material,
much of which includes details of genealogical interest.
A few actions relating to Orcadians have been published:
- abstracts of Kirkwall Sheriff Court actions, 1612-1615, in Barclay 1962 and 1967);
- abstracts of witchcraft trials, 1594-1643, in Dalyell
1834, 33 and Pitcairn 1833 i, 375-7 & 1837, 133-185.
The Orkney Room holds printed copies of several actions
that include details of witnesses, including:
- The Pundlar Process, heard before the Court of Session,
1733-1759, concerning the local weights and measures;
in 1753, 66 witnesses for the 18 Pursuers (Lairds) and
44 witnesses for the Defender (The Earl of Morton) all
gave their occupation, place of residence and age;
- several other protracted 18th century actions heard before the Court of Session, involving large estates;
- several 19th century actions heard before the Sheriff
Court, involving plankings of townships or commonties.
The OFHS holds an index of Orcadians involved in
criminal actions in Shetland 1837-1878.
The principal unpublished records of actions at Kirkwall
Sheriff Court, listed in Appendix H, comprise: (a) Process papers, 1561-1970: - computer database of index: c/o OA staff 145 - typescript chronological index: OA open shelves
- original records: OA SC11/5/year/no. (b) Court Books and Registers of Decreets:
- indexes: 1830-1961: OA SC11/9/ - registers: 1732-1748, 1830-1961: OA SC11/9/ - “ 1612-1677: NRS SC10/1/, /2/
(c) Act/Diet/Minute Books: 1784-1949: OA SC11/1/
An excerpt from the typescript index to SC11/5 for 1664:146
Ref Pursuer Defender Nature No.of /1664 + Designation + Designation of Action items /122 Murray, John Sinclair, Hew Summons 1 /123 Blair, Pat - Letter 1 /124 Baikie, Lizzie Kincaid, Robert Inhibitions 1 /125 Sheriff of Orkney Gray, Robert Obligation 1 /126 Trail, T - Inst. of Sasine 1 /127 Irving, Robert, Collector of Taxes Excise 1 /128 Douglas, William Baikie, John Obligation 1 /129 Decree preventing Dutch goods & shipping entering Britain 1 /130 Craigie, David Kincaid, David Inhibition 1 /131 Cogle, David, merchant, Sanday - Will & Testament 1 /132 Stewart, Col. John - Inventar & Test 1
144
Usually, but not always, from the Suit Roll (see Chapter 7.8). 145
CD-ROM copy indexing >8000 actions is available from OA for £5. 146 OA’s computer database contains the same information. Note that
some of the items registered were not processes but deeds or
testaments - an example of the inconsistencies of court records.
TRACE YOUR ORKNEY ANCESTORS 33
Although extensive, neither OA’s data-base nor their
typescript index provide a comprehensive index of all the
Sheriff Court actions or persons involved therein because:
- The database and the index generally list only one name
for each party; for example only one tenant is listed in
actions by a landlord against several tenants.
- They often omit details of where individuals came from,
often critical for establishing their identity.
- Many processes and extracts of decreets are bundled with related papers of a later date, and so aren’t indexed.
- Few of the process papers include a decreet: many
actions did not lead to a decreet, some decreets were not
recorded, and some actions were not minuted.
- Some registers and process papers have been lost: some
lost during the last two centuries are identified in
Appendix B. Others were lost earlier, and some 18th
century decreets were never even entered in a register.
To find an action when both the Court and date are known,
it may be necessary to search Processes, Registers and
even Diet Books etc. for several years either side of the known date. If the date and type of action are known but
not the Court, it may be necessary to search the records of
several courts, as the demarcations between the various
courts were neither well defined nor strictly observed.
But the effort may reveal valuable genealogical details.
8.2.2 Deeds A Deed is a formal, witnessed legal document, usually
uncontested. The more common included:147 - Assignation: assignment of rights; - Bond: obligation, e.g. to repay a loan, secured by land; - Charter: terms under which land was to be held; - Commission: conferring of authority;
- Contract*: agreement between two parties, e.g. of indentures, marriage (see Chapter 5.1.5), wadset, or disposition;
- Discharge: surrender of claim after repayment of debt; - Disposition: sale of land; - Factory: granting of authority; - Heritable bond: heritable right to rents to repay a debt; - Indenture*: mutual covenant, with indented edge; - Instrument*: formal completion of legal act, e.g. sasine; - Latter/Last Will and Testament: see Chapter 5.3;
- Obligation: acknowledgement of a debt outstanding; - Protest/protested bill: demand for repayment of a debt; - Settlement: a trust, similar to a will; - Tack*: letting of property to a tenant; - Wadset: pledge of land, redeemable if debt repaid.
Many minor deeds remained unregistered, but more
important deeds contained a registration clause to make
them legally enforceable. The originals of such deeds,
known as “warrants”, were “bookit” (transcribed) into a
“Register”, and are now tied in bundles and stored in
boxes. “Probative writs” were deeds that lacked a
registration clause but were recorded nonetheless.
The format of deeds and the amount of genealogical
information they contain vary widely. Some are just a single sheet that may only yield a single “sighting”.
Others are many pages long and may give considerable
detail on relatives of several generations. Deeds form one
of the most prolific sources of early genealogical material.
147
See also Chapter 6.1.
* Deeds so marked, obligating both parties, were dated at the start;
if only the granter incurred an obligation, the date was at the end.
Abstracts or transcriptions of the earliest Orcadian deeds
have been published in OLR i 1907-13, Clouston 1914
and, for those with a Shetland dimension, Ballantyne &
Smith 1994, 1999. OA has a CD-ROM database with
brief abstracts of over 4,000 deeds and other documents
referring to Orcadians prior to 1615.148
Sadly many of the Registers containing deeds have been
lost over the years, and while some warrants survive that
can “plug the gaps” (or were never registered), many of
these too have been lost. Some Minute Books and
Indexes of persons help facilitate searches, but very little of this material has been transcribed or published.
Opportunistic searching for deeds is laborious, and even
tracing a specific deed is often difficult, as the Court that
was chosen for registering each deed was a matter of
convenience rather than “logic”. Only the more affluent
Orcadians retained a notary in Edinburgh, and so few had
deeds were registered there, and most had their deeds
registered at the (Stewartry) Sheriff Court in Kirkwall.
Some of this Court’s Registers, warrants and Minute
Books have been lost, but most of those that survive are now held by OA. References to these deeds may appear
in one or more of several parallel series: - typewritten chronological Index:149 1732-1775: open shelves “ 1809-1953: open shelves
- contemporary Minute Books: 1707-1965: OA SC11/53 - Registers of Deeds: 1615-1775: OA SC11/50 “ : 1809-1965: OA SC11/51 - Registers of Protests: 1809-1932: OA SC11/52 - Warrants of Deeds (and Protests): 1618-1965: OA SC11/54 - Warrants of Protests: 1785-1901: OA SC11/55
The example below of the Minute Book SC11/53/1 for
1745 shows the wide variety of deeds that were registered:
7th Jany Ob[ligation]: Heitman To Fea
18th Febry Prot[este]d bill Mowat qra Baikie
1st March Dis[charge]: Jas. Pitcarne To his Curators
3d Aprile Prot[est]: William Traill agt Andw Baikie
7th Do. Inst[rument of] Prot[est]: Spence agt Louttit
Do. C[opie] of Contract of Marriage bet[ween]
Thos Baikie and Mrs Cecilia Graeme
? June C of Tack of the B’prick in favour of Gremsay
1st July Indentures bet[ween] Smith and Millars
20th Do. Prot: Wm Manson qra Margaret McKenzie
10th Augt Prot: James Nisbet James Graham
12th Do. Dis: & Assig Don: Groat To Willm Honyman
15th Do.. Factory: Ann & Margt Brasses & James Moar
To William Smith
30th Do. Inst. Protest: Cromerty qra Kinnaird
11th Septr Prot: Rott Sutherland qra John Urquhart
Do. Prot: Robt Sutherland qra John Urquhart
16th Octr Inst. Protest: Mowat qra Linklater
12th Do. Prot: James Mckenlay agt Thos Smith
8th Novr Decreet Arbitrall on a Submission betwixt
Tankernss & Newark
11th Novr Com[mission]: Andrew Ross To John Urquhart
18th Do. Factory: Douglass To Scott
26th Do. Prot.: Margt Allan qra Andrew Brown
10 Do. Ex[tract]: Latter will & Test.: Chas Graham
in favour of his Spouse & Children
Deeds were also registered in Kirkwall at the Bishopric
Sheriff Court, the Orkney Commissary Court and in the Particular Register of Sasines150
(see Appendix J.1), and
in Edinburgh in the General Register of Sasines and in the
148
Still being developed by PD Anderson, JH Ballantyne and myself. 149
Of OA SC11/50, /51. OA staff are computerising this index. 150
Kirkwall didn’t exercise its right as a Royal Burgh to register deeds.
34 TRACE YOUR ORKNEY ANCESTORS
“Books of Council and Session” (held as NRS RD),
which comprises nearly 15,000 volumes!151
Copies of warrants, and of originals and copies of
unregistered deeds may also be found under a wide
variety of archive references, including the many
“artificial” collections made by antiquaries in the early
20th century (see Chapter 8.4 and Appendices J.2 and M).
When seeking a specific deed that is thought to have been
registered at an unknown Court, I recommend searching
the sources in the sequence I have introduced them.
Remember the date of registration may be several years
later than the original deed, and that for various reasons a
deed may appear in only one of the series listed.
8.2.3 Debt, Diligence and Bankruptcy records Actions over debts could be heard by a variety of courts,
at the instance of the pursuer (typically a laird or merchant) against (“agt”, “contra” or “qra”) the
defender(s) (typically tenants or cottars). Occasionally
these records include details of genealogical interest.
Diligences were court orders against one or more debtors.
Various instruments, known as Letters, could be issued: - A Horning (originally “letters of four forms”), in which the
debtor was “put to the horn” and declared a “rebel”, was an order to discharge a debt within a given time, failing which movable goods could be poinded (seized);
- A Poinding was an order that goods be seized as security against a debt;
- An Inhibition (or Bond of Interdiction) was an order not to sell heritable property until a debt was paid;
- An Apprising (Adjudication after 1672) was an order to sell heritable property to meet a debt;.
- Expired charges were orders of relaxation to cancel the above.
Diligences often preceded bankruptcy, which involved:
- Premonition, the notification of intention to pay off a debt; - Consignation, the pledging of cash pending an action; - Sequestration, the confiscation of property and rents.
There are Particular Registers of Diligences for Orkney
and Shetland (23 volumes, with Minutes since 1819, but
no Indexes), and General Registers for Scotland (some
1,300 volumes, with Minutes since 1582 and Indexes
since 1781). In most Registers the names of the pursuer
and defendant (or just the principal defendant if there is
more than one, as often happened) are annotated in the
margin. For bankruptcies in Orkney there are 11 further
Registers dating from 1840!
Details of relevant Debt, Diligence and Bankruptcy
records are listed in Appendix K.
In most of these records the only genealogical content is
“sightings” of the parties involved. But there are many
exceptions. For example, although the entries in the
Register of the Small Debts Court are terse, one entry in
SC11/31/4 reads:
16th March 1832:
John, William, Margaret and Christian Slater, children and executors
of the deceased William Slater in Hyval, and Peter Stockan husband
of Christine Slater, against Robert Garrioch, £4.11.6d.
151
Appendix J(1)(A) offers only an overview of the RD material; more
comprehensive details can be found in Bigwood 2001, HMSO 1996,
Sinclair 2003. LDS have microfilms of some of this collection.
The example below (NRS DI85/13 ff113r-123r) illustrates
the verbosity of a typical Letter of Horning. This one is
exceptional in listing nearly 450 defendants with arrears
of superior dues in Earldom parishes!
Att Kirkwall The sixth day of Junij One Thousand Seven Hundred and
one years The Ltrs of Horneing with the Execution therof underwrine
wes presented be Magnus Broun messenger att armes In the name of
the Complainer betwixt the hours of Nyne and ten in the forenoon and
duly Registrat the said day conforme to the act of Parliament in the
particular Register of Horneings Inhibitiones &c: belonging to the
Stewartrie of Orkney qroff the Tennor follows: William by Grace of
God king of great Britain ffrance and Ireland Defendar of the faith To
our [be]lovitts Messengers our Sherreifs in that pairt con[junct]lie
and se[ver]alie speciallie constitute greiting forsameikleas it is
humblie meined and showen To us Be our Lovitt Samuell Mclellane
merchand in Edinb and present Tresaurer therof That where ther
was ane tack be way of Contract Past and perfected Betwixt Patrick
Earle of Marchmont Lord high Chancellor of Scotland, …….and Sir
John Maxwell of Pollock Commissioners of our Thesaurie with advice
and consent of the Lord ……… on the ane pairt and the said
Complainer on the other of the datte the Nynth day of August Jajvij &
nyntie seven years Qrby the saids Lords did sett in Tack and
assedation for the yeirlie Tack Duty therin speitt To the said
Complainer his aires and assignays All and Haill The Lands and
Earledome of Orkney and Lordshipp of Zeatland with …… all Lands
and others of of Orkney thereto belonging of whatso[eve]r name or
designation the samen be with the Castle towrs fishings milnes yairds
or ch yairds parks office houses bairnes Girnells New and old
freedoms and priviledges teinds parsonage and viccaradge with the
rents and dewties thereof Viz money and victual of all sorts and kinds
butter oyll with all kaines and casualties and entrie of the saids lands
belonging to our propertie Together with the feu dewties and others
payable to us be the Vassalls and others whatso[eve]r as the samen
hes been possest and Intromit by the Earles of Mortoun, Viscount
Grandisone or by Mr George Scott or by any other Latte Tacksmen
therof their Chamberland: ffactors and others under them and for
their behoof And that for all the dayes space termes and yeire nixt
and immediately after my entrie which is declared to be and begin for
the cropt and yeire of God Jaj vjc Nyntie seven years and so furth to
continue during The yeirs abovespeitt ………… regrate in the bookes
of exchequer and ane Decreet of the Lords therof Interponit therto
upon the Tenth day of August Jaj vj & nyntie seven yeires shown to
the saids Lords of our exchequer att mair length bears. For the better
ingathering of the said dewties Necessar it is for the Compl[ainer] to
have L[ett]res direct by the saids Lords their deliverance in manner
underwrine Our [will] is Heirfore and wee chairge you straightlie
and command that Incontinent thir our letters seen ye pass and in our
name and authority command and charge All and Sundry …….. liable
in payment whose names with the par[ticu]lars addebted be them ….
For the cropt and year of God Jajvj & nyntie seven years and yearlie
and termlie in tyme comeing Dureing the continuance of the said
Tack ………Given under our Signet Att Edinburgh the twenty one day
of February and of our Reigne The nynth yeir 1698 …..The executions
upon the [23 Nov 1700 - 22 Apr 1701] att the instance of the within
named of Samuell McLellane against Heretors, Vassalls and Tenents
within the Stewartrie of Orknay …. viz:
[here are listed the names and amounts outstanding, by parish] 152
Hes most wilfully disobeyed the command and charge given to Ilke
ane of them in manner above exprest [by] the above designed Magnus
Broun messenger past upon the fourth day of Junij One thousand
seven hundred and one yeires to the mercate croce of Kirkwall head
Brugh of the Countray of Orknay within which the abovenamed
persones dwell and hes their actuall residence and therate after the
crying of …… open proclamatione and publict reading of the …..
L[ette]res of Horneing I dewlie and orderlie denounced the haill
above wrine persones his Majesties Rebells and putt them to his
maties Horne be thrie Blasts of an Horne As use is. And I ordained
ther haill movable goods and gear To be escheat and Imbrought to
his Majesties use for his contemptione and disobedience this I did
conforme to the will and command of the L[ette]res of Horneing In all
Poynts Befor the witness The above designed George Mudie and
Francis Broun And for the mair verification of this my executione I
have wrine and sub. The samen with my hand and the saids witness
Sic subscribitur Mag: Broun Mess[eng]er Geo Mudie witnes Francis
Broun witnes
152
The names of most of the hundreds of individuals listed are
included in Parts II.4.1 and II.4.4 of Irvine 2003b.
TRACE YOUR ORKNEY ANCESTORS 35
8.3 Estate Records In addition to the Bishopric and Earldom Estates
discussed in Chapter 7.7, large private estates were a
notable feature of Orkney from the mid 16th century until
the 1920s. The factors leading to the formation and
demise of these estates are summarised in Appendix X.
These estates generated extensive records that included:
- documents of title to the many parcels of land which made up these estates, and other associated deeds;
- inventories of writs, i.e. lists of documents of title;
- tenants’ leases (rare before the 19th century); - annual rentals; - account books; - correspondence and other records relating to the estate; - personal papers of successive lairds, such as accounts,
correspondence, hobbies and genealogical records; - various public records such as Bishopric or Earldom Rentals,
and cess and heritor records that were acquired by the lairds in
their roles as tacksmen, Commissioners of Supply and elders.
Appendix L lists the surviving collections of records of
private estates of which I am aware. Most of these are well catalogued, but few individual items have indexes.
OA have a card index of many of the rentals they hold.
Although even the largest collections of the surviving
estate records (Balfour, Breckness, Graemshall, Melsetter
and Trumland) have significant omissions in each of the
main categories above,153 each collection includes many
items of genealogical interest relevant to the lairds,
factors and tenants. The annual rentals, similar in many
respects to the Earldom and Bishopric Rentals described
in Chapter 7.7, name the tenants and often include their
running accounts with the laird, from whom they bought
most of their seed and other supplies, and to whom they
sold any produce surplus to their needs.
8.4 Genealogists’ and Local Antiquaries' Records As interest in family and local history became fashionable
during the 19th century, several local antiquaries built up
significant collections of secondary material, and some
primary material as well, that they subsequently
bequeathed to what are now NRS and OA.
The content of these bequests typically include:
- “Artificial” collections of original records, mostly unregistered deeds (see Appendix J.2).
- Transcripts or abstracts of registers of courts, sasines etc. The accuracy of this work is generally good, so they can serve
as substitutes for Minutes of court and sasine registers. However many only relate to families and places in which the donor had a particular interest, and, as with all secondary sources, important references should be checked.
- Notes made by the donor on subjects such as buildings,
families, local jurisprudence, Norse history, heraldry etc.154
Much of this material is of considerable genealogical
interest. A list of these bequests is given in Appendix M.
More background may be found on the SCAN pages for
NRS and OA and their catalogues.
153
Many of the title deeds passed to purchasers when lands were sold
off. Some of the rentals were burnt (MacGillivray 2004, 23). 154
Clouston’s notebooks (OA D23/1- /13) cover a wide range of
subjects, though like his contemporaries he was prone to over-
romanticise the impact of the Norse on Orkney’s history.
Some of these antiquaries developed their own pedigrees/
family trees of prominent Orcadian families. The 18
pedigrees by Nicholson (1839)155 are generally regarded
as unreliable, some 47 by Leask (c.1880)156 and 80 by
St.Clair (1909)157 are of variable quality, while Clouston’s
25 pedigrees (1914)158 are considered to be more reliable.
More recently, an ever-increasing number of private
genealogical studies have been copied to OA and OFHS,
in whose catalogues they are listed. Summaries of these
catalogues are listed on the SCAN website, and CD-ROM
copies of the full catalogues may be purchased and searched with the “Find” facility of personal computers.
More such studies are listed on the Orkney pages of the
GENUKI website. But as with other secondary material,
all such sources must be used with caution. And as
always, ancestry should be traced back in time from
known ancestors, rather than by adding opportunistically
to existing pedigrees of families with the same surname.
8.5 Government Records
8.5.1 Service Records Many Orcadians joined the army, Royal Navy, reserve
forces, merchant navy or other public services, and details of many of these individuals survive. Prior knowledge of
whether they were an officer, petty/warrant officer or
rating can be critical when searching records.
TNA/PRO (see Chapter 1.2.3) hold many of these records
and their website is a good starting point for post-1707
data on many of these careers. More specifically:
- Army: see Fowler 1992.
- Coastguard: see PRO ADM175. Mrs E Stage of 150 Fulwell Park Avenue, Twickenham TW2 5BH has an index.
- Customs officials: see NRS GD1/372/1 (1752), RH2/8/103 (1755), E509-512 (1741-1830) and OA CE55 (1799-1965).
- Excise officials: see NRS RH4/6/1-2 (1707-1830), GD1/54/10 (1743), CE6/19 (1794) and CE13/1-9 (1813-1829).
- Fencibles and Militia (1738, 1793-1811): see Fereday 1990, Fraser 1931, Gibson 1994, OA D2, D14/8/5 and D20/4/8/19; Rollo 1958, OA D31/38/4/12.
- Merchant Navy: see Smith & Watts 1998.
- Post Office staff: see NRS PO1/15-/65.
- Royal Marines: see Thomas 1994.
- Royal Navy: see Rodger 1988; tracing a rating before 1852 requires knowledge of the name of his ship.
- Schoolmasters: see Marwick 1995, Pogue 1956, and school log books in OA CO5, and for 18th century, Cowper 1997 (draft copy in Orkney Room) and Lamb 1962.
8.5.2 Other records The government records likely to be of most use to students of Orcadian genealogy have already been
introduced, but many others survive, some very extensive,
that may yield useful background information, while
opportunistic searches may yield “sightings” of ancestors.
155
NLS ms 34.2.18. OA D1/180 is a microfilm copy. 156
OA D17/1: a corrected and extended version of Nicholson’s work.
See example of Baikie family tree on the rear cover. 157
“Orcadian Families” (OA D31/14/2). The typescript transcription
by G Reid (OA D31/14/1) edited by Irvine & Fraser 2014 is now
available from the Orkney Library and Archive as a CD for £8.50. 158
Clouston 1914, 433-470.
36 TRACE YOUR ORKNEY ANCESTORS
It would be inappropriate here to list all such local government records, but the following may be relevant:
- Council Minutes - County 1890-1993 OA CO3/1 - District 1890-1930 OA CO3/2-/5 1930-1975 OA CO9/1-/11 - Kirkwall 1669-1975 OA K1/1159 1651-1832 Mackintosh 1892 1669-1700 Pottinger 2000 1691-1834 Mackintosh 1887 - Stromness 1817-1975 OA S1 1976-1989 OA CO/14 - Guild Courts - Kirkwall 1672-1703,1899-1935 OA K1/25 - Stromness 1894-1962 OA S18 - Education 1873-1985 OA CO5 - Herring fishing and whaling 1750-1825 NRS E502, 508
The reports of the Napier Commission of 1883 (Vol. 2) (also as Thomson 2013), and the Crofters Commission of 1888 (also as Mackintosh 1889), list the complaints of some tenants with brief details of their holdings, and sometimes name their spouse or father.160
Lists of national government records (e.g. Chancery, Exchequer, Parliament, Privy Council, Privy Seal, Signet, State Papers) are given on the NRS website and described in Bigwood 2001, Sinclair 2003 and HMSO 1996. To include a extensive summary here might be misleading, as requirements for individual researchers will vary widely.
8.6 Hudson’s Bay Company Archives (HBCA) Orcadians were recruited by The Hudson’s Bay Company between 1702 and 1911. By the end of the 18th century they represented over three-quarters of the company’s 400-600 staff.161 Many “servants” of the “HBC” returned to Orkney, some with their “native wives”, while others settled in the Red River district of Manitoba and elsewhere in Canada and became the ancestors of many hundreds of Canadians and Americans.
Extensive records are held by HBCA (see Chapter 1.7.2). Their holdings are catalogued on the HBC website and described in Biographical Resources at HBC Archives (Briggs & Morton 1996, 2003). Detailed mini-biographies of most HBC servants are given at www.gov.mb.ca/chc/archives/hbca/biographical/ 162
Microfilm copies of some HBCA records are held by OA (D1/193) and TNA (BH/1). West Coast servants before 1858 are listed in the Orkney pages of the GENUKI website under Emigration.
8.7 Maps, Plans and Gazetteers Such topographical records are relevant to genealogists as: - They show where various ancestors lived. - They add “flesh” to the “bones” of pedigrees and family
trees (see Chapter 9). - Awareness of where someone lived can be critical in
distinguishing contemporary individuals with the same names. For example, namesakes in IGI printouts can sometimes be distinguished from one another when
159
The records for 1743-64 and 1766-88 are missing. These periods
correspond with the periods of greatest dissention between the
lairds and their superior, including the Pundlar Process. 160
For later actions see Scottish Land Court records (Appendix H). 161
One was the arctic explorer Dr John Rae, but most were “sober but
tractable” sailors, tradesmen or labourers (Thomson 2001, 371-8;
see also Troup 2004; NOAJ vii). 162
When HBC had staff of the same name, their records distinguished
them thus: John Flett A, John Flett B, John Flett C etc.
copies of the original OPRs are examined and their township or even farm names identified.163
Early Ordnance Survey maps of Orkney are very useful: Scale Surveyed Published Revised Published 1 inch :mile 1864-5 1872, 87 1895 1901-4 6 inches:mile 1877-9 1882 1900 1903 25 inches:mile 1880 1881
Various digital images may be viewed and printed free: - www.nls.uk/maps/OS/6inch: 1882 edition, 6 inch:1 mile; - www.nls.uk/digitallibrary/map/early & Counties/Orkney Is: 1901-1904 edition, 1 inch:1 mile; - www.OrdnanceSurvey.co.uk/oswebsite/getamap :
current editions, 2cm:1km & 4cm:1km.
Useful older maps of Orkney include: - Murdoch Mackenzie’s survey Orcades, first published in 1750
(copy in Orkney Room), and reprinted in sections in Thomson 1996, which delineates some of the old townlands;
- William Aberdeen’s maps of the Earldom Estate, drawn in the 1760s, and his charts of 1769 (OA D8);
- Plans by Miller, Taylor and others, of Orkney townlands divided in the 1830s, and of commonlands enclosed in the 1840s and 50s; names of tenants may be included (OA D8).
Early maps and charts showing Orkney are also listed in: - The Early Maps of Scotland (Inglis and Main 1973); - www.ronaldsay.plus.com/orkneymaps.
Many published and manuscript maps, plans, charts and sketches and copies thereof are held in public repositories:
- NRS in WRH, listed under RHP (Register House Plans);
- NLS Map Library (incl. all Scottish Ordnance Survey maps);
- OA Public Search Room (all relevant Ordnance Survey maps);
- OA, in D1/196-8, /342-3, /452-6, /552-4, /595, /813; D2/17/3; D7/3; D8/4/14- /19; D23/3/7; D29/1/8; SC11/58.
Published gazetteers of Scotland and the search facility of some websites (e.g. Ordnance Survey) list some township names. More extensive listings may be found in:
- www.scotlandsplaces.gov.uk/a-to-z/A;
- Ordnance Survey Name Books (Orkney), compiled 1879/80
(NRS microfilm RH4/23/140 Book 17, copy in OA and indexed at www.scotlandspeople/resources > Orkney;
- Orkney Farm-names (Marwick 1952);
- Testimony of the Orkneyingar (Lamb 1993; see also pp161-4);
- Orkney Place-Names (Heddle, 1977)(OA open shelves).
OA has a CD-ROM database of over 13,000 local place-names prepared by PD Anderson. See also some of the parish pages of the GENUKI website.
8.8 Newspapers, Periodicals and Directories These sources contain much information not available elsewhere. OA has cuttings from The Orkney Herald (1860-94 (D31/75/2) and 1924-34 (D1/854) and card indexes for 1860-87 and 1919-33. The Orcadian will soon be available on-line; otherwise searching newspapers can be very tedious unless the approximate date of the event being sought is known. The journals of Scottish antiquarian societies carried many articles on Orcadian history, particularly before the Proceedings of the Orkney Antiquarian Society and the subsequent Orkney Miscellany, Orkney Heritage and New Orkney
Antiquarian Journals. For the type of “sightings” that may be made in Trade Directories, see Chapter 7.10.
Most of these publications are listed in Appendix O.
163
Unfortunately sometimes even this detail may not suffice: there are
many parishes in which two farms have the same name.
TRACE YOUR ORKNEY ANCESTORS 37
THE CONTEXT
Chapter 9
Orkney’s Topography and History
A full appreciation of Orcadian genealogy involves some awareness of Orkney’s unique topographical,
climatic, historical, economic and social context. The lives of our ancestors were profoundly influenced by their surroundings and history. Visitors to the Neolithic Skara Brae and to the Farm Museum at Kirbister,
inhabited until 1969, will note several commonalities of architecture and artefacts. A leading Scottish
historian goes further: “It is tempting to imagine that the inhabitants of Skara Brae lived as well as many of their descendants nearly 5,000 years later” (Watson 2002, 213). But much has changed in the last century!
Websites Googling “Orkney photographs” accesses a growing number of excellent photographs of Hoy’s hills and the rest of Orkney’s cliffs, beaches and undulating, mostly fertile. Other free sites such as www.orkneyjar.com also capture some of the flavour of Orkney, but none give as comprehensive a background as the publications introduced on this page and listed in the Orkney pages of the GENUKI website.
History The study of Orcadian history is fascinating both in its own right and for enriching genealogical research.
Although today Orkney is in the most remote and least populated region of Scotland, its pre-history, from the Neolithic to the Picts, has left the richest archaeological trail in northern Europe. The Norse sagas tell us that during the 12th century Orkney was the centre of a cultured Earldom that spanned Shetland, Caithness, Sutherland, the Hebrides and part of Ireland. Norse farm-names and dialect still survive in Orkney today, despite seven centuries of scottification and power struggles between earls, bishops, lairds and ministers. During the 18th and early 19th centuries the less affluent gained some income came from kelp, linen, straw plaiting and fishing, and employment in whaling, the navy and the Hudson’s Bay Company, but until the 1840s Orkney’s economy was dominated by primitive “subsistence” agriculture and associated periodic famines. Thereafter came radical agricultural and social developments. Both World Wars had major impacts on Orkney, even if the three-fold increase in population during the 1940s was only temporary. Today cattle farming, offshore oil and tourism dominate the economy of a small but vibrant community. Most of the early histories of Orkney are now very scarce, but as they were also inaccurate this is only a problem for collectors. Of the general histories of Orkney (as opposed to many excellent works that address particular periods, parishes or subjects), my two favourites are Clouston’s engaging if overly romantic A History of Orkney (1932), and Thomson’s very readable History of Orkney (1987). The latter, updated and extended as The New History of Orkney (Thomson 2008), Orkney Land and People (Thomson 2008) and The Orkney Book (Omand 2003), are all authoritative, while Orkney (Bailey 1995), The Orkney Guide Book (Tait 2000), and the beautifully produced The Islands of Orkney (Schei & Moburg 2000) offer lighter introductions. These six books are all “in
print”.
Contemporary accounts During the 1790s Sir John Sinclair persuaded the minister of nearly every parish in Scotland to write a detailed account of the extent, topography, antiquities, population, agriculture, trade and churches of his parish. The results, published in 1794 as The Old Statistical Account (OSA), vary in length and quality, but together provide a graphic picture of Orkney before “the improvement”, as the agricultural revolution is locally known. This exercise was repeated as The New Statistical Account (NSA) in 1834-45, and again in the 1950s as The Third Statistical Account.164
Copies of the individual parish accounts in the Old and New Accounts can be downloaded free from the University of Edinburgh website (see Chapter 1.2.2). Transcripts of the Old Statistical Account with excellent introductions by Clouston and Thomson were published in 1927 and 1978 respectively. The New Statistical Account was published in 1842 and is available on LDS fiche 6026721. The Third Statistical Account, with a short introduction by Miller, was published in 1985.
Illuminating accounts of Orkney parishes were alos written in 1584 (NOAJ vi, 34), 1627 (Peterkin 1820, Pt. III), 1654 (Irvine 2006) and 1842 (Minutes of Evidence before the Poor Law Inquiry Commission for Scotland - HMSO). The Orkney pages of the GENUKI website list other contemporary accounts.
Other Books on Orkney Over the years an amazing number of high quality books relating to a wide range of Orcadian subjects have been published. The Orkney pages of the GENUKI website include lists of recommended reading on a variety of genealogy-related topics. On the OFHS website I maintain a more comprehensive bibliography of works relating to Orcadian family and local history.
The website of The Orcadian maintains a list of the many titles in print. Alas most of the more useful out-of-print books are scarce, and often attract high prices at the periodic sales of The Orkney Auction Mart and their occasional appearances in second-hand bookshops. But many can be sighted in large libraries or ordered at local libraries on inter-library loan.
164
The reports for Papa Westray and Stenness for the Third Statistical
Account have been lost.
38 TRACE YOUR ORKNEY ANCESTORS
The new Orkney Library and Archive Building, Junction Road, Kirkwall
The Orkney Room in the new Library Building
Bobby Leslie, Chief Librarian 1991-2004, in the background.
TRACE YOUR ORKNEY ANCESTORS 39
The Orkney Archive Public Search Room in the new Library Building
The 2013/4 Committee of the Orkney Family History Society standing, l. to r.: Anne Rendall (Chair), Dave Higgins (webmaster), Jackie Harrison, Billy Cardno, Tom King, George Gray (treasurer);
seated: Morag Sinclair, Elaine Sinclair, Cathleen Spence.
absent: Anne MeCreath, Elspeth Seatter, John Sinclair (SFN Editor).
40 TRACE YOUR ORKNEY ANCESTORS
Halcro Johnston gravestone, Orphir Churchyard. Front and rear show details of ten generations, 1597-1889.
The Naming Stone, near Black Craig, Outertown, Stromness, where local youths have carved their initials since before 1770, providing some unorthodox “sightings”!
TRACE YOUR ORKNEY ANCESTORS 41
APPENDICES
Appendix A
Archives - Current Reference Codes
Archive Reference Codes Archive Collections References in
(a) Trace Your Orkney Ancestors
Chapter Appendix
Private 1.7.1 -
NYCRO 1.7.4 -
TNA 1.7.7 -
NAS 1.5.1, 1.5.2 -
OA 1.6.1 -
N'al'rton Kew GRH Kirkwall
- GB191 GB66 GB234 GB241
AC Admiralty Court ……………..…...……..…………….. 8.2 H
AD Lord Advocate …………….…….…..…….…………… - H
AF Agriculture and Fisheries …………..…...……………. - -
B Burgh Records …………….……...….………...…..…. - C, R
PROB11 Wills proven in Archdiocese of Canterbury … ……… 1.7.7 T
BH Hudson's Bay Company Archives ……...……………. 1.7.3, 8.6 -
BT Board of Trade ……………………..……………...….. 1.7.3, 8.5.1 -
Census Census Returns ……….………..………..….……….. 4 C
Civil Registers Civil Registers of Births, Death & Marriages …..…... 5 -
C Chancery ……………………..………...………….….. 5.4, 6.2 C, T
CC Commissariat Court …………..….………...………... 5.3 C, H, J, T
CE Customs Records …………………..…..……………. - -
CE55 (b) Customs Records - Kirkwall …….……..……………. 8.5.1 -
CH (c) OCR Church Records ……………....…………..…….……. 7.2, 8.1 C, D, E, G
CLL Court of the Lord Lyon .......................................... 1.5.3 Y
CO Orkney County / Islands Council …….…...…..……. 7.4, 7.6, 7.9, 7.10, 8.5F, H
CR Crown Estate Commissioners ……......….…………. - L
CS Court of Session ………………….…..………………. 8.2.1, 8.2.2 H, J
D (d) Gifts and Deposits ……………………..…………..…. 5.3, 7.3, 7.4, 7.7, 8.3, 8.4D - L, M, N, R, S, T
DI Diligences ………………….…..….…………………… 8.2.3 K
E Exchequer & Treasury …….…………….……………. 7.4, 7.5, 7.9 F, L, Q, S
GD (d) Gifts and Deposits ……………..…..………………… 7.3, 7,4, 7.5, 8.3, 8.4 F, H, J, K, L, M, Q, T
HH Home and Health ………………….….………………. - -
HR Heritor Records …………………………….…………. - -
IRS Inland Revenues, Scotland …………..….…………… - -
JC High Court of the Justiciary …….….…..…………….. 8.2 H
JP Justice of the Peace Courts ………..…..….………... 8.2 -
JP34 (b) Justice of the Peace Courts - Orkney ….……....…… 7.10, 8.2 H
K Kirkwall Town Council ………..………...……………. 7.10, 8.5.2 H, R
LC Land Court Records ……………….…....……………. -
NP Notarial Protocol Books ……………....……....……… 6.3 R
OS Ordnance Survey ………………….……..…..……….. 8.7 -
(CH/2) OCR/KC Orkney Church Records (Church of Scotland) …..… 7.2, 8.1 E, F, G
(CH/3) OCR/FC Orkney Church Records (Free Churches) …....……. 7.2, 8.1 E, F, G
OPRs Old Parochial Registers ……….….….....…….....….. 5.1 C, D, F
PA Parliament ………………….……......………..………. 7.3 -
PC Privy Council ………………..…….……..…..………… - -
PS Privy Seal ………………………….……...……………. - -
RD Register of Deeds ………………..…..……………….. 8.2.2 J
RH (e) Register House Charters …………..….……………… 7.5 F, G, H, J, P, Q, R, S
RHP Register House Plans ………………..…….…………. 8.7 -
RS Register of Sasines ……………………..…………….. 6.3 C, R
RT Register of Tailzies …………………..….……………. 5.4 -
S Stromness Town Council ………….….……………… 8.5.2 H
SC10 Sheriff Court - Orkney …………..……......……….….. 8.2 J, H, S
SC11 (b) Sheriff Court - Orkney ………….…..…...……………. 8.2, 5.3, 7.3, 7.8, 8.2 F, H, J - M, Q - T
SH, SHB(f ) Breckness Estate Records …………....…….………. 1.7.1, 8.3 J, L, Q, T
SIG Signet Office ………………..……...…..……...…...…. - -
SLC Scottish Land Court …………………..….…………… 8.2 H
SP State Papers ……………..……….…...….…..………. - -
SR see Civil Registers above
SRO SRO / NAS Administration ………...….…......……... - T
TE Teind Courts ………………...…...…..…….....………. - H
VR Valuation Rolls ……………….…....……..….....…….. 7.4.1 -
Y Copies of papers relevant to Orkney held elsewhere - -
ZNKa Dundas Archives …………………..………………….. 1.7.4 L
Key: (a) “GB” numbers are “Archon” codes for online catalogues; National Library of Scotland mss collection: GB233; Shetland Archives: GB242.
(b) Owned by NRS (hence the Archon code), but on extended loan to OA in Kirkwall.
(c) Originals of NRS microfilms CH2 and NRS CH3 are now OA OCR/KC and OA OCR/FC.
(d) NRS GD1/… & OA D1/… are small items; OA Dx/y are volumes; OA Dx/y/z are boxes, envelopes or files of loose papers.
(e) NRS RH1/, 2/ are transcripts; RH3/, 4/ are microfilm copies; RH6/, 7/, 8/ are charters; RH9/15/ are miscellaneous Orkney records;
RH11/ are local court records; RH15/ are private records; RH16/ are genealogies; RH21/ are catholic church records.
(f) c/o Major M Macrae - see Chapter 1.7.1.
42 TRACE YOUR ORKNEY ANCESTORS
Appendix B
Archives - Former Reference Numbers Old From To Sent Loaned Present ref. Old From To Sent Loaned Present ref.
Ref. Court to to Ref. Court to to
No. SRO OA No. SRO OA
1 Reg.of Deeds O&Z 1611 1632 NAS CC17/5/1, /2
2 Com. Reg.of Tests O&Z 1612 1615 1875 - NAS CC17/2/2 1 Sh. Reg. Extract Decrees, Abridged 1830 1834 1980 OA SC11/9/2
3 Sh. Book of Decreets O&Z 1612 1630 1824 - NAS SC10/1/3 2 Reg. Extract Decrees, Abridged 1834 1838 1980 OA SC11/9/3
4 B'rick Court Book O 1614 1638 1824 - NAS SC10/1/5 3 Reg. Extract Decrees, Abridged 1838 1849 1980 OA SC11/9/4
5 Sh. Book of Decreets Z(only) 1615 1628 1824 - Lerwick
6 Reg. of Decreets O 1615 1643 1980 OA SC11/50/1 1 Sh. Reg. of Fiar Prices O 1783 1804 1980 OA SC11/20/1
7 Reg. of Deeds & Seisins O 1617 1621 1824 - NAS RS43/1 2 Reg. of Fiar Prices O 1804 1817 1980 OA SC11/20/2
8 Reg. of Deeds & Seisins O 1621 1625 1824 - NAS RS43/2 3 Reg. of Fiar Prices O 1818 1828 1980 OA SC11/20/3
9 Reg. of Seisins (imperfect) O 1625 1824 missing 4 Reg .of Fiar Prices O 1829 1980 OA SC11/20/4
10 Reg. of Deeds & Seisins O 1625 1626 1824 - NAS RS43/3
11 Sh. Book of Decreets O 1630 1648 1875 - NAS SC10/1/3 1 Sh. Minute or Record Bk, Freeholders O&Z 1734 1780 1980 OA SC11/59/1
12 Reg. of Deeds & Seisins O 1634 1639 1824 - NAS RS43/5 2 Minute or Record Bk, Freeholders O&Z 1781 1792 1980 OA SC11/59/2
13 Reg. of Deeds O 1647 1656 1824 1980 OA SC11/50/2 3 Minute or Record Bk, Freeholders O&Z 1793 1819 1980 OA SC11/59/3
14 Reg. of Deeds & Seisins O 1647 1654 1824 - NAS RS43/7 4 Minute or Record Bk, Freeholders O&Z 1820 1831 1980 OA SC11/59/4
15 Reg. of Deeds & Seisins O 1654 1666 1875 - NAS RS43/8 5 Minute or Record Bk, Freeholders 1832 1839 missing
16 Sh. Book of Decreets O 1655 1657 1875 - NAS SC10/1/7 6 Minute or Record Bk, Freeholders 1840 missing
17 Reg. of Deeds (imperfect) O 1656 1660 1980 OA SC11/50/3 7 Minute or Record Bk, Freeholders 1841 missing
18 Copy (imperfect) Seisins & Deeds 1655 1656 1875 ?? 8 Minute or Record Bk, Freeholders 1842 missing
19 Reg. of Deeds O 1661 1664 1980 OA SC11/50/4 9 Poll Books, Kirkwall & Stromness 1833 missing
20 Sh. Book of Decreets O 1661 1665 1875 - NAS SC10/2/1 10 Poll Books, Kirkwall & Stromness 1835 missing
21 Sh. Book of Decreets O 1665 1665 1875 - NAS SC10/2/2
22 Reg. of Deeds O 1664 1667 1980 OA SC11/50/5 1 Sh Reg.of Hornings & Inhibitions O&Z 1610 1613 1859 - NAS DI 85/1
23 Copy, imperfect, Seisins O 1664 1875 ?? 2 Reg.of Hornings & Inhibitions O 1612 1628 1859 - NAS DI 85/2
24 B'rick Court Book O 1665 1672 1980 OA SC11/9/6 3 Reg.of Hornings & Inhibitions O&Z 1615 1658 1859 - NAS DI 85/3
25 Reg. of Deeds O 1665 1673 1824 NAS CC17/5/4 4 Reg.of Hornings & Inhibitions O 1636 1642 1859 - NAS DI 85/6
26 B'rick Reg. of Deeds O 1665 1674 1875 - NAS SC10/3/1 5 Reg.of Hornings & Inhibitions O 1646 1658 1859 - NAS DI 85/7
27 Reg. of Deeds & Seisins O 1666 1667 missing 6 Reg.of Hornings & Inhibitions O 1661 1663 1859 - NAS DI 85/8
28 Reg. of Deeds O 1667 1669 1980 OA SC11/50/6 7 Reg.of Hornings & Inhibitions O 1663 1666 1859 - NAS DI 85/9
29 Reg. of Deeds O 1669 1672 1980 OA SC11/50/7 8 B'rick Reg.of Hornings & Inhibitions 1665 1675 1859 - NAS DI 85/10A
30 Copy, 3rd Reg.of Seisins O&Z 1674 1682 1875 1980 OA RS45/3 9 Sh Reg.of Hornings & Inhibitions O 1666 1669 1859 - NAS DI 85/10
31 Reg. of Deeds O 1675 1681 1980 OA SC11/50/8 10 Reg.of Hornings & Inhibitions O 1669 1672 1859 - NAS DI 85/11
32 Reg. of Deeds O 1707 1720 1980 OA SC11/50/9 11 Reg.of Hornings & Inhibitions O 1675 1680 1859 - NAS DI 85/11
33 Copy, Minute Bk.of Seisins O&Z 1718 1727 1875 missing 12 Reg.of Hornings & Inhibitions O 1680 1693 1859 - NAS DI 85/12
34 Reg. of Deeds O 1732 1738 1980 OA SC11/50/10 13 Reg.of Hornings & Inhibitions O 1694 1706 1859 - NAS DI 85/13
35 Sh. Book of Decreets O 1732 1748 1980 OA SC11/9/1 14 Reg.of Hornings & Inhibitions O 1706 1727 1859 - NAS DI 85/14
36 Reg. of Deeds O 1738 1746 1980 OA SC11/50/11 15 Reg.of Hornings & Inhibitions O 1727 1752 1859 - NAS DI 85/15
37 Reg. of Deeds O 1751 1761 1980 OA SC11/50/13 16 Reg.of Hornings & Inhibitions O 1752 1793 1820 - NAS DI 85/16
38 Reg. of Deeds O 1761 1767 1980 OA SC11/50/14 17 Reg.of Hornings & Inhibitions O 1793 1796 1820 - NAS DI 85/17
39 Reg. of Deeds O 1767 1775 1980 OA SC11/50/15 18 Reg.of Hornings & Inhibitions O 1796 1804 1820 - NAS DI 85/18
40 Sh. Minute Bk of Deeds O 1707 1809 1980 OA SC11/53/1 19 Reg.of Hornings & Inhibitions O 1804 1819 - NAS DI 85/19
41 Com. Reg. of Deeds O 1805 1809 NAS CC17/5/6 20 Reg.of Hornings & Inhibitions O 1819 1824 - NAS DI 85/20
42 Reg. of Deeds & Prob.Writs I O 1809 1814 1980 OA SC11/51/1 21 Minute Bk.of Hornings & Inhbns O 1819 1824 - NAS DI 87/1
43 Reg. of Protests IIO 1809 1814 1980 OA SC11/52 22 Reg.of Hornings & Inhibitions O 1838 1859 - NAS DI 85/21
44 Reg. of Deeds & Prob .Writs II O 1814 1821 1980 OA SC11/51/2 23 Min.Bk.of H & I (dup. of no.21) O 1819 1969 1980 OA SC11/57/1
45 Reg. of Deeds IIIO 1821 1823 1980 OA SC11/51/3
46 Minute Bk. of Deeds O 1809 1823 1980 OA SC11/53/2 1 Com. Record of Deeds 1803 1832 missing
47 Reg. of Protests on Bills O 1826 1832 1980 OA SC11/52/2 2 Sh. Record of Probative Writs 1806 1809 missing
48 Reg. of Protests on Bills O 1832 1837 1980 OA SC11/52/3 3 Com. Court Book 1801 1810 missing
49 Reg. of Protests on Bills O 1837 1858 1980 OA SC11/52/4 4 Record of Inventories 1661 missing
50 Reg. of Deeds O 1833 1839 1980 OA SC11/51/4 1-4 ? Boxes of papers, processes etc missing
51 Reg. of Deeds O 1839 1848 1980 OA SC11/51/5
Key: B’rick: Bishopric Sheriff Court, Kirkwall; Com: Kirkwall Commissary Court; Sh.: Stewartry Sheriff Court, Kirkwall.
Sources: OA SC11/1/6, 54 (1800); SC11/1/7 (1823/4); SC11/8/1843; SC11/104/1 (1817 & 1824); Appendix to SC11 Catalogue.
Collection NRA(S) Refs. Present archive Collection NRA(S) Refs. Present archive
Baikie of Tankerness 1858 OA D24 Orkney Library: Miscellaneous papers 1015 / 1869 OA D8
Balfour of Balfour and Trenabie 627 OA D2 Orkney Library: Small Gifts and Deposits 1870 OA D1/
Leask of Boardhouse 1367 OA D17 Orkney Record and Antiquarian Society 2795 OA D46
Burroughs, Lt.Gen. Sir FWT, of Rousay 1871 / 2936 NAS GD1/45 Halcro-Johnston of Orphir 1320 OA D15
Clouston of Nisthouse and Holodyke 3068 OA D40 Reid, George W 1874 / 2792 OA D20
Clouston, J Storer 1857 OA D23 Scottish Episcopal Church, St.Olaf’s, Kirkwall3001 OA D45
Cutt, Walter T 3229 OA D48 Sinclair, Mary R 1860 OA D30
Drever and Heddle, solicitors 1148 OA D7 Skea, Betsy 3720 OA D69
Earldom of Orkney 626 OA D13 Spence, Magnus 2998 OA D32
Eunson, Edwin 3349 OA D57 Spence, William 1872 / 2936 OA D16
Fereday, Ray P 2320 OA D36 Sutherland - Graemeshall 1246, 2794 & 3228 OA D5 (currently closed)
Heddle, Joan 110 NAS GD263 Swarsquoy, Farm of, Tankerness 1140 OA D1/600
Johnston, Alfred W (Viking Club) 1015 / 1875 NAS GD1/209, OA D21Tait, James, Kirkwall 1212 OA D10
Marwick, Dr. Hugh 3002 OA D29 Tankerness House Museum 1143 -
Marwick, Ernest W 1861 OA D31 Taylor, Kirkwall 1211 OA D9
Mooney, John 3279 OA D49 Traill-Dennison, Walter 1222 OA D14
Morton, Earls of 2465 & 2710 / NAS GD150 most now OA D38 Trumland House, Rousay, architectural plans2370 OA D19
Nicol, A Gordon, C.E. 3287 OA D52 Watters, Margaret 3289 OA D1/629
Orkney Heritage Society 3719 OA D70 Watt Family of Breckness 1031 OA D3
TRACE YOUR ORKNEY ANCESTORS 43
Appendix C
Archives - LDS Reference Numbers (see Chapters 1.2.3, 1.3)
Indexes of Births, Baptisms, Marriages & Deaths (see Chapter 5.1.3)
Area covered Title Scope Sources Dates Edition Film/fiche no. Format
Orkney Old Parish Registers Christenings OPR data only -1854 c.1990 6025696 (6) fiches
" " Marriages " -1854 " 6025698 (3) fiches
" IGI Christenings & Marriages OPRs, Civil Reg'n & LDS data -1875 1992 (a) C0488-0496 (9) f iches
Scotland Scottish Church Records " OPR data only -1854 1995 (b) 1346120 (1) CD-ROM
" Civil Registration Births, Marriages, Deaths Civil Registers 1855-1955 1952-62 see below films
" Parish & Vital Records List (show s w hich parishes have free church data added to IGI) - (1) fiche
Great Britain UK Alternative Indexes Minor Registers various (c) 6137109-491 (382) fiches
British Isles Family Search IGI Christenings & Marriages OPRs, Civil Reg'n & LDS data -1875 2000 (d) Addendum v 4 (31) CD-ROM
" Vital Records Index " " -1875 2001 (e) (16) CD-ROM
World Ancestral File All privately submitted genealogies various 2000 (7) CD-ROM
" Pedigree Resource File " " " (36) CD-ROM
" " " " current www
" Ancestral File Living persons excluded " " " www
" Family Search IGI Christenings & Marriages OPRs, Civil Reg'n & LDS data -1875 " www
a: superseded 1984 & 1988 editions; b: superseded OPR fiches; c: LDS have not copied Scottish Minor Registers; d: superseded 1993 & 1996 editions; e: superseded 1998 edition
Census Returns (see Chapter 4) OPRs (see Chapter 5.1.4)
Parish Parish 1821 1841 1851 1861 1871 1881 1891 Baptisms Marriages Burials Bs,Ms&Ds
No. 1982 edition 1952 edition 1976 edn
Orkney - Surname index - - - - - 6086634(2) - 6025696 6025698 - - fiches
- Returns, notes - - - - - 6086635-9(6) - - - - - fiches
Birsay 13 - 101900 103737 103888 104067 203396 208611 101949 101949 - 919497 films
Deerness 14 6393836 101900 103737 103888 104067 203396 208611 101950 101950 101950 919498 films
Eday & Pharay 15 - 101900 103737 103888 104067 203396 208611 101950 101950 - 919499 films
Evie & Rendall 16 - 101900 103737 103888 104067 203396 208611 101950 101950 101950 919499 films
Firth & Stenness 17 - 101900 103737 103888 104067 203396 208611 101951 101951 101951 990500 films
Harray 18 - 101900 103737 103888 104067 203396 208611 101951 101951 101951 990501 films
Holm & Paplay 19 - 101900 103737 103888 104067 203396 208611 101952 101952 101952 990501 films
Hoy & Graemsay 20 - 101900 103737 103888 104068 203396 208611 101952 101952 - 990502 films
Kirkwall & St.Ola 21 - 101900 103737 103888 104068 203397 208612 101953 101954 101955 990503-5 films
N.Ronaldsay 22 - 101900 103737 103888 104068 203397 208612 101956 101956 - 990506 films
Orphir 23 6393837 101900 103737 103888 104068 203397 208612 101956 101956 101956 990506 films
Rousay & Egilsay 24 - 101901 103737 103888 104068 203398 208612 101957 101957 - 990507 films
St.Andrews 25 - 101901 103738 103888 104068 203398 208612 101957 101957 101957 990508 films
Sanday (3 parishes) 26 - 101901 103738 103888 104068 203398 208612 101958 101958 101958 990509 films
Sandwick 27 6393838 101901 103738 103888 104069 203398 208613 101959 101959 - 990510 films
Shapinsay 28 - 101901 103738 103889 104069 203398 208613 101960 101960 101960 990511 films
S.Ronalds'y&Burray 29 6393839 101901 103738 103889 104069 203398 208613 101961 101961 101961 990512-3 films
Stromness 30 6393840 101901 103738 103889 104069 203399 208613 101962-3 101963-4 101963 990514-5 films
Stronsay 31 - 101901 103738 103889 104069 203399 208613 101964 101964 101964 990516 films
Walls & Flotta 32 - 101901 103738 103889 104069 203399 208614 101965 101965 101965 990517 films
Westray & Papa W. 33 - 101901 103738 103889 104069 203399 208614 101966 101966 - 990518 films
Civil Registration (see Chapter 5.1.3)
Scotland General Index of microfilms of Annual Indexes of Births, Marriages and Deaths 1855-1956 6035516 fiche
Scotland Annual Indexes of Births 1855-1949 0103244-0103341 films
" 1950-1955 0203372-0203377 films
Annual Indexes of Marriages 1855-1949 0103539-0103548 films
" 1950-1956 0203378-0203384 films
Annual Indexes of Deaths 1855-1949 0103349-0103425 films
" 1950-1956 0203385-0203397 films
Orkney Registers of Births, Marriages and Deaths 1855-75, 81, 91 various (69) films
Registers of Testaments (see Chapter 5.3) and Retours / Services of heirs (see Chapter 5.4)
Orkney Registers of Testaments (NRS CC17/2/1- /12) 1611-1684 0231221-0231224 films
Scotland Index & Abridgements, Retours (Retours ) 1546-1699 0908847 film
Index, Retours / Services of Heirs (Decennial Indexes ) 1700-1859 0990340 film
Index, Services of Heirs (Annual Indexes ) 1860-date 6068606 (12) fiches
Registers of Retours / Services of Heirs (NRS C22) 1530-1912 0231260-0231566 films
Minutes, Indexes and Abridgements of Sasines (see Chapter 6.3)
Orkney Particular RegisterMinute Books (NRS RS78/1-/3) 1661-1752 0217008 film
" " (NRS RS78/4 ) 1753-1791 0217009 film
" Indexes of Persons (printed volumes ) 1781-1868 0217062 film
" Indexes of Place-names (printed volumes ) 1781-1830 0217084 film
" Abridgements (printed volumes ) 1781-1868 0217126 film
Kirkwall Burgh Register Minute Books (NRS B44/03/01) 1661-1862 0298519 film
Scotland General Register Minute Books (NRS RS62/10-/13) 1717-1738 0216977 film
" " (NRS RS62/14-/17) 1739-1762 0216978 film
" " (NRS RS62/18-/20) 1763-1782 0216979 film
Other Publications Barclay 1962 : 0973253; Barclay 1977 : 6036317; Barry 1867 : 0253061; New Statistical Account, 1842 : 6026721; Old Lore Misc., i-iv : 0277729-30
44 TRACE YOUR ORKNEY ANCESTORS
Appendix D
Old Parochial Registers of Baptisms, Marriages and Burials held by NRS (see Chapter 5.1.2)
Parish NRS Baptisms NRS Marriages NRS Burials etc.Ref. Microfilm Microfilm
Nos. Nos.
Birsay 13/1 1645-1820 g 1648-54, 66-9, 73-81 6901937 1654-1820 g 1666-9, 69-70, 73-81, 99-1701 6901938 nilf 1742, 56-8, 63-8 (2) f 1742, 55-8, 63-9; p; w
13/2 1820-1854 1820-1854 w nil
Deerness 14/1 1754-1819 g 1765-7; t 6901939 1703-1811 g1715-3, 65-71; t 6901940 b 1703-1794 g 1715-87; t
14/2 1819-1854 t nil nil
Eday 15/1 1789-1819 good condition; later copy? 6901941 nil 6901942 nil
15/2 1819-1865 1821-1854 nil
Evie & Rendall e 16/1 1725-1820 f 1756-7, 1801-19 6091943 1725-1820 g 1756-9, 1802-13 6901944 b 1816-1822
16/2 1820-1854 1820-1854 b 1820-1836
Firth & Stenness S 17/1 1732-1819 f throughout, esp.1745-7, 50-26901945 1732-1819 g 1761-65 6901946 b 1746-1819 f to 1817
F 17/1 1780-1819 f 1782-5, 1787-1817 1817-1819 nil
F&S 17/2 1820-1854 1820-1854 b 1820-1854
Harray 18/1 1784-1819 f 1791-5, c.1800 6901937 1784-1819 6901938 m 1810-1819
18/2 1820-1854 1817-1854 m 1820-1825
Holm 19/1 1654-1819 g 1692-7, 1703-9 6902050 1654-1699 f 1674-7; g1681-92 6902051 b 1765-1796
19/2 1818-1854 nil nil
Hoy & Graemsay H 20/1 1776-1819 f 1776-95 6902052 1812-1819 f 6902053 nil
G 20/1 1777-1819 f 1777-98 1796-1819 f nil
H&G 20/2 1820-1854 1812-1854 G: g 1812-5 nil
Kirkwall & St.Ola 21/1 1657-1727 6902054 nil 6902063 nil
21/2 1728-1783 (3) nil (2) nil
21/3 1783-1820 nil nil
21/4 nil 1657-1820 g 1679-82: f 86; g 1701-5, 26-8 nil
21/5 nil nil b 1666-1820 g 1681-1708, 09-83
21/6 1820-1854 nil nil
21/7 nil 1820-1854 b 1820-1853
North Ronaldsay 22/1 1800-1820 pre 1800 in C&B, Sanday 6902055 nil 6902056 nil
22/2 1820-1854 1819-1854 nil
Orphir 23/1 1709-1819 g ff.1-13; f 1747-59 6901949 1709-1819 g 1763-4 6901950 b 1817-1819 plus 1748-51(f)
23/2 1819-1854 1819-1854 d 1819-1854
Rousay & Egilsay 24/1 1733-1820 g 1746-98, f 1789 6902057 1733-1819 g 1745-98 6902058 nil
24/2 1820-1854 1819-1854 nil
St.Andrews 25/1 1657-1819 f post 1671 6901951 1657-1819 f post 1674 6901952 b 1792-1795
25/1 m 1805-1819
25/2 1819-1854 1820-1854 m 1820-1843
Sanday -Cross & Burness26/1 1758-1819 f 1803-19 6901953 nil 6901954 nil
-Lady 26/2 1735-1819 g 1785-90; f 1793-8 (2) 1818-1819 nil
-C& B'nes & Lady26/3 1820-1854 C&B: g 1820 1820-1854 C&B: f 1820-7, 51-4 b 1831-1841 (Lady only)
Sandwick 27/1 1728-1819 g 1738-46, 48-60 6902042 1727-1819 g 1732-50, 52-78, 83-5, 95-1810 6902043 nilf 1769-70, 75-80, 1805-9
27/2 1819-1854 1819-1854 nil
Shapinsay 28/1 1632-1819 f 1650-8; g 1699-58 6902044 1632-1819 g 1651-8, 1702-58 6902044 d 1793-1819
28/2 1819-1854 1820-1854 d 1820-1854
S.Ronaldsay & Burray 29/1 1657-1669 x 6902046 1657-1669 x 6902047 nil
North 29/2 1749-1819 f 1760-81 (2) 1784-1819 g 1786-7 nil
South 29/2 1765-1819 f 1763-97 1779-1819 g 1780-1808 nil
North 29/3 1820-1854 1820-1854 nil
South 29/4 1820-1854 1820-1854 d 1832-1854
Stromness 30/1 1695-1792 g 1702-22; u 6902048 1695-1702 u 6902049 nil
30/2 1793-1820 (2) nil g 1702-22 nil
30/3 nil 1722-1819 g 1726-8, 47-51, 71-5 m 1763-1788 f 1765-87
30/4 1820-1837 1820-1837 nil
30/5 1837-1854 1837-1854 nil
Stronsay 31/1 1743-1825 g 1770-97; v 6902326 1801-1819 6902327 b 1810-1820
31/2 1819-1854 v 1820-1854 b 1820-1854
Walls & Flotta W 32/1 1708-1800 6902324 1707-1795 6902325 nil
F 32/1 1708-1747 1708-1738 nil
W 32/2 1801-1822 f 1806-10; g 1819 nil nil
F 32/3 1753-1819 f 1757-60, 1818 1786-1819 g 1799-1802, 07-18; f 1811 nil
W 32/4 1819-1854 1823-1854 d 1823-1854
F 32/5 1819-1854 1820-1854 nil
Westray & W 33/1 1733-81; 1775-1819; 1794-1828 6902322 1805-1829 6902361 nil
Papa Westray P 33/1 1784-1821 (2) 1805-1829 nil
W&P 33/2 1820-1854 f 1820-44 1819-1854 nil
Key: (b) Burials (d) Deaths (e) Evie only before 1802 Joint Parishes and Small Islands
(f) few entries, or Register defective (g) gaps Event in: Possibly recorded Event in: Possibly recorded
(m) Mortcloth dues (p) Proclamations of Banns 1654-1672 in the Register of: (*: & vice versa) in the Register of:
(t) Transcript of Births 1754-1854, Marriages 1754-1811, Burray S.Ronaldsay North Harray* Birsay
and Deaths 1789-94 in OA Box 1/3 Cava Orphir N.Ronaldsay* Cross & Burness
(u) Transcript of Births and Marriages 1695-1702 in OA Box 3/38 Deerness* St.Andrews Papa Westray* Westray
(v) Transcript of Births 1743-1873 in OA Box 2/15 Eday* Stronsay Pentland Skerries S.Ronaldsay South
(w)Transcripts in OFHS 49E Evie* Rendall Sandwick* Stromness
(x) Transcripts of Baptisms and Marriages 1657-69 in Craven 1911 Fara (North) Eday S.Ronaldsay South*S.Ronaldsay North
Sources : Baptie 2001 Bloxham 1970 Fara (South) Walls & Flotta Stenness* Firth
LDS Fiche 5 OA & OFHS Catalogues Flotta* Walls & Flotta Stroma Walls & Flotta
Registrar General 1872 Graemsay* Hoy & Graemsay Swona S.Ronaldsay South
TRACE YOUR ORKNEY ANCESTORS 45
Appendix E
Registers of Baptisms, Banns, Marriages and Burials not in OPRs by NRS (see Chapter 5.1.5)
Parish Church of Scotland Secession Churches
m-film m-film
Original volumes copies Original volumes copies Baptisms Proclamations Marriages Burials Baptisms Marriages
of Banns (see also Appendix N)
OA OA OA OA OCR/KC/ NRS OA OA NRS
OCR/KC/ OCR/KC/ OCR/KC/ or other ref. CH/2/ OCR/FC/ OCR/FC/ CH/3/
Birsay 5/2 1855-1867 (a) 1654-1672 5/2 1855-1868 OA CO6/1/12 1916-1930 1083 3/2 1876-1946 1087
5/3 1912-1956 "
Deerness 8/9 1860-1931 8/5,6 1830-1860 1086 6/13 1873-1931 1090
births: 8/9 1860-1931 "
OFHS 1880-1955 8/10 1931-1977 "
Eday
Evie & Rendall 10/5-7 1855-1931 10/6,7 1866-1900 OA D1/736 (R) 1919-1940 1088 8/8 1875-1926 8/8 1875-1926 1092
10/8 1901-1931 "
R 17/2 1895-1937 17/2 1895-1938 17/2 1895-1938 OA CO6/4/4 1927-1930 1094
Firth & Stenness F 11/5 1890-1945 11/6 1919-1944 1089 10/10 1912-1945 1094
11/8 1933-1945 "
11/13 1943-1977 " 10/11 1920-1928 "
S 29/7 1844-1867 1113
Harray 12/6,7 1855-1878 12/6,7 1855-1878 12/14)(b) 1801 1090 11/2 1843-1877 1095
12/8 1895-1902 12/8 1895-1902 12/15)(b) 1832-1852 " 11/3 1922-1945 "
12/9 1901-1945 12/4 1833-58 "
Holm 13/4 1933-1945 1091 13/7 1869-1922 1096
13/8 1923-1944 "
Hoy & Graemsay 31/41 1888-1982 31/3 1904-1976 1381 14/10 1923-1944 1097
Kirkwall & St.Ola 13/90 1687-1688 13/53 1855-1876 13/46-481651-1653 14/46-8 1670-1672 443 15/10 1870-1931 1099
13/52 1831-1837 13/55,56 1876-1904 13/49 1662-1677 14/68 1813-1821 " 16/10,111843-1873 16/10,111843-1874 1100
13/50,511856-1926 13/57 1907-1957 14/69 1845-1871 " 16/12 1874-1899 "
13/33 1857-1858 13/109 1958-1967 13/33 1857-1858 14/70 1855-1886 " 16/12 1911 "
13/102 1968-1977 OA D66/1/8 (c) 1921-1972 "
North Ronaldsay 18/3,4 1855-1930 18/3,4 1855-1931 1095 17/4,5 1843-1914 17/6 1848-1911 1101
18/5 1934-1948 "
Orphir 16/4 1855-1939 16/6 1879-1940 OFHS: 44B4 1865-1897 1093 18/6 1844-1943 1102
16/5 1940-1944 16/15-17 1912-1973 "
Rousay & Egilsay R 19/2 1885-1949 19/6 1901-1925 1096 21/3 1876-1932 1105
E 34/3 1922-1989 -
St.Andrews 20/3 1881-1949 20/4 1881-1949 1097 23/5 1843-1949 1107
Sanday C&B 7/8 1704-1707 7/4 1899-1932 7/8 1711-1733 1085 24/3 1921-1959 1108
7/5 1933-1958 " 25/7 1814-1818 1109
15/8 1865-1915 15/8 1812-1818 1092
Sandwick 22/9 1885-1935 22/8 1892-1935 deaths: 1099 26/12 1838-1936 1110
22/16 1932-1974 22/11 1905-1917 "
22/20,211935-1997 -
Shapinsay 23/8 1871-1932 1100 27/6 1868-1918 1111
S. Ronaldsay & SR 21/2,3 1874-1884 21/2,3 1876-1884 24/18 (c) 1891-1928 1098 28/2,3 1854-1856 1112
21/4 1937-1958 21/5 1939-1959 " 28/7 1868-1959 "
24/4 1858-1868 24/17 1875-1925 1101 deaths:
24/14-161875-1959 24/26 1932-1959 " 28/4 1854-1856 "
Burray B 6/4 1904-1931 6/5 1904-1932 1084 5/2 1885-1919 1089
6/7 1934-1968 6/10 1938-1968 "
Stromness 26/14 1901-1949 26/16 1878-1971 1103 30/11 1853-1865 -
26/15 1950-1970 " 31/6 1843-1898 1115
31/7 1897-1970 "
Stronsay 32/1 1800-1818 32/1 1800-1811 1116
32/3,4 1836-1854 32/3,4 1837-1854 1116
Walls & Flotta W 28/15 1906-1933 28/14 1906-1934 -
28/7 1904-1983 28/2 1934-1945 1105
F&P 28/12 1945-1975 "
Westray & W 30/6 1890-1945 30/11 1855-1874 1107
Papa Westray PW 30/11 1946-1977 "
NB 1 Shading denotes pre-1855 records.
2 Further records of Baptisms, Banns, Marriages and Burials may be found in Kirk Session Minutes (see Appendix G).
3 None of these records have been copied by LDS, although they have fiches of the NRS Catalogues of the CH references.
4 NRS are planning to copy some of these records.
Key: (a) NRS OPR 13/1.
(b) Copy on members’ page of OFHS website
(c) Photocopied as OA D1/251/1, copy of which is on Open Shelves in OA Public Search Room.
Sources: Baptie 2000: Parish Registers of the Kirk Session Churches in Scotland.
Baptie 2001: Parish Registers in the Kirk Session Registers of the Church of Scotland.
NRS, OA and OFHS catalogues.
46 TRACE YOUR ORKNEY ANCESTORS
Appendix F
Census Substitutes (see also Chapter 7 and OFHS website members’ page)
Parish School Admission Communion Rolls Poor Relief Census Poor Cess Poll Rentals Other Lists Registers Church of Secession Tax post of Inhabitants 1874- Scotland Churches 1845- 1821 1801 1742 1690s 1614
TYOA Chapter 7.1 7.2 7.6 4 7.6 7.4.2 7.5 7.7
Published - - - OAFS - SRS Irvine (a)
OA OA OA OA 1999-02 1976 2003b
ms reference School CO5/ from OCR/KC/ OCR/FC/ CO6/ vols from OA (b) (c) (d) (e)
Birsay & Birsay 42/3,5 1904 5/4-6 1878-1969 4/9-11 1898-1957 /1 11 1845 - yes 46 1696 E
Marwick Hundland 56/4 1880
Deerness Deerness 48/4 1880 8/8-9,11 1906-1976 6/14,17 1875-1931 /13 17 1845 D16/1/7/2 yes 30 - E
Copinsay -
Eday & N Fara - - - /3 10 1845 - yes 2 1695 E E:1624 NLS 33.2.27f334
Fara (N) S End, S End - part 1689 D23/14/2
Evie & Costa 47/4,5 1876 10/9,10 1830-1930 8/5-7 1890-1931 /4 4 1882 - yes E:10 E:169? E: E*
Rendall Evie D1/622 1867 R:21 R:1693 R: E
Evie 50/6-9 1876
Rendall 61/6,7 1891
Firth & Firth 51/5-8 1875 F:11/7 1938-1943 10/13-15 1881-1945 F /5 2 1899 - F: - F:38 F:1695 E S: 1839,'50 NRS17/2
Stenness Stenness 69/6,8 1875 S: 25/45 1880-1931 S: 29/8,9 1894-1938 S /18 4 1881 S:yes S:31 S: - communicants
Harray Harray 88/5 1900 12/14,15 1836 11/6,7 1896-1945 (with Birsay) - yes 78 1694 E 1614 RH9/15/151: residents
12/4,5,16 1864-1990 11,29 1836 OCR12/15 communicants
Holm & Holm 98/5 1910 13/5 1946-1959 13/9,10 1867,73 /6 4 1862 - yes 54 169? B 1643 RH9/15/172 (f)
Paplay 13/11 1924-1944
14/9 1932-1944
Hoy & Graemsay 76/5 1981 31/7 H&G:1873-1890 - /7 2 1893 - yes G: 1 H only B G: 1840-90 D1/599: various
Graemsay Hoy - 31/6 G:1887-1944 H: 9 169?
Rackwick - 31/5 H:1895-1944
31/1 H&G:1944-1976
Kirkwall & Grammar 80/2-41 1874 14/46-48 1639-1654 15/11-13 1908-1923 /8 33 1865 - yes 20 1695 K: E 1668-79 OCR 14/91: poor
St.Ola Glaitness 97/1 1882 14/30-40 1831-1959 16/16 1911-1913 1697 St.O: 1737 SC11/5//21: heritors
Papdale 94/1 1971 14/107 1960-1969 16/17 1930-1946 1698 B/E 1741 SC11/5//3: poor
Scapa 80/30 1893 1826-41 OCR 14/71: poor
Scapa 64/3 1919
North N.R'say 78/3,4 1876 18/1 1865-1884 17/6 1847-1882 /2 4 1886 - - 1 169? E
Ronaldsay N.R'say 6/10 1922 18/6 1884-1931 17/7 1915-1931
Orphir Orphir 92/3,4 1974 16/6-9 1865-1941 - /10 6 1850 * yes 25 1695 B *: OCR/KC/16/13
Cava, Kirbuster - 16/14 1940-1964 Box1/5
Rousay & Egilsay 49/8 1917 19/5 1886-1930 21/4,5 1876-1918 /12 2 1921 Box2/19- yes R:29 169? E 1881-1903 CH3/1105/6:
Egilsay Frotoft 52/4 1874 19/9 1933-1936 22/5 1889-1906 /23 Adherents' Roll
Gairsay 53/2 1906 E: 34/4 1922-1988 E: 1
Sourin 66/6 1874
Wasbister 73/5 1874
Wyre 75/3 1897
St.Andrews St.Andrews 62/6-8 1877 20/5 1875-1925 23/6,7 1919-1949 /13 17 1845 D16/1/7/1 yes 22 - E 1689 D23/14/2
Tankerness 72/4-6 1896 20/6 1926-1949 Box1/4
Sanday Burness - 7/6 1943-1956 25/6,7 1909-1959 C&B /2 4 1886 - yes B:13 1696 E 1891,2 D34/P2/5,/6:
Cross - 15/10,11 1893-1933 C:16 Congregational Rolls
Sellibister - 15/12 1959-1997 L /9 4 1857 L:26
Sandwick Dounby 84/4 1877 22/2 1862-1873 26/13 1925-1935 /14 9 1845 D1/302 yes 111 1694 B 1643,4 RH9/15/171, /213 (g)
North 96/1 1925 22/10-12 1890-1935 Box1/8 1790 GD217/1163: Heritors
South 63/7 1935 22/14 1936-1942 1833 D3/357: Census
1854-1902 OCR22/13
Shapinsay North, South - 23/9-11 1871-1956 27/7 1918-1933 /15 2 1910 - yes 3 1695 B
S.Ronaldsay St.M.Hope 95/4-9 1876 21/2,3 1876-1884 SR:28/3,8,9 1843-1959 /16 55 1846 D1/236 yes SR: SR only SR: E 1584 TE5/348, (h): Rental
& Burray Tomison 83/3 1898 21/6,7 1876-1959 D34/ V/20 1863 Box3/32 154 1695 1875 OCR24/27:
Widewall 74/4-6 1877 24/19-23 1876-1959 B: 5/3 1887-1931 B: 1 B: E* Congregational Roll
Burray, Grimness - B:6/12 1933-1966 1904,09 OFHS: poor
Herston, Swona -
Stromness Infants - 26/23-28 1888-1950 30/12-16 1853-1950 /18 18 1859 D1/302 yes 64 1694 B 1813 GD217/1123: Heritors
Kirbuster - 23/29-30 1956-1970 31/8,9,11 1897-1962 Box1/7,/8
Stronsay South 110/3,4 1874 - - /19 24 1852 - yes 17 1695 E 1837 OFHS: poor
North, Central -
Walls & Brims 90/4,5 1877 28/3 1866-1883 - /20 3 1871 - yes W onlyW only B W: 1693 D5/33/4:
Flotta N Walls 89/4 1891 28/4 1879-1905 18 169? Account Book
S Fara 67/3 1887 28/6 1903-1912
S Walls 68/4 1934 28/9 1913-1976 F: 1833 O.Room: Census
Flotta - 28/10 1929-1963 E* F: 1924 D7/5/2: Inhabitants
Westray & E, Skelwick 106/1,2 1897 30/3 1909-1925 - W /21 20 1855 - yes W: 21 - E 1892 D34/P2/1:
Papa Pierowall 99/4-9 1873 30/4 1925-1951 PW /11 14 1891 PW:2 Congregational Roll
Westray W, Midbea 107/1,2 1891
Papa W -
Key: B: Bishoprik parish; E: Earldom parish; E*: Earldom parish, but Bishop superior of feu'd lands.(a) Bishopric: 1614, 1625, 1642 & 1739 in Peterkin 1820 ; 1660x75 in Johnston 1940 . (b) OA D13/5/1, copied OFHS 8A/0; most on OFHS website.(c) Number of parcels of land may be less in earlier lists (parcels being divided) and later lists (single entries for estates, some cess redeemed in 1799 & c1834).(d) NRS RH9/15/175; comprehensive abstracts in Irvine 2003b. (e) More than 130 survive - see Appendix Q.(f) NRS RH9/15/172/1: Rental; /2: List of armed men between 16 & 60.
(g) NRS RH9/15/171/1: Rental (abstract in OA D23/3); /2: List of armed men between 16 & 60; /213: List of armed men. (h) Maconochie 1836 .
TRACE YOUR ORKNEY ANCESTORS 47
Appendix G
Church Records (other than OPRs) Synod, Presbytery & Kirk Session Minutes, Accounts etc. (see Chapter 8.1)
(see also Appendices D & E for Registers of Baptisms, Banns, Marriages & Burials, and Appendix F for Communion Rolls)
Church of Scotland Secession Churches Episcopalian
Church
Pres- Church Records original vols m'f ilm vols Church Records original vols m'f ilm vols
bytery from mss (a) (c) copies (c) from mss (b) (c) copies (c)
OA NRS OA NRS OA
OCR/KC CH2/ OCR/FC/ CH3/ D45
Synod Orkney (d) 1704 /1 8 - 8 - -
Presbytery Cairston (C) 1725 /2 8 46 8 United Associate 1831 /1 15 250 15
North Isles (NI) (e) 1707 /3 12 1081 12 Free 1843 /2 9 1086 9
Kirkwall (K) 1639 /4 34 1082 31 United Secession, Caithness & O 1904 - 1402 1
Parish
Birsay C St.Magnus (f) 1747 /5 10 1083 8 Free Church, United Free 1875 /3 3 1087 3 -
1828 /4 13 1088 13
Deerness K St.Mary 1728 /8 13 1086 13 Free Church, United Free 1847 /6 18 1090 18 -
Eday NI 1821 /9 2 1087 2 United Seccesion, UP, UF 1839 /7 2 1091 2 -
Evie & Rendall K St.Mary 1725 /10 18 1088 11 Free Church, United Free 1843 /8 8 1092 8 -
R disjoined 1894 1895 /17 2 1094 2 United Free 1902 /20 2 1104 2
Firth & Stenness F C 1723 /11 18 1089 13 United Presbyterian, Paterson UF 1844 /9 4 1093 4 -
Free Church, St.Johns, Chalmers UF 1843 /10 17 1094 17
S (g) 1732 /25 6 1102 6 Free Church, UF 1844 /29 9 1113 9
Harray C St.Michael 1796 /12 16 1090 16 Free Church, UF 1843 /11 7 1095 7 Nisthouse
1904-
Holm K St.Nicholas (h) 1673 /13 5 1091 4 United Free 1913 /12 2 1098 2 Grameshall
Free Church, West UF 1866 /13 12 1096 11 1898-
Antiburgher, UP, East UF 1814 /14 10 1097 10
Hoy & Graemsay C 1889 /31 11 1381 10 -
Kirkwall & St.Ola K St.Magnus (j) 1626 /14 130 443 118 Antiburgher, East St. Paterson UP (q) 1797 /15 16 1099 16 St.Olaf
King St. Free Church, UF 1843 /16 19 1100 19 1871-
North Ronaldsay NI St.Ninian 1738 /18 10 1095 10 Free Church, UF 1844 /17 5 1101 7
Orphir C St.Nicholas (k) 1709 /16 17 1093 17 Free Church, UF 1844 /18 9 1102 7 -
Rousay & R NI 1733 /19 29 1096 17 United Secession, UP, Trumland UF 1837 /21 10 1105 9 -
Egilsay Free Church, Ritchie UF 1843 /22 6 1106 6
E United Free 1922 /34 4 -
St.Andrews K St.Andrew 1691 /20 6 1097 6 Free Church, UF 1843 /23 3 1107 3 -
Sanday C&B NI united 1942 (m) 1704 /7 9 1085 9 Free Church, West UF 1843 /24 3 1108 3 -
L united 1933 1698 /15 13 1092 11 United Presbyterian, East UF 1814 /25 12 1109 12
Sandwick C St.Peter's 1830 /22 21 1099 16 United Secession, UP, UF 1830 /26 14 1110 14 -
Shapinsay NI St.Mary 1645 /23 13 1100 13 United Associated, UF 1832 /27 7 1111 7 Balfour
1903-
S. Ronaldsay & SR K St.Marys q.s.(n) 1874 /21 10 1098 7 United Secession, UP (n) 1843 /28 16 1112 9 -
St.Peter's (p) 1735 /24 41 1101 26
Burray B St.Law rence 1904 /6 14 1084 12 United Presbyterian, United Free (n) 1855 /5 4 1089 4
Stromness C St.Peter's 1754 /26 38 1103 34 Antiburgher, UP, UF Victoria St. (r) 1809 /30 17 1114 8 St.Mary
joined V.St., 1950 Free Church, UF 1843 /31 12 1115 10 1885-
Stronsay NI St.Mary 1753 /27 4 1104 2 Antiburgher, UP, St.John's UF (s) 1800 /32 5 1116 5 St.Nicholas
-1950
Walls & Flotta W C St.Columba 1837 /28 23 1105 12 Free Church, St.John's UF 1876 /33 5 1117 5 Melsetter
F 1904 /29 8 1106 8 1900-
Westray & W NI St.Mary 1835 /30 11 1107 11 -
Papa Westray PW Free Church, UF 1843 /19 2 1103 2
Total volumes 498 414 276 252 Key:
(a) Most volumes formerly held as NRS CH2/46, /443, /1080-1107. (j) See also Peterkin 1820 App, 51-81; Craven 1912, 101-112.
(b) Most volumes formerly held as NRS CH3/250, /869, /1087-1117, /1402. (k) Notes on Kirk Session Minutes 1709-1819 in Johnston 1940, 98-130.
(c) Number of volumes includes Registers and Communion Rolls. (m) See also Goodfellow 1912.
(d) See also OA D34/P (1618-58 missing, but see Peterkin 1820). (n) See also Craven 1911, Picken 1972.
(e) See also Craven 1912, 101. (p) Notes on Kirk Session Minutes 1657-1669 in Craven 1911, 21-59.
(f) See also Goodfellow 1903; OFHS website members’ page, -1848 (q) See also Webster 1910.
(g) See also Leith 1956. (r) See also Firth 1906.
(h) Notes on Kirk Session Minutes 1673-1764 in Johnston 1940, 13-86. (s) See also Gibson 1991.
Other sources: Established Church see also NRS CH1.
Baptist Church see Harcus 1898; OA D1/233 (Burray, 1802-19).
Catholic Church see Gray 2000; Scoltandspeople M/1011 (Our Lady and St.Joseph’s, Kirkwall, baptisms 1860-1961)
Congregational Church see Goodfellow 1912 (Kirkwall), 1913 (Rendall).
Episcopalian Church see Craven 1912; NRS CH12; OA D45 (St.Olaf’s, Kirkwall, 1881-1950).
Quakers (Society of Friends) see Scottish Genealogist vii No.3, 1-10.
No Orkney material is indexed in NRS CH10 (Quakers), CH11 (Methodist), CH12 (United Free), CH14 (Congregational), CH15 (Unitarian),
CH16 (Free Church), or CH1/2/5, CH1/2/29-/36, CH17 or RH21 (Roman Catholic Church).
48 TRACE YOUR ORKNEY ANCESTORS
Appendix H
Court Records
(other than Deeds, Debt, Diligence and Bankruptcy Records, Services of Heirs, Testaments and Administrative items)
(see Chapter 8.2.1)
Court Transcripts and pp Act / Diet Books vols Registers / Decreets vols Processes boxes
Chronological Indexes vols. *: some copied in D17/6, D21/2/13, /14, D23/4
Admiralty NRS AD
Court of Session NRS CS
High Court of Judiciary 1488-1624 Pitcairn 1833 NRS JC
Teind Court NRS TE
Orkney all Decreets 1438-1610 Clouston 1914 71-186
Sheriff Court Book 1614-1615 Barclay 1967 1- 10 1614-1638 NRS SC10/1/5 1
- Bishopric " 1665-1672 OA SC11/9/6* 1
" , fragments 1675 OA D23/12/4
Sheriff Processes 1561-1970 OA d-base / typescript 14 1561-1970 OA SC11/5 367
- Stewartry Act Book (Country Acts) 1615-1644 Barry 1808 460-483 1615-1644 NRS SC10/1/2* 1
-Ordinary Court Book 1612-1613 Barclay 1962 17,30-93 1612-1613 NRS SC10/1/3* ) 1
" 1614-1615 Barclay 1967 11- 56 1615-1630 NRS SC10/1/3* )
" Orkney Witchcraft trials: 1630-1643 NRS SC10/1/6* 1
" 1594 Pitcairn 1833 375-377 1648 NRS SC10/1/6
" , incl. Decreets 1624-1643 Pitcairn 1837 133-185 1655-1659 NRS SC10/1/7* 1
" , fragments 1629 Dalyell 1834 33 1656 NRS SC10/1/8 1
" , incl. Decreets 1661-1665 NRS SC10/2/1* 1
" , incl. Decreets 1665, Nov NRS SC10/2/2 1
" , incl. Decreets 1677 NRS SC10/1/8
Register of Extract Decreets 1732-1748 (none) 1732-1748 OA SC11/9/1*
1784-1789 OA SC11/1/1
1789-1793 OA SC11/1/2
1797-1804 OA SC11/1/3
1804-1809 OA SC11/1/4 1801-1810 missing
1810-1815 OA SC11/1/5
1815-1821 OA SC11/1/6
1830-1834 OA SC11/9/2 rear 1821-1834 OA SC11/1/7 1830-1834 OA SC11/9/2
1834-1838 OA SC11/9/3 front 1834-1841 OA SC11/1/8 1834-1838 OA SC11/9/3
1838-1849 OA SC11/9/4 front 1841-1846 OA SC11/1/9 1838-1849 OA SC11/9/4
1849-1861 OA SC11/9/5 front 1846-1852 OA SC11/1/10 1849-1861 OA SC11/9/5
1852-1863 OA SC11/1/11
1863-1876 OA SC11/1/12
1867-1880 OA SC11/9/7 front 1876-1888 OA SC11/1/13 1867-1880 OA SC11/9/7
1880-1893 OA SC11/9/8 front 1888-1899 OA SC11/1/14 1880-1893 OA SC11/9/8
1893-1928 OA SC11/9/9 rear 1899-1917 OA SC11/1/15 1893-1928 OA SC11/9/9
1928-1948 OA SC11/9/10front 1917-1937 OA SC11/1/16 1928-1948 OA SC11/9/10
1948-1961 OA SC11/9/11front 1937-1949 OA SC11/1/17 1948-1961 OA SC11/9/11
- Criminal Reg., Bail bonds, Bonds of Caution 1764-1951 OA SC11/48 5
Precognitions (w itnesses' evidence) NRS Orkney Source List 1835-1873 NRS AD 14 21
Criminal Diet Books/ Indictments 1840-1931 OA SC11/43 5 1838-1955 OA SC11/46 1
Criminal & Quasi-Criminal Roll Book 1922-1952 OA SC11/44 3
Whippings 1889-1893 OA SC11/45 1
Juvenile Complaints Summary Court 1951-1970 OA SC11/47 19
- Civil litigants Registers of Ordinary Actions ("A") 1899-1921 OA SC11/3 4
Registers of Summary Actions ("B") 1922-1964 OA SC11/4 2
- Admiralty Diet Books/Processes c1606-1953 OA typescript 1 1815-1893 OA SC11/61 3 c1606-1853 OA SC 11/62 4
Writs 1675-1740 GD217/688-700 13
- Adoptions 1951-1970 OA SC 11/6 2
- Fatal Accident Inquiries 1895-date OA SC 11/7 5
- Fiars' Court Registers of Fiars' Prices 1784-1938 OA SC 11/20 5 1709-1938 OA SC 11/21 4
1793-1952 NRS TE25
- Freeholder Records of Proceedings ("Baron Rolls") 1734-1831 OA SC 11/59 4 1702-1802 OA SC 11/60/1
- Debts see Appendix K
- Entailed Estate Improvements 1848-1850 OA SC 11/64 1
- Poor Law Applications c1877-1900 OA SC 11/23 1
- Workmen's Compensation Special Register 1907-1958 OA SC11/27 1907-1927 OA SC 11/26 1
Memoranda of Ageement 1914-1926 OA SC 11/28 2
Baillie Evie, Harray, Sandwick, Stenness 1553-1610 Clouston 1914
S.Ronaldsay 1621, 1690 OA D23/3/7, /12/4
Deerness, Sandwick, Shapinsay, Stromness 1626-1635 NRS GD190/3/214
Deerness, St.Andrews, N.Isles 1629-1807 OA SC11/60/2
Shapinsay 1641 NRS RH9/15/63
St.Andrews 1665-1774 NRS RH11/62/1
Sandwick, Stromness 1669 NRS GD217/591
Deerness 1682-1713 OA D23/12/4, /5
Orphir c1698 NRS GD106/215
Deerness 1733 OA D1/490
Westray 1720-1742 OA D10/15
" 1742-1748 NRA(S) 2625
Stromness 1817-1863 OA S 2 1
Commissary Court 1648-1659 NRS CC17/1/1 1 1671-1745 GD217/752-885
1663-1668 NRS CC17/1/2 1 1766-1789 NRS CC17/6/1 1
1700 NRS GD217/815 1792-1800 NRS CC17/6/2 1
1801-1806 NRS CC17/12 1801-1806 NRS CC17/12/1 1 1801-1822 NRS CC17/6/3 1
Justices of Processes 1658-1659 OA JP 34/5/56
the Peace Quarter Sessions 1663-1677 OA JP 34/2/11
Processes 1716-1842 OA JP 34/5/1-55
Court Books 1806-1828 OA JP 34/4 4
Quarter Sessions 1831-1968 OA JP34/2/2-3
Commissions of the Peace 1811-1879 OA JP 34/1 14
Licensing Court 1845-1974 OA CO 12 6
Burgh Burgh Police 1867-1941 OA K 1/22 7
- Kirkwall Dean of Guild 1672-1703 OA K 1/25/1
Licensing Court 1828-1896 OA K 1/20 5
Dean of Guild 1899-1935 OA K 1/25/2-3
- Stromness Dean of Guild 1894-1962 OA S 18 3
JP & Sheriff Small Debt Circuit Court 1820-1868 OA S 16 8
Scottish Land Court 1900-1948 OA SC11/88 6 1881-1974 NRS LC23
TRACE YOUR ORKNEY ANCESTORS 49
Appendix J
Deeds (see Chapter 8.2.2)
1. Registered DeedsNB Dates are those when deed was registered, not of the original deed
Minute Books R e g i s t e r s W a r r a n t s gaps in Notes in OA D17/6
modern contemporary (volumes) Deeds (boxes) Protests (boxes) w arrants/
Ref. from to Ref. from to Ref. from to Ref. from to Ref. from to Register from to pp
(A) Edinburgh Court of Session (1501 - date)typescript 1510 1581 NRS CS 5-7 1501 1581
ms 1554 1590 NRS RD 1 1554 1657 634 vols
printed/typescript1611 1715 NRS RD 2-4 1661 1811 1085 vols
ms 1770 1811
1812 date NRS RD 5 1812 date 13000 vols
(B) Kirkwall Commissary Court (1611 - 1832)SH2 1612 1675 NRS CC17/ 5 /1 1611 1622 * NRS CC17/10/1A 1670
/2 1622 1632 * NRS GD217/752-885 16711698
/3 1632 1652 *
/4 1665 1673 NRS CC17/10/1 1787 1789 1674-
NRS CC17/11/1(5) 1792 1809 SH2 1697 1697 /2 1790 1793 -1787
NRS SC11/53/1(rear)1792 1809 /3 1799 1803
NRS CC17/12/1 1801 1806 NRS CC17/5/6 1805 1808 /4 1804 1805
CC17/5/5A 1804 1809 /5 1806 1809
/6 1815 1821
(C) Kirkwall Bishopric Sheriff Court (1611 - 1638; 1661 - 1689)missing 1611 1632
missing 1638 1662
missing 1665 1673
NRS SC10/ 3/1 1665 1674 * NRS SC10/4 various
missing 1666 1667
(D) Kirkwall Sheriff Court (1611 - date; Stewartry 1611-38, 1669-1747)typescript gap 1611 1618 1611-15
open OA SC11/50/1 1615 1643 OA SC11/54/1 1618 1700 1615-43 10- 14
shelves: /2 1647 1651 1647-56 15- 27
1651-55
/3 1655 1660 * 1656-60 109-112
/4 1661 1664 * 1658-63 55- 76
/5 1664 1667 * 1666-67 77- 90
/6 1667 1669 * 1667-69 129-135
/7 1669 1672 * 1669-72 136-147
/8 1675 1681 *gap 1701 1750 1701-07
OA SC11/53/1 1707 1809 /9 1707 1720 * 1707-20 168-183
(annotated each year w ith 1720-32
1732- missing w arrants and, ar rear, /10 1732 1738 * 1732-38 194-229
-1775 unregistered w arrants) /11 1738 1746 * 1732-48320-351/1
(1 vol) " 232-262
/12 1748 1751 *
/13 1751 1761 * /2 1751 1755 1751-61 264-281
/14 1761 1767 * /3 1756 1765 1761-67 352-375
/15 1767 1775 /4 1766 1774
/5 1775 1786
Reg. of Deeds & Probative WritsReg. of Protests on Bills /6 1787 1797 OA SC11/55 /1 1785 1809
missing 1805 1809 /7 1798 1804
1809- /2 1809 1912 OA SC11/51/1 1809 1814 OA SC11/52/1 1809 1826 /8 1804 1815 /2 1809 1824
-1953 /2 1814 1821 /9 1816 1823
(2 vols; /3 1821 1832 /2 1826 1832 /10 1823 1841 /3 1825 1839
of /4 1833 1839 /3 1832 1837
SC11/51) /5 1839 1848 /4 1837 1858 /11 1842 1879 /4 1840 1863
/6 1848 1863
/7 1863 1876 /5 1864 1901
/8 1876 1884 /12 1879 1891 (discontinued)
/9 1884 1890 /5 1858 1905
/10 1891 1894 /13 1892 1896
/11 1894 1899 /14 1897 1901
/12 1900 1906 /15 1902 1906
(Bills) /4 1911 1932 /13 1906 1912 /6 1906 1932 /16 1906 1918
(Writs) /3 1912 1965 /14 1912 1922 (discontinued)
/15 1922 1927 /17 1919 1925
/16 1927 1930 /18 1926 1930
/17 1930 1935 /19 1931 1936
/18 1935 1939 /20 1937 1941
/19 1939 1943 /21 1942 1946
/20 1949 1949 /22 1947 1951
/21 1949 1953 /23 1952 1955
/22 1953, May 201957 /24 1956 1958
/23 1957 1959 /25 1959 1960
/24 1959 1961 /26 1961 1962
/25 1961 1963 /27 1962 1964
/26 1963 1965 /28 1964 1965*: some copied in D17/6, D21/2/13, D23/4
2. Unregistered Deeds
Published Clouston 1914 1299-1614
Johnston 1907-13 1056-1634
Ballantyne & Smith 1999, 1994 1195-1579, 1580-1611
Unpublished NRS E108; GD1/192, 209, 212, 215, 303, 462; GD31, 41, 96, 106, 136, 217, 244, 263; RH4/35/388; 9/15; SC10/4
OA D1/2, 16,17,19,74,139,184,210,427,465, 600; D2, 3, 5, 8, 10, 13-21, 23, 24, 28, 29, 31, 34, 38 ,40, 46; SC11/86
50 TRACE YOUR ORKNEY ANCESTORS
Appendix K
Debt, Diligence and Bankruptcy Records (see Chapter 8.2.3)
Court Diligences Indexes Act/Diet Books Registers Notes Persons & Places vols from to ref vols
(A) Orkney - Small Debt Court RecordsSheriff Diet/Roll Books 1825-1964 OA SC11/31 14
" Circuit Court Book, Sanday 1832-1848 OA SC11/32 1
" " Stromness 1859-1918 OA SC11/33 1
" Reg's.of Poindings & Sales 1832-1890 OA SC11/34 3
(B) Orkney - Debt Recovery RecordsSheriff Diet Books 1867-1907 OA SC11/35 2
" Circuit Court Diet Books 1888-1907 OA SC11/36 1
(C) Orkney - Particular Registers of Diligences Minutes
Bishopric Hornings & Inhibitions 1665 missing
" 1665 1675 NAS DI 85/10A ff17, damaged
" 1675 1690 missing
Commissary Diligences 1696 1760 NAS GD217/686-820 warrants
Sheriff Hornings & Inhibitions 1610 1613 NAS DI 85/1* Hj also
" 1613 1623 NAS DI 85/2
" 1623 1627 NAS DI 85/4 diff. to read
" 1627 1629 missing
" 1629 1636 NAS DI 85/5 remittible diff. to read
" 1636 1642 NAS DI 85/6 diff. to read
" 1642 1646 missing
" 1646 1658 NAS DI 85/7
" 1656 1658 NAS DI 85/3 Hj 1615-1629 diff. to read
" 1658 1661 missing
" 1661 1663 NAS DI 85/8
" 1663 1666 NAS DI 85/9
" 1666 1669 NAS DI 85/10
" 1669 1675 missing
" 1675 1680 NAS DI 85/11
" 1680 1693 NAS DI 85/12
" 1694 1706 NAS DI 85/13
" 1706 1727 NAS DI 85/14
" 1727 1752 NAS DI 85/15
" 1752 1793 NAS DI 85/16
" 1793 1796 NAS DI 85/17
" 1796 1804 NAS DI 85/18
" 1804 1819 NAS DI 85/19
" 1819-1869 OA SC 11/57/1 1 1819 1838 NAS DI 85/20
" 1819-1869 NAS DI 87/1 (copy) 1 1838 1859 NAS DI 85/21
" 1860 1869 NAS DI 85/22
" Hornings & expired charges 1869-1898 OA SC 11/57/2 (2 copies)1869 1949 OA SC 11/56/1
(D) Scotland - General Registers of DiligencesSession Hornings 1582-1612 NAS GD149/268 1597 1610 NAS DI 3
" 1652-1658 NAS DI 10/1 1610 1902 NAS DI 1 1284
" 1661-1905 NAS DI 2 160
" Inhibitions 1781-1924 NAS ms & printed1652-1868 NAS DI 10 59 1602 1924 NAS DI 3 - 8 798
" Inhibitions & Adjudications 1881-1951 NAS ms 1869-date NAS DI 11 177 1925 date NAS DI 9 1742
" Apprisings 1881-date NAS typescript 1636 1641 NAS DI 13 7
" Apprisings & Adjudications 1781-1868 NAS ms 1652-1868 NAS DI 15 80 1641 1924 NAS DI 14 414 excl. 1649-50, 1660
(E) Orkney - Bankruptcy RecordsSheriff Register of Seqestrations 1840 1909 OA SC 11/12 1
" Register of Seqestrations for Rent 1867 1905 OA SC 11/13 1
" Registers of Sequestered & Poinded Effects 1870 1932 OA SC 11/14 5
" Reports of Poinding & Sale 1885 1937 OA SC 11/15 1
" Registers of Consignations 1894 1946 OA SC 11/16 3
*: some of DI 85/1-/18 copied in D21/2/13
TRACE YOUR ORKNEY ANCESTORS 51
Appendix L
Estate Records (see Chapter 8.3)
Estate Parish/ Tacksmen/ References Remarks Publications
Island Lairds NRS OA Other
Earldom (a1544) Sinclair Thomson 1996, 2001
" (1563-1614) Stewart Anderson 1982, 1992
" (1643-1766) Morton GD150,GD173D38 NLS MS31.2.9OA D38 formerly NAS GD150, most mss. still so marked
Bishopric (a1775) various E41, E341 many rentals Peterkin 1820
Earldom/Bishopric (p1766) Dundas CR4 D7, D13 NYCRO/ZNKa many rentals
Balfour & Trenabie Shapinsay Balfour D2, D1/166, D34/D Fereday 1990
Bellenden NLS MS22.3.14, NRA(S1100
Binscarth Firth Scarth/Macrae GD1/878
Braehead S.Ronaldsay Laughton GD1/460
Breckness & Skaill Stromness/ Graham/Watt/ GD217 D3 SH, SHB SH c/o Major M Macrae, Irvine 2009
Sandwick Scarth/Macrae D34/T Binscarth, KW17 2JZ
Brough Westray Stewart GD244 D34/B,D1/388,SC11/86/6,/7
Cairston Stromness Gordon SC11/86
Clestrain Stronsay Fea GD31 D13/6/20 Fea 1976
Coubister Orphir Johnston D15
Elsness Sanday Traills of Rattar GD247 D14 Marwick 1936, 1939
Graemshall Holm Sutherland-Graeme GD1/642 D5, D34/ V D5 is currently closed Sutherland-Graeme 1936
SC11/74, D1/109, /617 Schrank 1995; Wenham 2001
Clestrain & Graemsay Orphir Stewart/Honyman D1/214
Holland P.Westray Traill D34/ V/9 Rendall 2002
Langskaill Gairsay (Beil) GD6
Masseter S.Ronaldsay Stewart GD 195 Clapperton-Steuart 1913
Melsetter Walls Moodie/M-Heddle GD263 D34/A,SC11/75,D1/502,1/660,1/839 Fereday 1980
Methven (Graemshall) Smythe GD190
Nisthouse & Holodyke Harray Clouston D40
Roeberry S.Ronaldsay Gray D33
Sabay St.Andrews Irving/Sinclair/Baikie SC11/86
Stove Sanday Fea D1/616 Hewison 1997
Swanbister Orphir Irvine-Fortescue D1/627, D1/788
Tankerness St.Andrews Baikie D24, D28 Marwick 1957; Wilson 2003
Trumland Rousay Grant GD1/45 D19 Thomson 1981, 2000
Woodwick Evie Murray/McLelland/Traill GD263/57 D34/E
________________________________________________________________________________
Appendix M
Local Antiquaries’ Bequests (see Chapter 8.4)
Donor Lived of References Remarks Publications
NRS OA Other
Clouston, J Storer, laird 1870- 1944 Smoogro, Orphir D23; SC11/86 Notebooks D23/1 - /13 1914; 1927; 1932; many articles in
particularly interesting antiquarian society journals
Craven, Rev. James B 1850- 1924 Kirkwall GD106 1893-1901; 1911; 1912
Cursiter, Maj. James, merchant - 1939 Kirkwall D29/4/11 Huntarian Museum, Univ. of Glasgow 1894
Dennison, Walter Traill, laird 1825- 1894 West Brough, Sanday D14; D1/277 1880
Fereday, Ray, teacher 1931- Plymouth D36 1980; 1990
Firth, W D fl.1906 Stromness GD1/216 1906
Heddle, Joan c1900- 1988 Brighton GD263 D1/34 (copy) -
Isbister, Wilfred Bigswell, Stenness GD1/215 -
Johnston, Alfred W 1859- 1947 London GD1/209, 1/303; RH13/34 D21 1907-13; 1908-42; 1907-46; 1940
Johnston, T Hutton 1830-a1910 Birsay/Edinburgh D21/9- /14 -
Halcro-Johnston, J, laird Orphir D15 -
Leask, J Henry, laird 1809- 1892 Boardhouse GD1/192 D17, D1/182 -
Mackenzie, James, NP c1810-p1750 Kirkwall/Edinburgh D8/5 1750
Marwick, Earnest W, journalist 1915- 1977 Rendall D31 1975; Robertson 1991
Marwick, Hugh, teacher 1881- 1965 Rousay/Kirkwall GD1/236 D29, D1/276 1929; 1936-39; 1952
Nicholson, Robert, Jnr, Sh. Sub 1765- 1842 Kirkwall D1/180 (copy) NLS 34.2.18 untrustworthy
Peterkin, Alexander, Sh. Sub. 1780- 1846 Kirkwall D1/15 1820, 1822
Petrie, George, Sheriff Clerk 1818- 1875 Kirkwall D1/301; D21/2/3, /8; Society of Antiquaries of ScotlandWatters 1995 (copy in OA D1/291)
Reid, George, teacher 1864- 1940 Kirkwall D20 -
Scarth, Robert, factor 1799- 1879 Binscarth, Firth GD1/878 D34/Q -
Spence, William, chemist c1880-c1950 Kirkwall D16 -
St.Clair, Roland, accountant 1862- 1923 Auckland, NZ GD1/460/38 D31/14-/19a 1898
Thoms, GHM, Sheriff 1831- 1903 GD1/212 SC11/79 (copy) many papers reallocated -
52 TRACE YOUR ORKNEY ANCESTORS
Appendix N
Monumental Inscriptions on Gravestones (see Chapter 5.2; for Burial Registers see Appendix E)
Parish Graveyard Legible stones Most comprehensive listing War Additional listings OFHSno. from to location/reference plan index remarks author Graves
Birsay St.Magnus (Palace) 483 1790 date in church yes yes B.Harvey 6 T
New 553 T
Deerness St.Marys, Skaill old 656 1834 2003 OA volumes (2) OFHS OFHS L.Foubister 1 A
St.Ninians new OA volumes (1) OFHS OFHS L.Foubister T
Eday & Pharay St.Mary's old & new 509 1600 date OA Box 3/39 yes no names only,no dates 1 3 in (a) A
Evie & Rendall Old, Shore Rd., Evie 892 1772 1994 OFHS Ref.34/1 yes OFHS photos L.Chalmers 1 15 in (u); 237 in (v); (x) T
New, Evie
Hinderayre, Rendall old & new 271 1819 date OA volume yes no photos OIC SpProject - T
Firth & Stenness Firth, Finstown old & new 638 1795 2001 OFHS OFHS 1 A
Stenness old 336 1792 1889 OA Box 2/18 yes yes abbreviated 2 A
new 124 A
Harray St.Michaels old ) 688 1804 1885 (r); D1/244 no no J.Firth - 65, 37 in (b)* A
new ) 1888 - 1833-53 burials on OFHS website A
extended 1939 date 6 A
Holm St.Nicholas 696 1617 2000 OA volume OFHS OFHS L.Foubister 4 5 in (a) A
Hoy & Graemsay St.Nicholas (North) 140 1625 date OA GRS volume yes no photos M.Watters 1 2 in (a) T
Graemsay 44 1807 2004 Published, with Supp. yes yes Stromness 1 P
Kirkwall & St.Ola St.Magnus Cathedral 83 OA GRS volumes (7) no OA sketches S.Tarlow - 52 in (a); 62 in (c); c40 in (d);
1391791-1824 POAS vi, 36 yes no also in OA D66/1/10-/12;
St.Magnus Graveyard 5888 OA D66/1/10 (6) yes OA volume (e) A.Thomson - see (f); 227 in (g)*; 1537 in (h) W
St.Olaf Graveyard, old 2297 1913 in progress OFHS 63 see (h) A
St.Olaf Graveyard, new 740 date W
North Ronaldsay Old 411 1800 1983 D1/202 yes yes D.M.Eaton 1 (1983); 17 in (r)* A
Orphir St.Nicholas 647 1642 1997 OA Volume, OHS; OFHS 1865-1897 3 1 in (a); OA D1/886 T
Rousay & Egilsay Brinian 112 1920 1981 OA Box 2/22 yes no 1 also in (i)*; 2 in (a); some in (j) T
Corse, Wasbister 96 1827 date OA Box 2/19 yes no - also in (i)*; 2 in (a); some in (j) T
Scockness 68 1846 1938 OA Box 2/23 yes no 1 also in (i)*; 2 in (a); some in (j) T
St.Marys, Skaill, Westside 90 1825 1927 OA GRS volume no OA S.Tarlow 1 also in (i)*; 77 in (k) T
Chepple, Glebe, Knarston 30 1840 1943 OA Box 2/20 yes no - also in (i)* T
Egilsay, St.Magnus 76 1848 1977 OA Box 2/24 yes no - also in (i)*; 71 in (l) T
Wyre, St.Magnus 58 1861 date www.Genuki.OKI.Rousay no no R.Marwick - T
St.Andrews Tankerness Hall, old 296 1689 1950 OA GRS volume no OA S.Tarlow - A
Toab, new 259 1913 2001 OA volume no no L.Foubister 2 A
Sanday Lady 472 1738 date D1/842/1 T.Garrioch - some in (q) A
Cross 359 1802 date D1/842/2 T.Garrioch 1 " A
Burness, St.Colomba 463 1716 date D1/842/3 T.Garrioch 2 " A
Sandwick St.Peter's old 332 1623 1990 OA D1/201/1, /2 OFHS D201/4 photos OIC SpProject 1 1 in (a)* A
west 315 1926 date OFHS OFHS J.Irvine 3 A
east 5 2002 date OFHS OFHS J.Irvine - A
Shapinsay Lady Kirk (South) 704 c1640 date OA D1/90/1 yes yes S.Comm.Co 1 53 in (m)* A
South Ronaldsay St.Peters (North) 925 1634 date OA GRS volume no OFHS K.Hogarth 7 5 in (a); S.Ronaldsay burials A
St.Mary's (South) old 189 1554 date OFHS yes H.Manson 1891-1927 on OFHS A
new 95 1901 1996 OFHS yes H.Manson website A
Flaws (South) OFHS H.Manson A
& Burray St.Lawrence, Burray 388 1554 1850 OFHS yes yes F.McNab 3 2 in (a), 27 in (s)*, some in (t) A
Stromness St.Peters ("A")old 603 1727 1995 Published yes yes Stromness - D1/746: indexes to P
("B") centre 231 1884 1999 " , with Supp. yes yes Parish - places & subjects P
("C") west 752 1915 1998 " " yes yes Church 4 P
Stronsay St.Nicholas 76 1836 1937 OFHS Ref. 5 yes yes (z) C.Work&RF 2 15 in (p)* T
Lady (Bay) 466 1998 date OFHS Ref. 5 yes yes (z) C.Work&RF - " T
St.Peters 65 1825 date OFHS Ref. 5 yes yes (z) C.Work&RF - " T
Walls & Flotta St.John's, Melsetter 129 1885 date OA GRS volume yes OFHS photos M.Watters - 15 in (n)* T
Osmundwall, Longhope 330 1724 date OA GRS volumes (3) yes OFHS photos M.Watters 45 T
Flotta 267 1806 1992 OA GRS volumes (2) yes OFHS photos M.Watters 10 T
St.Johns, Lyness 680 1914 1946 OA shelves yes yes CWGC 680
Westray & Ladykirk,Westside 1066 1676 date OA GRS volumes (4) no OA S.Tarlow 4 A
Rapness 49 A
Papa Westray St.Boniface, PW 316 1799 1992 OA GRS volume no OA S.Tarlow 1 33 in (o)* W
Total 26597
OA Box Orkney Archives, Box (on open shelves) OFHS: A: published, available
OA D Orkney Archives, Gifts and Deposits (on request) P: published elsewhere
OA GRS Orkney Archives, Graveyard Recording Sheets (in volumes on open shelves) T: transcribed
OA Volume Orkney Archives, Volume (on open shelves) W: work in progress
Stromness Stromness Parish Church, 1999: "The Kirkyards of Stromness & Graemsay"; 2004 Supplement.
War Graves Commonwealth War Graves Commission, 2000: "The War Dead of the Commonwealth: The Orkney Isles" (copy in St.Magnus Cathedral)
*: Copy held by SGS, Edinburgh
(a) Historic Monuments (Scotland) Commission, Orkney & Shetland Vol. II, 1946 (m) OA D1/90/2 (by local SWRI)
(b) OA Box 3/37 (D1/244, by J.Firth) (n) OA Box 3/27(D1/176/2, by N.Hendry)
(c) Johnston, Liz, 1994: "St.Magnus Cathedral Gravestones" (o) OA Box 3/35 (+ plan & index, by SWRI)
(d) OA D16/1/11/4 (by W.Spence) (p) OA Box 3/26 (D1/176/1), by N.Hendry
(e) copy of D66/1/9, which also copied as D1/251/2 (q) Goodfellow, Rev. Alec, 1912: "Sanday Church History", pp221-282
(f) in 12 sections (plan D66/1/11); in 6 notebooks; further notes in D66/1/12 (r) Mitchell, A, n.d.: "Burial Grounds in Scotland": 437 graves recorded
(g) OA Box 3/28 (D1/176/2, by N.Hendry; Section I only) (s) OA Box 2/17 (by local SWRI)
(h) Tarlow, Sarah, 1995: "Metaphors of Death in Orkney, 1560-1945" (t) Laird, Mrs S, 1994: notes in OA D1/275
(I) www.Genuki.OKI.Rousay (by R.Marwick) (u0 OA D31/1/1/4, c.1960
(j) OA D1/619 (by T.Gibson) (v) OA Sp.Project GRS volumes (2), with photos, no plan, no index
(k) OA Box 2/21 (+ plan) (x) OA D1/455 (c/o Mrs Gunn)
(l) OA Box 3/40 (+ plan)(by Linklater) (z) Photos c/o Orkney Photographic Archive
TRACE YOUR ORKNEY ANCESTORS 53
Appendix O
Summary of Newspapers, Periodicals and Directories (see Chapter 8.8)
Newspapers (weekly):
Orkney and Zetland Chronicle 1824-1826
John o’Groats Journal 1836-date
Orkney and Shetland Journal 1838-1839
Northern Ensign 1850-1922 The Orcadian 1854-date (monthly 1854-57)
The Orkney Herald 1860-1961
Saturday Herald 1871-1874
The Northman 1875-1895
The Orkney and Shetland Telegraph and Farmers’
Journal for Orkney & Shetland 1878-85
Stromness News 1884
The Orkney and Shetland American 1887-1895
The Outpost 191?
The Concentrator 191?
The Orkney Blast 1941-1944
Orkney Today 2003-2010
Trade Directories and Almanacs:
Oliver and Boyd’s Edinburgh Almanack and Scots
Register 1693-date
Pigott & Co.’s National Commercial Directory for
Scotland 1820, 1825/6, 1826/7, 1837
Slater's (later Kelly's) Royal National Commercial
Directory 1852-1928
Peace’s Orkney Almanac and County Directory
1867, 1868, 1872-1916, 1920-1940
Anderson’s Guide to the Highlands and Islands of Scotland 1832, 1847, 1850, 1863, n.d.
Anderson’s Orkney and Shetland Guide, Directory
and Almanac 1876, 1882, 1893, 1912
Baddeley’s Tourist Guide to Orkney and Shetland
1883, 1890, 1900, 1905, 1908
Periodicals and Antiquarian Society Journals:
Living Orkney (monthly) Dec. 2005-date
Orkney Temperance Society
Quarterly 1900-p1902
Orkney Antiquarian Society:
Proceedings ("POAS") i-xv 1922-1939
Orkney Agricultural Discussion Society: Proceedings ("OADS") i-xiv 1925-1939
Orkney Antiquarian and Record Society:
Orkney Miscellany ("OM") i-v 1953-1958, 1973
Orkney Heritage Society:
Orkney Heritage ("OH") i-iii 1981-1983
Newsletter 1986-date (annual)
New Orkney Antiquarian Journal (“NOAJ”) 1999-date
Orkney Vintage Club:
Newsletter 1982-date (annual)
The Orkney View 1985-2002 (bi-monthly) (index in ORm)
Westray Roots 1987-date (quarterly)
Orkney Family History Society: Sib Folk News ("SFN") 1997-date (quarterly)
Scottish Genealogical Society (“SGS”)
The Scottish Genealogist 1954-date (quarterly)
Scottish History Society ("SHS") 1886-date Scottish Record Society ("SRS") 1887-date
Scottish Historical Review ("SHR") 1903-date
Society of Antiquaries of Scotland:
Proceedings ("PSAS") 1780-date
http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/psas Viking Club/Society for Northern Research:
Saga Book 1895-date
Old Lore Records ("OLR") i-iii 1907-1923
Old Lore Miscellany ("OLM") i-x 1907-1946
Viking Congress 1950, 53, and ev. 4 years thereafter______________________________________________________________________
Appendix P
Poll Tax of 1693 - Scope of Parish Returns (see Chapter 7.4)
Parish House- Wives Children Other Servants Paupers Propr- Town- Dwell- Occup- Free Annual Servant
holders <16 > 16 relatives ietors ships ings ations stock rents fees
Birsay yes no. only - sex only yes no. only some - yes some yes - yes -
Eday some yes b - yes b - yes b - (yes) - - - - - -
Evie yes yes - yes yes yes - yes yes - few - - -
Firth [incl. Damsay] yes yes - yes yes yes - yes yes yes yes - yes yes
Harray yes no. only - sex only some - - yes - - yes - - -
Holm [& Paplay] yes no. only - - yes few - yes - few yes - yes -
Hoy yes no. only - sex only yes no. only - - yes few yes - yes -
Kirkwall yes no. only - sex only some no. only - - - - few - - -
N.Ronaldsay yes yes b some? yes b - yes b - - - yes yes - - -
Orphir [incl. Cava] yes no. only - sex only yes sex only - yes yes - few - few -
Rendall yes yes - yes yes yes - yes - few few - - -
Rousay [& Egilsay] yes no. only - sex only yes sex only - yes yes yes few - - -
St.Ola yes yes some? yes yes yes - yes - yes some - yes yes
Sanday, Burness yes no. only - sex only some sex only - - yes yes yes - yes -
Sanday, Cross yes no. only - sex only some sex only - few - yes yes - yes -
Sanday, Lady yes no. only - sex only - sex only - - some yes yes few yes -
Sandwick yes no. only - sex only yes sex only - yes yes - yes - few -
Shapinsay yes yes b - yes b - yes b - yes - yes yes - yes -
Stromness yes no. only - sex only yes sex only some yes yes - yes few - -
Stronsay yes a no. only - no. only some yes - yes - few yes - few -
S.Ronaldsay yes a yes some yes yes yes - - yes few yes yes - yes
Walls yes no. only - sex only yes no. only - - - - yes some yes -
No returns for the parishes of St.Andrews & Deerness, Stenness or Westray & Papa Westray, a: some signatures included
nor the islands of Burray, Flotta, Gairsay, Graemsay, N. Fara, Papa Stronsay, S. Fara or Wyre. b: relationships not given
54 TRACE YOUR ORKNEY ANCESTORS
Appendix Q
Rentals of Bishopric & Earldom (see Chapter 7.7)
(NRS: CR, E, DI, GD, RH, SC10; OA: D, SC11; Private: SH, SHB)
Year Register Scope Original Copies
1263? Auld King's Rental ? missing -
1492 Lord Sinclair's Rental 8 E'dom parishes + most B'ric; few udal missing D8/5; D2/7; GD1/236/1; Thomson 1996
1500-04Lord Sinclair's Rental E'dom less Shapinsay; no B'ric; few udal NRS E108/3 Peterk in 1820, i
1564 Rental Birsay only NRA(S)1100/1612 -
1584 Provestrie of Orkney Rental S.Ronaldsay & Burray only NRS TE5/348 Maconochie 1836
1595 Rental as 1500-4, + Shapinsay + Bishopric NRS E41/1, /2* SC11/65/1; GD1/878/3; "1598": D8/17; D13/1/6; Peterk in 1820 , ii-i
1612 (Tackman Compt Book) All parishes NRS E41/3 -
1613 (Rental Summary) Some parishes NRS E41/4 Peterk in 1820 App. xii, 92 (Sandwick only)
B i s h o p r i c E a r l d o m (Holm, Hoy, Orphir, St.Ola, Sandwick, Shapinsay, Stromness & Walls) (other parishes)
Year Rentals Supporting documents Rentals Supporting documents Year
(Crop) *: incl. payments (Crop)
1614 ????; Peterk in 1820 ii-ii,116 E41/5 1614
1615 E108/10; Peterk in 1820 iv-ii 1615
1616 GD217/1096; Peterk in 1820 iv-iii 1616
1617 E108/11; Peterk in 1820 ii,150 1617
1618 1618
1619 1619
1620 1620
1621 1621
1622 1622
1623 1623
1624 1624
1625 D5/33/6; SH3; Peterk in 1820 v 1625
1626 1626
1627 GD190/3/219 Sandwick 1633-1638 1627
1628 GD190/3/220 Hoy&Phar'y1622-1638 1628
1629 GD190/3/221 Stromness 1622-1636 1629
1630 NLS 33.2.27 Eday 1624 1630
1631 GD190/3/222 Sandwick 1629-1638 E41/4 1631
1632 GD190/3/223 Orphir 1628-1634 E41/4 1632
1633 GD190/3/224 St.Ola 1632-1637 1633
1634 GD190/3/225 Walls 1632-1634 1634
1635 GD190/3/226 Shapinsay 1635-1637 1635
1636 GD190/3/227 Hurtesso (Holm) 1627,'44 E41/8 1636
1637 GD190/3/228 Holm&Paplay 1635 E41/8 1637
1638 E41/8 1638
1639 E41/8, /4 1639
1640 E41/8, /4 1640
1641 E41/8 1641
1642 E108/21; Peterk in iv E41/8 1642
1643 D13/140* E41/8 1643
1644 E41/8 1644
1645 E41/8 1645
1646 E41/8 1646
1647 E41/8 1647
1648 E41/8 1648
1649 E41/8 1649
1650 E41/8 1650
1651 E41/8 D38/2010A (Birsay) 1651
1652 E41/8 1652
1653 E41/8; D38/2017A 1653
1654 D5/33/1/1*, /2* E41/8 1654
1655 E41/8 1655
1656 E41/8 1656
1657 E41/8 1657
1658 E41/8 1658
1659 D5/33/2* E41/8; D2/8/26 1659
1660 D5/33/3*(part) E41/8 1660
1661 GD103/2/8(1666x75); Johnston 1940 E41/8 1661
1662 E41/8 1662
1663 E41/8 1663
1664 E41/8 1664
1665 E41/8 1665
1666 E41/8; D2/48/1 1666
1667 E41/8; D2/17/13 1667
1668 D2/48/48/4 1668
1669 D2/48/48/4; /24/2; D2/50/1 1669
1670 D2/48/48/4; D2/40/10 1670
1671 D2/48/48/4 1671
1672 D2/48/48/4; D23/8/20 (c'73) 1672
1673 D2/48/48/4; D2/50/2 1673
1674 D2/48/48/4; D2/50/3 1674
1675 D38/2015A/54* D2/48/48/4 1675
1676 D2/48/48/4 1676
1677 D2/48/48/4 1677
1678 D2/48/48/4; D2/50/3 1678
1679 D2/48/48/4 1679
TRACE YOUR ORKNEY ANCESTORS 55
Appendix Q (continued)
Rentals of Bishopric & Earldom
B i s h o p r i c E a r l d o m (Holm, Hoy, Orphir, St.Ola, Sandwick, Shapinsay, Stromness & Walls) (other parishes)
Year Rentals Supporting documents Rentals Supporting documents Year
(Crop) *: incl. payments (Crop)
1680 D2/48/48/4; D2/50/4 1680
1681 D2/48/48/4 1681
1682 D2/48/48/4 1682
1683 D2/48/48/4; D2/50/5 1683
1684 D2/48/48/4 1684
1685 D2/48/48/4 1685
1686 D2/48/24/4; D2/50/6 1686
1687 D2/50/7 1687
1688 1688
1689 E41/20; D38/2021/1 1689
1690 E41/20 1690
1691 E41/20 1691
1692 1692
1693 1693
1694 1694
1695 1695
1696 E55/17* D2/40/11; D38/2021/2, /3 D38/2015A/49-51 (N.Isles) 1696
1697 D38/2021* D38/2021/10 1697
1698 D38/2021/12 1698
1699 1699
1700 D38/2015A/36A 1700
1701 E55/19 D38/2015A/37; DI 85/13/113 1701
1702 D38/2015A 1702
1703 D2/50/8 1703
1704 D2/50/8 1704
1705 D2/50/8; D8/5,235; Hossack 1900 , 89 1705
1706 1706
1707 D2/40/11 1707
1708 1708
1709 D2/48/24 1709
1710 1710
1711 1711
1712 1712
1713 1713
1714 D5/5/1 1714
1715 E202/14/1 1715
1716 E202/14/1 1716
1717 E341/52* 1717
1718 E341/53 D1/582 1718
1719 E341/54; SH4*(C18 copy) D38/2015A/52 D1/582 1719
1720 E341/55 1720
1721 E341/56 D38/2015A/53 1721
1722 E341/57 E202/14/2 1722
1723 SH5* E202/14/2 1723
1724 D13/1/8 1724
1725 E341/58 E202/14/3; D2/48/24/5; RD8/17 D38/2016 1725
1726 E341/59 E202/14/3 D38/2016 1726
1727 E341/60; D33/5 E202/14/3,/4; D8/5, 234 ???? (Marwick 1939 , 25) D38/2016; D13/5/20 (Westray) 1727
1728 E202/14/4; D2/40/14 D38/2016 1728
1729 E341/61 E202/14/4; D2/40/14 1729
1730 E202/14/4; D2/50/14,/12 1730
1731 E202/14/4,/5; D2/40/14 1731
1732 E202/14/4,/5 1732
1733 E202/14/4,/5 1733
1734 E202/14/4,/5 1734
1735 E202/14/4,/5 D38/2016 1735
1736 E202/14/5; D38/2010A D38/2016 1736
1737 E202/14/5; D38/2010A 1737
1738 E202/14/5; D38/2010A D38/2016 1738
1739 ????; Peterk in 1820 vi,1 E202/14/5; D38/2010A D38/2016 1739
1740 E202/14/5; D38/2010A;2017A/55 GD103/2/9; D1/279 1740
1741 E202/14/5; D38/2010A D38/2017A/56 1741
1742 E202/14/6; D38/2010A; D2021/13 1742
1743 E202/14/6; D2021/13 1743
1744 E202/14/6; D2021/13 E341/62 1744
1745 E202/14/6; D2021/13 E341/62 1745
1746 D13/127 E202/14/6; D16/2/7; D2021/13 E341/62 1746
1747 E202/14/7; D38/2010A; D2021/13 D38/2016 1747
1748 E202/14/7; D38/2010A D38/2023/8; RH9/15/177 1748
1749 E202/14/7; D38/2010A D38/2016 1749
1750 E202/14/7; D38/2010A D38/2016 1750
1751 E202/14/7; D38/2010A D38/2016 1751
1752 E202/14/7; D38/2010A D38/2016 D38/2016 1752
1753 E202/14/7; D38/2010A D38/2016 D38/2016 1753
1754 E202/14/8; D38/2010 D38/2016 D38/2016 1754
1755 E342/14/8; E341/13/1; D38/2010 D38/2016; E341/13/1 1755
1756 E202/14/8; D38/2010 D38/2016 1756
1757 E202/14/8; D38/2010 D38/2016 1757
1758 E202/14/8; D38/2010 D38/2016 1758
1759 E202/14/8; D38/2010 D38/2016 1759
56 TRACE YOUR ORKNEY ANCESTORS
Appendix Q (continued)
Rentals of Bishopric & Earldom
B i s h o p r i c E a r l d o m (Holm, Hoy, Orphir, St.Ola, Sandwick, Shapinsay, Stromness & Walls) (other parishes)
Year Rentals Supporting documents Rentals Supporting documents Year
(Crop) *: incl. payments (Crop)
1760 E202/14/9 D38/2016 1760
1761 E202/14/9 D38/2016 1761
1762 E202/14/9 D38/2016 1762
1763 E202/14/9 1763
1764 D1/30/3* E202/14/9 D1/30/4 1764
1765 E202/14/9; SHB3/01/24 1765
1766 E202/14/9 D13Addl.23; D13/5/20 1766
1767 E202/14/9 D38/2016 1767
1768 E202/14/10 1768
1769 E202/14/10 1769
1770 E202/14/10 D13/27 (Burray) 1770
1771 E202/14/10 1771
1772 D2/10* E202/14/11 1772
1773 E202/14/12 1773
1774 E202/14/12 D13/2 1774
1775 D13/126 D13/2 1775
1776 D13/ 86* D13/52 D13/2 1776
1777 D13/108 D13/52 D13/2 1777
1778 D13/114 D13/52 1778
1779 D13/125 D13/52 D13/11 (Birsay & Harray) D13/3; D13/124 (St.O, S.Ron., D'ness) (-1803) 1779
1780 D13/ 82* D13/52 D13/133 D13/3 1780
1781 D13/131 D13/52, /36 D13/3 1781
1782 D13/112 D13/52, /36 D13/13 (Birsay & Harray) D13/3; /25(Flotta); /27(Burray) 1782
1783 D13/113 D13/52, /36, /37 D13/14 (Birsay & Harray) D13/3, /5, /8; /25(Flotta); /26(S.Ron); /27(Burray) 1783
1784 D13/ 89* D13/52, /37 D13/15 (Birsay & Harray) D13/3, /5, /8; /25(Flotta); /26(S.Ron); /27(Burray) 1784
1785 D13/ 93* D13/52, /37 D13/15 (Birsay & Harray) D13/3, /5, /8; /25(Flotta); /26(S.Ron); /27(Burray) 1785
1786 D13/100 D13/52, /37, /38 D13/16 (Birsay & Harray) D13/3, /5, /8; /26(S.Ron) 1786
1787 D13/ 62* D13/52, /38 D13/16 (Birsay & Harray) D13/4, /6, /26 1787
1788 D13/ 63* D13/52 D13/16 (Birsay & Harray) D13/4, /6, /28 1788
1789 D13/ 64* D13/52 D13/17 (Birsay & Harray) D13/4, /6, /28 1789
1790 D13/116 D13/52 D13/17 (Birsay & Harray) D13/4, /6, /28; /29(Burray) 1790
1791 D13/ 84* D13/18 (Birsay & Harray) D13/4, /6, /28; /29(Burray) 1791
1792 D13/128 D13/ 78 D13/4, /6, /28, /78; /29(Burray); D2/3 (Rousay) 1792
1793 D13/ 83* D13/117 D13/4, /6, /28; /29(Burray); D5/33/4(Walls) 1793
1794 D13/130 D1/30/4; D13/118, /136; D2/4*D13/4, /6, /28; D2/4; D13/29(Burray); D5/33/4(Walls)1794
1795 D13/124 D13/ 99 D13/4, /7, /28; /29(Burray); D5/33/4(Walls) 1795
1796 D13/129 D13/ 98 D13/4, /7, /28; /29(Burray); D5/33/4(Walls) 1796
1797 D13/107 D13/ 97 D13/7,/28, /60; /29(Burray); D5/33/4(Walls) 1797
1798 D13/120; /121(part) D13/ 96 D13/7,/28, /60; /29(Burray); D5/33/4(Walls) 1798
1799 D13/ 85* D13/ 95 D13/7,/28, /60; /29(Burray); D5/33/4(Walls) 1799
1800 D13/ 80* D13/35 D13/103 D13/7,/28, /60; /29(Burray); D5/33/4(Walls) 1800
1801 D13/ 92* D13/35 D13/102 D13/28, /60, /101; /29(Burray); D5/33/4(Walls) 1801
1802 D13/106 D13/35; Rent calcs D1/104/3 D13/28, /77, /101; /29(Burray); D5/33/4(Walls) 1802
1803 D13/ 91* D13/35 D13/28, /101; /29(Burray); D5/33/4(Walls) 1803
1804 D13/35 D13/28, /101; /29(Burray); D5/33/4(Walls) 1804
1805 D13/115 D13/35 D13/101; /29(Burray); D5/33/4(Walls) 1805
1806 D13/ 94* D13/35 D13/101; /29(Burray); D5/33/4(Walls) 1806
1807 D13/ 81* D13/35 D13/75 D5/33/4(Walls) 1807
1808 D13/123 D13/35 D13/75 D5/33/4(Walls) 1808
1809 D13/119 D13/75 D13/22; D5/33/4(Walls) 1809
1810 D13/105 D13/75 D13/22; D5/33/4(Walls) 1810
1811 D13/ 90* D13/75 D13/22 1811
1812 D13/ 76*; 88* D13/71; D13/76 1812
1813 D13/ 70* D13/71 1813
1814 D13/ 72* D13/71 D13/5/24 (S.Ronaldsay) 1814
1815 D13/ 79* D13/71 1815
1816 D13/ 74* 1816
1817 D13/ 69* 1817
1818 D13/ 73* 1818
1819 D13/104 1819
1820 D13/ 61*; E341/63-4* D13/1/9; D13addl/37C D13/1/9 1820
1821 D13/ 76* 1821
1822 D13/ 87* 1822
1823 D13/122 1823
1824 GD173/27/1 1824
1825 GD173/27/1 1825
1826 E219/201 (incl. feuars); D10/1 GD173/27/1, /2 1826
1827 E219/201 (incl. feuars); D10/1 GD173/27/1, /3 1827
1828 E219/201 (incl. feuars); D10/1 GD173/27/3 1828
1829 E219/201 (incl. feuars); D10/1 GD173/27/3 1829
1830 E219/201 (incl. feuars) GD173/27/3, /4; E341/9-10 1830
1831 E219/201 (incl. feuars) GD173/27/3, /4 1831
1832 E219/201 (incl. feuars) GD173/27/3, /4 1832
1833 E219/201 (incl. feuars) 1833
1834 E219/201 (incl. feuars) 1834
1849-57SC11/83/1; CR4/217 (Swk & Stromness) D16/1/19 (St.Ola) 1849-57
1903-13 D13 unlisted 1903-13
1914-26 D13 unlisted 1914-25
1968-74CR17/1-/5 CR17/1-/5 1968-74
TRACE YOUR ORKNEY ANCESTORS 57
Appendix R
Sasine Records (see Chapter 6.3)
I n d e x e s Abridgements/ Minute Books Registers
typescript/printed abstracts original manuscript microfilm copies original manuscript volumes
Persons Places typescript/printed volumes OA LDS
Ref fm to fm to Ref from to Ref from to D1/ Ref from to Remarks
Protocol Books
Gilbert Groate Angus, SHS 1914 NRS NP1/15 1552 1573 only 1 Orkney entry
Thos Auchinleck NRS NP1/36 1576 1615
David Heart ) NRS RH2/1/26 NRS NP1/75B 1624 1631 f ills gap RS43/3-4
) OA SC11/80/1
) OA D1/239 (ms) notes in D20/3/2
James Butter NRS NP1/82 a1648 f.72 NRS NP1/82 a1648 1692
David Forbes NRS NP1/166 1661 1674 notes in OA D17/6
Thomas Stewart NRS NP1/67 1674 1679 notes D17/6, D20/3/2
Wm.Fotheringham OA SC11/80/2 1830 1833 copy NRS GD263
Secretry's Register (nil)
Particular NRS (typed) 1617 1660 OLR iii 1617 1621 NRS RS43/ 1 1617, Sept 1621, May
Register (Johnston 1907-42) 2 1621, June 1625, Jan
O & Z till 1744 3 1625, Jan 1626, July Jun-Nov'25 missing
NRS NP1/75B 1624 1631
4 1630, May 1633, Aug
5 1634, Mar 1639, Feb
6 1639, Feb 1647, June
7 1647, June 1654, June mutilated
8 1654, June 1656, June
OA D1/285 1661 1700 NRS RS 78/1 1661 1696 /181/1 0217008 RS45/ 1 1661, June 1666, Nov mf NRS RH3/84/1-2
typed, some without dates (gaps 1666-1674, 2 1666, Nov 1674, May
1676-1682) 3 1674, May 1682, Oct notes on
4 1682, Dec 1692, Apr 1621-26 and
5 1693, July 1696, Sept 1634-3/1784
2 1697 1708 /181/1 0217008 6/1 1697, Mar 1702, June in OA D21/1/11
6/2 1702, June 1708, Mar
3 1708 1752 /181/2 0217008 7 1708, July 1716, May
8 1716, May 1727, Aug copy
9/1 1727, Sept 1741, Sept
O only from 1744 9/2 1741, Sept 1752, Dec
4 1753 1791 /181/2 0217009 RS46/ 1 1753, June 1765 "PR 10"
2 1767, Sept 1778 "PR 11"
1781 1820 1781 1820 printed 1781 1820 3 1779, Sept 1784, Oct "PR 12"
(not copied by OA) (copy OA D1/174) 4 1784, Oct 1791, Feb "PR 13"
(NRS mf RH3/0011) 5 1791 1803 5 1791, Apr 1796, Nov "PR 14"
6 1796, Dec 1802, May "PR 15"
7 1802, May "PR 16"
6 1803 1808 8 1803, Nov "PR 17/PR 8"
9 1805, Oct "PR 9"
10 1806, Oct "PR 10"
7 1808 1813 11 1808, Oct "PR 11"
12 1811, Mar "PR 12"
8 1813 1815 13 1813, Mar
14 1814, June
9 1815 1818 15 1815, Sept
16 1816, Sept
10 1818 1821 17 1818, Jan
18 1819, Feb The w hole RS
19 1820, Feb series has now
1821 1830 1821 1830 printed 1821 1830 11 1821 1824 20 1821, Apr been digitalised
21 1822, July and only the
12 1824 1829 22 1824, Mar images may be
23 1826, Jun view ed in the
24 1827, Sept Historical
13 1829 1833 25 1829, Mar Search Room
26 1830, Sept
1831 1840 - " 1831 1840 27 1831, Nov
14 1833 1838 28 1833, Aug
29 1835, July
(gap: 30 1837, Mar
1831-70) 15 1838 1844 31 1838, Oct
32 1840, Oct
1841 1845 - " 1841 1845 33 1842, Nov
16 1844 1848 34 1844, July
1846 1850 - " 1846 1850 35 1846, Apr
17 1848 1854 36 1848, Nov
1851 1855 - " 1851 1855 37 1851, Mar
1856 1860 " 1856 1860 18 1854 1861 38 1854, July
39 1857, July
1861 1864 - " 1861 1864 40 1859, Feb
1865 1868 - " 1865 1868 19 1861 1866 41 1861, Jan
1781 1868 1781 1830 1781 1869 42 1863, Sept
LDS m'films: 0217062 0217084 0217126 20 1866 1869 43 1866, Sept 1869, Feb
General Register NRS (typed) 1617 1700 - - NRS RS 62/ 1617 1868 234 vols NRS RS1 1617 1652 62 vols, most in latin
printed 1701 1720 - - /10-13 1717 1738 0216977 RS2 1652 1660 18 vols
gap 1721 1780 - /14-17 1739 1762 0216978 RS3 1660 1868 3699 vols
printed 1781 1868 1781 1830 printed 1781 1868 /18-20 1763 1782 0216979
New Register printed 1869 date 1871 date printed 1869 date NRS RS146 1869 date 42 vols - NRS RS111 1869 date 977 vols
O & Z annually (included) (separate) annually to 1981 to 1988
Kirkwall Burgh NRS ms 1682 1945 - - NRS B44/03/01 1682 1862 0298519 OA K1/23 1638 1809 NRS m'film
Register 1863 1945 - OA K1/24 1809 1867 NRS m'film
PresentmentBk 1902 1945 - - NRS B44 1867 1945 22 vols
58 TRACE YOUR ORKNEY ANCESTORS
Appendix S
Suit Rolls (see Chapter 7.8)
Year Sheriffdom Year Stewartry/Sheriffdom Year Stewartry of
of the of the Orkney
B i s h o p r i c E a r l d o m (Bishopric and
of Orkney of Orkney Earldom combined)1614 1614
1615 1615
1616 1616
1617 SC10/1/5 1617 SC10/1/3
1618 SC10/1/5 1618
1619 SC10/1/5; SC11/86/17/4 1619
1620 SC10/1/5; SC11/86/17/4 1620 1690 SC11/86/18/2; D23/9,235
1621 SC10/1/5; D38/2022/1 1621 1691 SC11/86/18/2
1622 SC10/1/5; D38/2022/2, /3 1622 1692 SC11/86/18/2
1623 SC10/1/5; D38/2022/4, /5 1623 1693 SC11/86/18/2; SC10/4/5B
1624 SC10/1/5 1624 1694 SC11/86/18/2
1625 SC10/1/5 1625 1695 SC11/86/18/2
1626 SC10/1/5 1626 D23/1, 121 1696 SC11/86/18/2
1627 SC10/1/5 1627 1697 SC11/86/18/2; D23/12/8
1628 SC10/1/5; SC11/86/17/4 1628 1698 SC11/86/18/2
1629 SC10/1/5 1629 D38/2017A/1, /2 1699 SC11/86/18/2
1630 1630 1700 SC11/86/18/3
1631 SC10/1/5; SC11/86/17/4 1631 D23/9,276 1701 SC11/86/18/3
1632 SC10/1/5; SC11/86/17/4 1632 1702 SC11/86/18/3
1633 SC10/1/5 1633 1703 SC11/86/18/3
1634 SC10/1/5 1634 1704 SC11/86/18/3
1635 SC10/1/5; D38/2022/6, /7 1635 D23/9,277 1705 SC11/86/18/3
1636 SC10/1/5; D38/2022/7, /8 1636 1706 SC11/86/18/3
1637 SC10/1/5; D38/2022/8 1637 1707 SC11/86/18/3
1638 1638 1708 SC11/86/18/3
1639 - 1639 1709 SC11/86/18/3
1640 - 1640 1710 SC11/86/18/3
1641 - 1641 1711 SC11/86/18/3
1642 - 1642 1712 SC11/86/18/3
1643 - 1643 1713 SC11/86/18/3
1644 - 1644 1714 SC11/86/18/3
1645 - 1645 1715 SC11/86/18/3
1646 - 1646 1716 SC11/86/18/3
1647 - 1647 1717 SC11/86/18/3
1648 - 1648 1718 SC11/86/18/3
1649 - 1649 1719 SC11/86/18/3
1650 - 1650 1720 SC11/86/18/3
1651 - 1651 1721 SC11/86/18/3
1652 - 1652 D38/2017A/3 1722 SC11/86/18/3
1653 - 1653 1723 SC11/86/18/3; SC11/86/24/3
1654 - 1654 D24/4/74 1724 SC11/86/18/3
1655 - 1655 D23/9,278 1725 SC11/86/18/3
1656 - 1656 1726 SC11/86/18/3
1657 - 1657 1727 SC11/86/18/3
1658 - 1658 1728 SC11/86/18/3
1659 - 1659 1729 SC11/86/18/3; SC11/5/1729/13
1660 - 1660 1730 SC11/86/18/3
1661 D5/29/1; SC10/2/1; D21/2/14 1661 SC10/2/1 1731 SC11/86/18/3
1662 SC11/86/18/1; SC10/2/1 1662 SC10/2/1 1732 SC11/86/18/3; SC11/9/1
1663 SC11/86/18/1; SC10/2/1 1663 SC10/2/1 1733
1664 SC11/86/18/1; SC10/2/1 1664 SC10/2/1 1734
1665 SC11/86/17/4 1665 SC10/2/1, /2 1735
1666 SC11/86/17/4 1666 1736
1667 SC11/86/17/4 1667 D18/2 1737
1668 SC11/86/17/4 1668 1738
1669 1669 D18/2; RH9/15/174 1739 SC11/86/18/3
1670 D18/2 1670 D18/2 1740
1671 SC11/86/17/4 1671 1741
1672 SC11/86/17/4 1672 1742
1673 SC11/86/17/4 1673 1743
1674 D23/12/8 1674 D23/12/8 1744
1675 SC11/86/17/4 1675 1745
1676 SC11/86/17/4 1676 1746 SC11/86/18/3; D24/11/95
1677 SC11/86/17/4 1677 1747 SC11/86/18/3
1678 D23/12/8 1678 D23/12/8
1679 SC11/86/17/4 1679
1680 SC11/86/17/4 1680 NRS: RH, SC10
1681 D23/1/4; RH9/15/234 1681 OA: D, SC11
1682 1682
1683 D23/12/8 1683 D23/12/8
1684 SC11/86/17/4 1684
1685 D23/12/8 1685 D23/12/8
1686 1686 NB Rough notes in:
1687 SC11/86/17/4; D23/12/8 1687 D23/12/8 - OA D20/3/2
1688 SC11/86/17/4 1688 D23/12/8 - OA D23/1, 121; /3, 281-4
1689 1689 D23/12/8 - OA D23/3/9
TRACE YOUR ORKNEY ANCESTORS 59
Appendix T
Testaments, Retours and Services of Heirs (see Chapter 5.3 and 5.4)
1. Testaments: Computer Databases Loc'n Reference Court Nature Dates of confirmation/registration ff no. Of
of Deeds from to
w w w Scotlandspeople Ork.Com.Ct. Reg'd Testaments 1611 1689 ) 2250 NRS CC17/2/1-/14
" 1804 1832 ) 250 NRS CC17/3, /4, 5/5/A- /7
w w w ScotlandspeopleK'w all Sh.Ct.Confirmations 1824 1901 >70 OA SC11/41
w w w ScotlandspeopleK'w all Sh.Ct.Settlements & Inventories 1831 1901 1477 OA SC11/38
OA OA K'w all Sh.Ct.Reg'd Inventories & Settlements1831 1980 11523 OA SC11/38
OA OA K'w all Sh.Ct.Warrants 1578 1970 333 SC11/5 (w anting 1783-00, 1804-19)
w w w OFHS(Irvine) (all) Warrants 1527 1930 29 1900(incl. some reg'd) ) NRS CC8/8;CC17/2/9A, /12- /14
) CC17/7/1- /4;17/8- /11; GD; RH
) OA D; SC10; SC11/5,/53,/54,/86. SHB
) TNA B/11
w w w ancestry.com Ork Comm Co 1611 1684 3100 unclear
2. Testaments: ms. Indexes & CalendarsLoc'n Nature By Reference Dates of registration ff/pp no. Indexes Of Year
of Deeds from to chronlogcl alphab't
NRS Testaments Rev.H Scott SRO/23/63 1611 1684 OS p 292 c2150 Index - CC17/2/1 - /12 excl. /9A (&12?) c1900
publ. Testaments FJ Grant SRS 1611 1684 OS p 56 c2150 - Index CC17/2/1 - /12 excl. /9A 1904
publ. Testaments RS Barclay SRS 1611 1632 O p 142 198 Abstracts - deaths occurring 1573-1615 1967
publ. Testaments AW Johnston OldLoreMisc 1671 1689 O p 12 66 Calendar - CC17/2/13; v.ii,pp51,173, 245 1909
OA Testaments W Spence D16/1/9/4 1671 1689 O 66 Calendar - CC17/2/13 c1935
NRS Testaments SRO typescript 1685 1688 O 41 - Index CC17/2/14; in NRS copy of FJG c1960
NRS Testaments SRO typescript 1671 1770 O 35 - Index GD217(part); in NRS copy of FJG c1960
NRS Testaments SRO typescript 1805 1832 OS f 22 243 Index - CC17/3, /4, /5/5A,/5/6,/5/7 c1990
OA Inventories clerk of court SC11/40 1858 1933 O 2vols Minute Bk - SC11/38 contemp
OA Inventories clerk of court SC11/39 1934 1977 O 2vols Minute Bk - SC11/38 contemp
OA Testaments W Spence D16/1/4 O - notes - w ith other material c1935
OA Testaments JS Clouston D23/3pp117,302 1611 1683 O f 107 112 Calendar - some of CC17/2 and D23/15 c1910
OA Testaments JS Clouston D23/8,154 1661 1678 O f 2 8 Calendar - some of CC17/2 and D23/15 c1920
OA Testaments JS Clouston D23/17 1527 1724 O 6 Calendar - some Clouston family testaments c1920
OA Processes OA typescript 1578 1970 O v v 14 SC11/5 1970s
OA Deeds W Spence D16/1/5 1594 1839 O f 213 Calendar - CC17/5, w ith omissions & addit'ns c1935
OA Deeds H Leask D17/6 1611 1652 O Calendar - CC17/5/1, /2, /3 c1880
NRS Personal Estates of Defuncts ms 1823 1845 O Calendar
NRS " printed 1846 1867 O Calendar SCs of "Northern Counties"; incl. date of death
NRS " ms 1868 1875 O Calendar
NRS Confirmations & Inventories printed annually 1875 1929 O Calendar contemp
NRS* " 1929 date O Calendar *: Legal Search Room contemp
3. Testament Registers NB All the CC series have now been digitised.
Loc'n Nature m'f ilm ref No.in Grant Reference Dates of registration ff/pp no. ms Indexes Remarks acquired
of Deeds RH3/11/ & microfilm from to chronological alphabetical by NRS
NRS Test&Inv - - CC8/8 1569 1792 14 - - selected Orcadians
NRS " - 1 CC17/2/1 1611 1612 S
NRS " 318**/319 2 CC17/2/2 1612 1615 OS f270 ? Scott Grant 2 **: to - f55r in 318; from f55v in 319
NRS " - - CC17/1/1 1615 1626 O p 2 2 - - at end; pp4; 2 illegible
NRS " 318 1 CC17/2/1 1618 1628 OS c203 yes**; ScottGrant 1 **:has no folio numbers
NRS " 319 3 CC17/2/3 1628 1638 OS f270 286 yes ScottGrant 3
NRS " 319 4 CC17/2/4 1638 1662 OS ? Scott Grant 4
NRS " 320 5 CC17/2/5 1648 1649 OS ? Scott Grant 5
NRS " 320 6-1 CC17/2/6 1656 1659 OS f 88 ? Scott Grant 6
missing 1661 referrerd to in Appendix to SC11 Index
NRS " 320 6-2 CC17/2/7 1663 1663 OS f 71 ? Scott Grant 10 also not. insts.1657-9(ff.1-17) & 1667 1886
NRS " 320 7-1 CC17/2/8 1663 1666 OS p281 190 -f.225 ScottGrant 7
NRS " 320 7-2 CC17/2/9 1663 1666 OS ? Scott Grant 7 partly copy of /8
NRS " - - CC17/2/9A 1665 1665 OS 22 - - partly copy of /8; half part illegible
NRS " 320 8 CC17/2/10 1666 1671 OS p158 191 -f.123 ScottGrant 8
NRS " - - CC17/2/13 1671 O 1 OLM - 1909
NRS " - - CC17/2/12 1679 1683 OS <p50 ? Scott Grant 11 only cash abstracts of inventories 1902
NRS " 321 9 CC17/2/11 1681 1684 OS 277 -f.11? ScottGrant 9
NRS " - - CC17/5/5A 1804 1809 OS 10 - "SRO" "Deeds"
NRS Testaments - - CC17/5/5A 1815 1832 O 4 - "SRO"
NRS Inv&Stlmnt - - CC17/5/7 1806 1809 OS 62 - "SRO" w rongly catalogued as "Probative Writs"
NRS " - - CC17/4/1 1809 1831 O 62 - "SRO"
OA " - - SC11/38 1831 1984 O 11523 SC11/40,/39 d.base OA & Scotlandspeople d-bases
NRS Conf&Inv - - CC17/2/13 1684 1684 O <p50 13 OLM -
NRS " 321 12 CC17/2/14 1685 1685 OS 41 - ** **: in NRS copy of Grant 1904 1949
NRS " - - CC17/2/13 1686 1688 O 34 OLM -
NRS " 321 12 CC17/2/14 1688 1688 OS - - ** **: in NRS copy of Grant 1904
NRS " - - CC17/2/13 1688 1689 O 13 OLM -
NRS " - - CC17/3/1 1806 1823 OS 61 - "SRO"
OA " - - SC11/41 1824 1967 O 66vols - d-base Scotlandspeople d-base
NRS Bonds ofC CC17/9/1 1787 1821 O 16 - -
OA " SC11/42 1860 1981 O 11 vols - -
60 TRACE YOUR ORKNEY ANCESTORS
Appendix T (continued)
Testaments, Retours and Services of Heirs
4. Testament WarrantsLoc'n Nature Reference Dates of registration ff no. Indexes Remarks
of Deed from to chronological alphabetical
NRS Testaments GD1/212/4 1506 1 - Irvine
OA " D17/13 1506 1 - Irvine copy
OA " D23/17/2 1527 1724 7 - Irvine copies
OA " SC11/5 1606 1970 333 - Irvine tests. indexed to 1826
NRS Wills GD106 1616 1687 6 - Irvine
NRS Testaments GD190/3/201 1632 1670 2 - Irvine
OA " D24 1634 1771 13 - Irvine
NRS " RH9/8/214 1643 1 - Irvine
OA " D38 1649 1734 7 - Irvine some copies
OA " D20 1656 1678 35 - Irvine
OA " SC11/54 1656 1814 15 - Irvine addl. to those indexed in SC11/53
NRS Test&Inv CC17/7/1 1666 1678 15 - Irvine
OA Testaments D23/15 1667 1788 801 - Irvine partly copies of CC17/2/
NRS " SC10/4 1672 1683 4 - Irvine
NRS " GD217/723-751 1671 1770 24 - Irvine;** **: in NRS copy of Grant 1904
OA " SC11/86 1668 1802 7 - Irvine
OA " D14 1678 1778 2 - Irvine
OA " D23/16/8 1678 1 - Irvine
OA " D2/6 1682 1 - Irvine
SkH " SHB 1684 1708 3 - Irvine
OA " SC11/53 1712 1895 130 - Irvine
OA " D1/465 1712 1712 2 - Irvine
OA " D1/282 1720 1 - Irvine
OA " D5 1763 2 - Irvine
OA Inventories D8/2 1778 1 - Irvine
OA Tetaments D1/376 1792 1 - Irvine copy of CC8
NRS " CC17/10 1804 1820 9 - Irvine
OA " SC11/51 1809 1826 19 - Irvine
OA " D34 1818 1909 6 - Irvine some copies
OA " D1/609 1843 1846 2 - Irvine coies of SC70/1/63, /67; RD5/762, /765
OA " D16/1/11 1844 1880 3 - Irvine
OA " D33 1860 1909 3 - Irvine some copies
OA " D1/255 1930 1930 2 - Irvine
NRS Inventories CC17/7/2 1758 1788 25 - Irvine incl. 1 Petition, 1 Bo.ofAdj.,1 Edict, Testaments
NRS " CC17/7/3 1790 1799 29 - Irvine many Edicts, some Petitions
NRS " CC17/7/4 1800 1809 26 - Irvine Book of Processes
NRS " CC17/7/5 1810 1815 36 - - "
NRS " CC17/7/6 1816 1823 27 - - "
NRS Edicts GD217/770-849 1695 1745 13 - Irvine
NRS " CC17/8 1782 1820 69 - Irvine
NRS Bonds ofC GD217/848 1739 1 - Irvine
NRS " SC11/42 1860 1981 11 - Irvine
TNA Proven wills PROB/11 1679 1857 66 - Irvine
w w w .nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/w ills-and-probate.htm
5. Retours and Services of HeirsIndexes Registers Abridgements
Scotland LDS SGS LDS microfilms
Retours (3 vols) 1546-1699 0908847 m.film CD 1 NRS C22 1530-1912 23160-231566
Decennial Indexes 1700-1859 0990340 " CD 2 C25 1546-1840 -
Annual Indexes 1860-date 6068606 (12 f iches) - C28 1847-date -
NRS C23/1 - /3 1547-1726 - - - NRS C23/4-/19 1701-1809
Processes
Orkney Typewritten Index 1642-1891 - - NRS SC10/1 1612-1677 - OA SC11/8/ 1 1642-1783
(in OA; incomplete) OA SC11/9 1732-1961 12 vols - 2 1784-1815
OA SC11/1 1784-1949 17 vols - 3 1816-1830(minutes only) 4 1831-1909
TRACE YOUR ORKNEY ANCESTORS 61
Appendix U
Map of Orkney Parishes
North Ronaldsay Westray & Papa Westray
. Cross . &
Burness
Lady
A t l a n t i c O c e a n Sanday N.Fara
Eday Rousay Papa Stronsay
Eynhallow Egilsay
Evie Wyre Stronsay
Birsay Gairsay
Rendall Sandwick Harray Shapinsay
Firth Auskerry
Stromness Kirkwall S Stenness & St.Ola
Orphir St.Andrews
Graemsay & Deerness
S c a p a Holm
Hoy & Copinsay
Graemsay Cava
F l o w S.Fara Hunda Burray
Hoy Walls & Flotta N o r t h S e a
& Switha South Ronaldsay
Swona
P e n t l a n d F i r t h Stroma Pentland Skerries John o Groats N
10 miles
Scrabster C a i t h n e s s 20 km
Thurso
62 TRACE YOUR ORKNEY ANCESTORS
Appendix V
Notes on Currency, Weights and Land Values in Orkney
1. Units of Currency fdg farthing 4 fdg = 1 d
ob oblate, halfpenny 2 ob = 1 d
d penny 12 d = 1 s
s, sh shilling 20 s = £1
mk merk 1 mk = 13s 4d
= 13/4 (Scots)
£, l, lb, lib pound
sc Scots Scots currency
stlg Sterling English currency
Scots currency had parity with sterling till c.1540, but
thereafter devalued. By 1601 it equalled 1/12 of the value of sterling, an equivalence that thereafter endured until
the currency officially lapsed in 1707. However it use
was retained in many transactions for another century, for
example in the Bishopric and Earldom Rentals until 1797.
In practice much of rural Orkney was largely a cashless
society until the early 19th century.
____________
2. Units of Weight Different “victuals” (food produce) had different scales, that were de-valued over time:
Victual Units Equivalents
c.1500 1595 1653, 1739 mid C18 1826
(a) malt, meal & flesh: 1 merk (mk) 0.5 lbs 1.5 lbs 1.2 lbs 0.5 kg
24 merks = 1 settin or setting (st) 12 lbs 33.7 lbs 29.6 lbs 13.5 kg
6 settings = 1 meil (m*) 72 lbs 201 lbs 177.7 lbs 80.7 kg
24 meils = 1 last 3200 lbs 4266 lbs 1935.5 kg
36 meils = 1 chalder 4800 lbs
(b) bere: as above two thirds of the above
(c) butter: 24 merks = 1 lispund (lsp) 12 lbs 15 lbs 16 lbs 28 lbs 27.1 lbs
5 lispunds = 1 span (archaic)
4 firkins = 1 barrel (bar) 20 lsp 18 lsp 10 lsp 8 lsp 217.3 lbs 98.6 kg
12 barrels = 1 last *: the abbreviation for meil was written like “@” but with an “m” instead of the “a”
____________
3. Units of Land value Over the centuries, four systems were used, based on:
(a) taxable value (skat, the old Norse tax) :
4 farthing (fdg) land = 1 pennyland (d.land, d.)
18 pennylands = 1 urisland (ounceland)
(b) resale value:
1 merk (mk) land (worth 13s 4d Scots)
(c) rental value (“mailing”), typically (though not only)
in terms of malt:
24 merks malt mailing land
= 1 setting malt mailing land (smm. land)
6 settings malt mailing land
= 1 meill malt mailing land (mmm.land)
(d) grazing value:
1 kowsworth (kth)
The relationships between these four systems varied from
townland to townland (depending on when the land had
first been farmed by the Norse); the relationships could
also take various forms:
1½ - 4 merklands “extending to” 1 pennyland; or
1 merkland “paying” 8, 10, 101/3, 12 or 13 1/3 settins
malt mailing; or
1 pennyland “containing” 8 - 48 settins malt mailing; or
3 - 4 kowsworth were equivalent to 1 merkland _______________
4. Units of Land area Only introduced in 19th century:
1 plank = 240 feet square
= 40 fathom square
= 1.04 Scots acre
= 1.37 English acres
(1 Scots acre = 1.32 English acres)
= 0.29 hectares
The relationships between land value and land area depended on whether the land concerned:
(a) excluded the outfield land within the hill dyke:
4 - 20 acres per pennyland;
(b) included all the land within the hill dyke:
5 - 80 acres per pennyland; or
(c) included 19th century enclosures of commonland:
7 - >100 acres per pennyland.
TRACE YOUR ORKNEY ANCESTORS 63
Appendix W
Notes on Dates Several features concerning dates often give genealogists trouble. The following notes may be of help:
1. General165
Abbreviations used with dates:
a ante (before) b born
C (as in C14) (14th) century
c, ca circa (about)
d died
fl. floruit (flourished)
m married (= is also used)
n.d. no date
p post (after)
x (as in 1862x64) between
Calendars:
Gregorian calendar: The date was moved forward by 11
days in both England and Scotland on 2nd
September 1752.
New Style calendar (NS): The year started on 1st January
(applies in Scotland since 1600,
( “ England since 1752).
Old Style calendar (OS): The year started on 25th March
(applied in Scotland until 1600,
( “ England until 1752).
In Scottish documents written before 1600, all dates
between 1st January and 24th March were written in OS,
e.g. 24th March 1598.
Transcriptions of such documents often give both years,
e.g. 24th March 1598-9 or 1598/9.
In history books their dates are usually given in NS,
e.g. 24th March 1599.
Days:2 eodem die same day
penult(imo) 2nd to last day of month
ult(imo) last day of month
Months: inst(ant) same month
Jary, Janry January Junij June
9ber November Barry 1808, 476
xber December
iober December
Dissembre December
Years:
jm vct and lxxij yeiris 1572
jai vjc+ & three scior and ane 1661
jaj vijc & threttie fyve zeirs 1735
anno regni (ar) regnal year of the King
e.g. ar10 ran from the 10th anniversary of accession;
crop year Martinmas to Martinmas
e.g. crop year 1750 ran from Nov. 1749 to Nov. 1750.
165
See also www.scan.org.uk >
Research Tools/Knowledge Base/Subjects/Days, Dates and Calendars
2. Orkney
Feast Days and Quarter (Q) Days:
Herdmanstein Jan e.g.23rd Head court Clouston 1932, 272 Candlemas (Q) Feb 2nd
Old Candlemas Feb 13th start of spring Marwick 1950, 258
Wappenstein Feb e.g.24th Head court Clouston 1932, 272
Annunciation Mar 25th
Magnusmas (1) Apr 16th OA D31/19A, 17
Lentreoun Lent Robinson 1985
Beltane/Whitsun(Q) May 15th (28thsince 1886) Clouston 1914, 97
Pentecost var. religious Whitsunday
St.Peter & Paul Midsummer
Johnsmass June 24th/25th Marwick 1950, 256
Lawthing June Clouston 1932, 272
Petermas June 29th Robinson 1985
Olafsmas July 29th
St.Martin of Bullion July 4th OS(St.Swithins) Robinson 1985
Lammas (Q) Aug 1st (11th NS)
St.Lawrence Aug 10th Clouston 1914, 73
Michaelmas Sept 29th Anderson1982, 115
Allhallowmas Nov 1st
Allhallow Nov e.g. 5th Head court Clouston 1932, 272
Martinmas (Q) Nov 11th tenancies renewed, rents paid
St.Catherine Nov 25th Clouston 1914, 75
St.Andrews Nov 30th
Magnusmas (2) Dec 13th Lamb 1993, 28
Governance:
c880 Norse Earldom established
1397 Norway and its possessions ceded to Denmark
(rule from Copenhagen)
1468 Orkney pawned by Denmark to Scotland (rule from Edinburgh)
1472 Earldom ceded to Scottish Crown
1540 Lawman replaced by Sheriff; feudalism introduced
1560 Reformation
1603 Union of English and Scottish Crowns
(no practical effect)
1611 Norse laws abolished (tho’ udal ownership survived)
1614 Earldom and Bishopric estates rationalised
1649-1660 Commonwealth (rule from Westminster)
1690 Episcopacy finally abolished
1707 Union of English and Scottish parliaments
(rule from Westminster) 1747 Heritable jurisdictions abolished
1880 Orkney County Council established
1975 Orkney Islands Council established
Periods of poor harvests and famines:
c.1350 the “black death”; recovery took till c.1500
1628-1634 much “blood and ryot”; thousands died 1680s universal sterility, many died
mid 1690s hundreds died
1739-41 many died
1773, 78-85 distress, few died
mid 1830s none died
64 TRACE YOUR ORKNEY ANCESTORS
Appendix X
Notes on Land-ownership and the Bishopric and Earldom Estates
Udal and feudal tenure of land in Orkney co-existed for many centuries. The ramifications of these systems impinge on many deeds, sasine records and rentals. These records often include the names of landowners
(“heritors”, “vassals” or “proprietors”) and tenants (“occupiers” or “possessors”), and so are useful to the
genealogist. But without some understanding of the principal features of udal and feudal systems and of the Bishopric and Earldom estates, much research on Orcadian genealogy will remain confusing and superficial.
1. Heritors’ (private) lands Heritors’ rights to their lands could be udal or feudal:166
Udal (or odal) tenure was introduced by the Norse, and
has never been abolished; some foreshore rights have
survived into the 21st century! Its characteristics were:
- freehold tenure, subject only to skat, and to rights and
obligations on transfer of ownership;
- ownership was not dependant on written evidence;
- ownership extended from “the highest hill to the lowest
ebb”, and included rights to graze and cut peat from the commonty, and to collect ware from the foreshore
(some claimed rights to wrecks and whales as well!);
- land sold to non-relatives was subject to a right of re-
purchase by the descendants of the udaller;
- on death, udal land was shared equally between the
sons, with half shares to daughters; the eldest son had
first choice on the principle buildings.167 168
Feudal tenure was a Norman innovation, introduced to Scotland during the 12th century, and to Orkney during
the 16th century.169 Its characteristics were:
- all land was owned by the Crown as the “superior”, and
feued (perpetual lease) to his “vassal” for an annual
“reddendo”;170 the vassal, as “subject superior”, could
in turn sub-feu his land to a “subject vassal”;
- on death, all feudal land passed to the eldest son; if no
sons, it was portioned equally among the daughters;171
- before taking possession of his inheritance, the heir had
to prove his right to the land.172
Both the udal and feudal laws of inheritance could be
modified by prior contractual arrangements. A common
example was a charter of liferent that passed title to the
son(s), but retained rights of occupancy and income from
the estate for the father and, after his death, his widow.
Many of the feudal estates created in Orkney between
1535 and 1614 were in fact confirmations of udal
166
There are also hybrid deeds with both udal and feudal features. 167
A udaller could also buy out a sister’s portion (Clouston 1914, 81),
use a “charter of upgestrie” (sale of lands to a relative in exchange
for care and upkeep (Clouston 1914, 511) or bequeath the “tent
penny and ferd”, typically one sixth of his estate, at will (Clouston
1914, lxiii, 511): three means of holding a family estate together. 168
Today udal rights are often idealized; in practice they led to a
multitude of very small and uneconomic holdings that were
unattractive to buyers as title remained conditional. 169
Feudal law in Scotland lapsed in 2004. 170
Reddendos included feu-ferme (annual payment, mostly in kind),
blenche-ferme (nominal payment) and grassum (payment on
renewal of lease). Feudal duties of service were unknown in
Orkney. 171
In practice this meant the eldest son did not inherit any of his
father’s movable estate, and so appeared in few testaments (see
Chapter 5.3). 172
The “retour” or “service” of heir - see Chapter 5.4.
holdings. However such old estates were dwarfed by
large feudal grants of earldom and bishopric lands by the
Stewart earls (1565-c1610), and by the bishops of the 17th
century, to relatives and other favourites. The owners of many of these large feudal estates were the ancestors of
the “merchant lairds” of the 18th century.
As udal lands became fragmented,173 and successive bad
harvests left their owners unable to pay their skat duties,
“peedie lairds” often sold their udal title of small parcels
of land to wealthier lairds to pay off outstanding debts, but
remained in occupancy as tenants. So by the 18th century,
most of the large private estates were a mixture of widely scattered holdings with both feudal and udal origins,
while the remaining “peedie lairds” typically occupied a
few small scattered parcels of owned and rented lands.
2. Bishopric and Earldom estates Even more extensive than these private estates were the
lands owned by the Bishops and Earls of Orkney. These
hereditary “estates” grew piecemeal over the centuries,
from gifts, forfeitures174 and purchases. Despite the
grants to heritors referred to above, the Bishopric and
Earldom remained the largest two estates in Orkney until
their sales in the mid 19th and early 20th centuries
respectively.
In 1614 King James VI and Bishop Law agreed a
rationalisation of the rents from the bishopric and
earldom lands, of their rights to superior dues, and of their
judicial rights. The Bishopric sheriffdom extended over
what became known as the "Bishopric" parishes (Holm,
Hoy, Orphir, Sandwick, Shapinsay, Stromness and Walls,
parts of St.Ola, plus the superiority of feudal lands in
Burray, Evie and Flotta). The Rentals for these parishes
included liabilities for the rents for all former bishopric
and earldom lands and the liabilities for other superior
dues on heritors’ lands therein. The remaining parishes
became the Earldom Stewartry, whose Rentals included the corresponding rents and other superior dues.175
The Crown let the Earldom Stewartry to tacksmen who,
in return for an annual fee, were entitled to the superior
dues from the Earldom parishes and fines levied by his
Sheriff Court. Similarly the tacksmen of the Bishopric
Sheriffdom, appointed by the Bishop or, between 1638
and 1660 when episcopacy was abolished, the Crown,
were entitled to the superior dues from the Bishopric
parishes and fines from the Bishop’s Sheriff Court.
173
Often to a ridiculous extent, e.g. 3/5 of 2
2/3 farthing land in 1780!
174 e.g. to the earl for non-payment of skat duties, and to the bishop for
redemption of sins. 175
See Chapter 7.7.
TRACE YOUR ORKNEY ANCESTORS 65
When episcopacy was finally abolished in 1689 the
Stewartry and Sheriffdom jurisdictions were combined,176 but the tacks and Rentals of the estates remained separate.
From 1695 to 1825 both estates were protected by an Act
of Parliament which forbade the sale of Crown lands.
The Morton family held the tack of the Earldom estate from 1643 to 69, 1696 to 99 and 1707 to 42, when they
secured an irredeemable grant. Sir Lawence Dundas
bought the lands from the Earl of Morton in 1766, and his
descendants owned the estate until the 1920s.
Various tackholders held the Bishopric estate until 1775,
when the Dundas family secured a 50 year lease. In 1825
the Crown resumed control, under the management of the
Barons of the Exchequer, the net income being paid into
the Consolidated Fund.177 In 1833 management was
transferred to the Department of Woods and Forests.
Most Bishopric lands were sold by roup in the 1850s.178
3. Runrig and enclosures Until the mid 19th century each parish was typically made
up of some “townships”, and “commonty” (commonland).
Apart from any “bu” (a large farm worked as a single
unit), the lands of each township comprised “infield”
- cultivated, “run-rig” land in which “rigs” (small plots)
were intermingled in a bewildering mosaic without
formal boundaries - and “outfield” - larger areas that were only cultivated intermittently. The ownership rights of
heritors, bishopric and earldom to these townlands were
shared in proportion to their respective pennyland
entitlements, as was the working of the land by tenants
and owner-occupiers, and the resulting harvests. Small
“kailyards” and “tunmals” immediately adjacent to each
homesteads that were not subject to run-rig.
Township owners and tenants also shared rights to turf,
peat and grazings on the commonty, usually poorer
quality hill land, separated from the townland by earthen
dykes. These dykes kept grazing animals off the tilled
land and crops during the summer, but were opened after
harvest to allow animal droppings to serve as fertiliser.
During the second half of the 18th century most of the
townlands in Birsay, Evie, Holm and Rendall were
“planked” (i.e surveyed and re-apportioned), and less
extensive plankings were undertaken elsewhere. Between 1825 and the 1840’s a series of more radical
plankings of townlands led to the creation of the present
field sytem with linear (in some townlands rectangular)
enclosures. Ownership of the new fields was allocated to
the Crown and to individual heritors, large and small, in
proportion to their ancient pennyland rights. Some
tenants moved to different crofts, but few were evicted.
Between 1815 and the 1860s most of the commonties
were enclosed and their ownership allocated in proportion
to the old townland rights.
176
In 1747 the Heritable Jurisdictions Act abolished the office of
Stewart and the judicial rights of the tacksmen of both estates. 177
Used, it was said, to develop the Crown estate in London! 178
In 1951 the few remaining parcels of the Dundas estate reverted to
the Crown. In 1973/4 just 8 small parcels of the former Earldom
and Bishpric Estates remained, with a total rental value of £13 p.a.
4. Summary of land-ownership in Orkney:
4.1 Before 1614: 179
A Bishopric lands (“pro episcopo” or “p.e.”):
(a) bishop lands: bequests, endowments and
forfeits of udal and earldom lands;
(b) kirklands and stouklands: endowments of prebends.
B Earldom lands (“pro rege” or “p.r.”):
(a) old kingsland: lands of Norse kings acquired by
the Scottish Crown in 1468;
(b) bordland: private estates of early earls,
not liable to skat;
(c) old earldom: bordland, plus acquisitions and
forfeitures, liable to skat;
(d) conqueist lands: udal lands acquired by Earl
William Sinclair in 1460s.
C Heritors’ lands (a) udal land: owned by udallers, liable to skat;
(b) quoy land: settled later;180
(c) feudal land: granted by king from p.r. lands, by bishop from p.e. lands, and by
Stewart Earls from either, or from
udal land given up under duress.
4.2 1614-1920s: A Bishopric estate: all p.e. and p.r. lands in Holm,
Hoy, Orphir, Sandwick, Shapinsay,
Stromness & Walls, and some land
in St.Ola, Burray, Evie & Flotta;
leased to tacksmen; passed to
Crown in 1689; most sold in 1850s.
B Earldom estate: all p.e. and p.r. lands in other
parishes; leased to tacksmen till . 1742; sold to Dundas in 1766; most
sold to tenants in 1920s..
C Heritors’ lands (a) udal land: mostly sold by “peedie lairds” to
large heritors in the 17th and 18th
centuries; some still liable to skat;
(b) quoy land: still being reclaimed from
commonty until the enclosures of
the mid 19th century;
(c) feudal land: as above, and from bishops and
chamberlains in the 17th century.
4.3 1920s to date During the 1920s death duties and high interest rates made the ownership of land unprofitable, and the
Earldom estate and many of the large private estates were
broken up and sold, mostly to sitting tenants. Today most
of Orkney’s agricultural land is owner-occupied (as it had
been until the 15th century, and in contrast to much of the
rest of Scotland today), but most of the smaller farms
have been aggregated into larger units.181
179
See also Marwick 1952, 192 (although his chronology is now
discredited) and Thomson 1996, xix. 180
Place names including “quoy”, “que” and “quy” were originally
enclosures of common land, made from the 10th to 19
th centuries.
The earliest, e.g. Sutherquoy, were liable to skat, but later quoy
lands were not; only those quoy lands that were liable to skat or
had been gifted to or bought by the bishopric or earldom were
included in the latter’s Rentals. In the Rentals of 1492 and 1595 the
term “quoyland” referred to bordland in Cairston and The Barony
respectively. 181 The largest landowner in Orkney today is the Royal Society for the
Protection of Birds!
66 TRACE YOUR ORKNEY ANCESTORS
Appendix Y
Notes on Names, Clans, Tartans, Heraldry and DNA
1 Surnames Differences in the spelling of a surname in various records
(and even within a single document!) are not significant,
as many of our pre-19th century ancestors were illiterate,
and spellings were usually phonetic, at the whim of the clerk involved. Great care is needed to check all possible
spellings when entering surname indexes, even when
using computer “sounds like” facilities.
The seminal works on Scottish and Orkney surnames are:
- The Surnames of Scotland (Black 1946);
- Orkney Family Names (Lamb 2003).
Black and Lamb discuss the origins of surnames:
- Place or topographical surnames are the most common,
usually being taken from the township where a man
lived, sometimes the place from where he had moved;
- Occupational surnames. - Nick or eke names (rare).
- Patronymic names, typically ending -son:182 These
were less common than in Shetland, and had generally
become hereditary by the 17th century.
- T or teu (added to) names,183 sometimes in the form of
Smith “alias” Brown: These were a common method
used to distinguish men of the same name living in the
same township during the 16th-18th centuries.184
It must not be assumed that every Orcadian with the same
surname was descended from a common ancestor.
Lamb lists nearly 600 surnames that had their origin in
Orkney or were established in Orkney before 1700 and
still exist. The oldest, Flett, was first recorded in 1137, and another 20 before 1400. By 1600 a quarter of the
surnames in Orkney were of Scottish origin; most these
immigrants came from the eastern seaboard (i.e.
Lowlands). There is also evidence that some local
surnames did not become hereditary until the 18th century,
and it remained legal to change one’s surname without
formal process until the end of the 19th century. As
mentioned in Chapter 3.3, it remained common until the
19th century for wives to retain use of their maiden name.
The example on page 26 of Jean Folster (maiden name)
“or” Stanger (married name) is a later alternative.
In Scotland several practices involving surnames were
common. Lairds were called simply by the name of their estate.185 Heirs to estates were known as the Master. “Of
that ilk” denoted a laird whose surname was the same as
that of his estate. “Scott of Kirkton” denoted a landowner,
while “Johnstone in Newton” denoted a tenant. In Orkney
these practices were less common, and “of” and “in” were
often used indiscriminately.
Many Orcadian surnames were more common in some
parishes than others. The relative frequency of surnames
throughout the county changed over time:
182 The prefixes Mc & Mac were Gaelic, not Norse, and rare in Orkney.
183 Equivalent to today’s “aka” (also known as).
184 See Steel 1970, 37; Irvine 2003a; this subject needs further study.
185 See, for example, the entries for June and 8
th Nov. on page 33.
2 Forenames Many forenames, or Christian names, had common
abbreviations and synonyms, for example:
- Alexander, Aldr, Alec, Alex, Alexr, Ecky, Essie & Sandy; - Edward, Ed & Ned; - George, Geordie & Dodie - Henry, Hendry & Harie; - James, Jas, Jamie, Jim & Jimmy - John, Jno, Jo, Jon, Ian & Jack;
- Magnus, Mags, Mane, Mans & Mansie; - Patrick, Pat, Patt & Peter; - Robert, Bob, Rob & Robt; - William, Wam, Wm, Willy, Bill & Billy. - Agnes, Nan & Nancy; - Catherine, Cath, Cathy, Katharine, Kath, Kate, Katie & Kathy - Elizabeth, Eliza, Beatrice, Betty, Betsy, Bessie, Essie, Elsie, Elspeth, Isabel, Isobella, Sibbla, Bella & Lilly;
- Euphemia, Eupham, Euphan, Phemie & Effie; - Giles, Geillis & Jeels; - Helen, Ellen, Eleanor, Nell & Nelly; - Jane, Jean, Janet & Jessie; - Margaret, Maggie, Meg & Peggy; - Marjory, Mady, Merion, Merron & May; - Mary, Molly & Polly.
From the 18th to 20th centuries the following Scottish
naming custom was sometimes found in Orkney:
- eldest son named after his father’s father;
- 2nd son after his mother’s father; - 3rd son after his father; - eldest daughter after her mother’s mother; - 2nd daughter after her father’s mother;
- 3rd daughter after her mother.
There were other traditions, and many exceptions. But this can explain why two siblings are sometimes found
with the same name (although of course in practice they
would have had different nicknames). Another reason for
this practice was if an elder sibling had died young.
Distinctive Christian names that were repeated from
generation to generation can be helpful to genealogists.
1611-84 mid 1690s 1841 1998
1 Sinclair Sinclair Sinclair Rendall
2 Spence Flett Flett Sinclair
3 Flett Johnston Muir/Moar Muir/Moar
4 Cromarty Mowat Spence Flett
5 Linklater Louttit Thomson Johnston
6 Irving Moar Rendall Thomson
7 Sclater Spence Miller Scott
8 Smith Taylor Scott Drever
9 Brown Linklater Johnston Sutherland
10 Craigie Irving Smith Harcus
11 Louttit Cromarty Linklater Smith
12 Mowat Sclater Drever Tait
13 Garrioch Garrioch Mowat Miller
14 Johnston Brown Reid Shearer
15 Inkster Inksetter Craigie Robertson
16 Rendall Miller Harcus Spence
17 Thomson Tait Tulloch Craigie
18 Cursetter Craigie Irvine Brown
19 Tait Laughton Taylor Tulloch
20 Halcro Thomson Sutherland Taylor
Source Grant 1904 Irvine 2003b , 34 OFHS Census BT Directory
TRACE YOUR ORKNEY ANCESTORS 67
Multiple forenames were rare before the 19th century. As the population grew and more individuals became literate,
a middle name became a popular means of differentiating
one commonly named person, e.g. Magnus Sinclair, from
another. As a token of respect or gratitude, parents often
included the name of a laird, minister, godparent, midwife
or local schoolteacher as a middle name - the former
perhaps also with the hope of leniency with rent arrears!
Alternatively, the maiden name of the mother or a
grandmother might be included.
3 Clans The Clan system was a highland, Gaelic tradition, and its
characteristics of loyalty, chieftainship and land holding
were not adopted in Orkney. Even during the 19th century
few Orcadian lairds mimicked this culture, although more
recently some Orcadians with Scottish surnames have
adopted some of the more romantic features of the Clan
traditions.
For details see
www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Scottish_clans
4 Tartans Similarly the wearing of tartan was not an Orcadian
tradition, and is regarded by some as a largely commercial
innovation. However today the kilt is popular in Orkney
for formal dress.
For details see www.tartansauthority.com.
5 Heraldry For its population, Orkney has a rich heritage of heraldic
devices carved on buildings and gravestones, and
incorporated in the wax seals attached to many old
charters.
The Heraldry section on the Orkney pages of the
GENUKI website lists relevant publications. Storer
Clouston’s notebooks (OA D23/1, /6, /11, /12 & /13)
include details on early heraldic devices associated with
over 100 Orcadian surnames. Modern interpretations by
Clouston of ten of these family devices may be seen in the
vestry windows of St.Magnus Cathedral in Kirkwall.
The heraldic terms “coat of arms”, “crest” and “badge” are often misunderstood. In Scotland there is no such
thing as a clan or family crest (the simple heraldic device
surmounting armorial bearings) or coat of arms (the full
“achievement”). Nor does a shared surname entitle the
use of arms or a crest, for since 1672 both have been the
personal property of individuals whose use thereof is
authorised by the Lord Lyon. But the use of a clan or
family badge (a crest surrounded by a buckle carrying the
family motto) is still both legal and free.
Individuals able to satisfy the Lord Lyon of their paternal descent from an armigerous ancestor may apply for a
“matriculation of arms”, others for a “grant of arms”.
Details may be obtained from the Court of the Lord Lyon
(see Chapter 1.5.3).
General information on heraldic matters may be found at
www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scottish_heraldry and
www.heraldry-scotland.co.uk.
6. Genetic Genealogy and DNA Genetic genealogy is the use of saliva DNA tests to
supplement conventional genealogy. The tests not cheap,
are rarely a panacea to solve the proverbial genealogical
“brick wall”, and can, like conventional genealogy,
identify unexpected illegitimacies. On the other hand they
can explore “deep ancestry” (i.e. ethnic origins), and show
whether or not two individuals are close cousins, although
care has to be taken to select the most appropriate test.
The most popular tests are yDNA which explore a man’s paternal ancestry (his father’s father’s fathers’.....), as this
should reflect the descent of his surname. Today there is a
DNA project for most surnames, and if one’s surname is
well represented (see www.worldfamilies.net/surnames)
then by taking a yDNA test it is often possible to identify
from which branch of the surname a man is descended.
The most popular test for this purpose is FTDNA’s 37
marker STR test costing US$149 if accessed through a
surname project (see www.familytreedna.com).
Although FTDNA is based in Houston, USA its yDNA
database is easily the world’s largest and includes strong UK representation.
For further details see Irvine 2008 and www.isogg.org.
68 TRACE YOUR ORKNEY ANCESTORS
Appendix Z
Glossary of Abbreviations and Legal and Technical Terms as used in or with Orcadian Records (see also Appendices A, V, W and X)
NB Only principal variations in spellings are included.
&c etc. @ annual (rent or interest); above a. (with date) ante, before
abbreviate abstract abuliements apparel, clothing A/C account act formal decision adhuc besides adjudication seizure of land to satisfy debt advocate barrister agnate related through father
agt against air heir aits oats alias also known as alienation sale of land aliment fund, e.g. for alimony aliter otherwise
allenarly only als as, also
A.M. M.A, i.e. Master of Arts anent concerning annexis & connexis appurtenances ante (with date) before appearand apparent art and part denoting participation in a crime ASGRA Association of Scottish Genealogists and Record Agents
assedation act of signing a lease assig., assignation assignment of rights assis, assignays assignees assize jury assoilzie acquit, judgement favouring defendant attestation act of testifying attour besides, moreover atturnay attourney
aucht eight augmentation increase in teinds and stipend avails worth, value avizandum judgement reserved b. (with date) born bailie, baillie, balzie parish official, either hereditary or appointed by sheriff bailliary jurisdiction of baillie
bairns children band promise, bond Baron Rolls freeholder records re parliamentary franchise, a.1832 barren, byrown arrears of rent baxter baker bear, beir, bere kind of barley beastial cattle, animals biggs, biggings buildings
birth brieve official writ testifying pedigree, used as a passport Bishopric Court sheriff court with jurisdiction over inhabitants of “bishopric” parishes Bishopric Estate church estates, re-allocated in 1614; ceded to Crown in 1690 bismar small local weighing device blenche ferme nominal rent (in a feudal charter)
bond obligation to commit some act, e.g. to repay a loan, with land as security Books of Council & Session: Session Court Register of Deeds
bookit booked (e.g. warrants in a register, or banns to be proclaimed) bordland private lands of early earls
brabner weaver breiff, brieve writ bro. brother brother son nephew bruik possess bu, bow large farm, not subject to run-rig burgess freeman of a burgh burgess ticket certificate of burgesry
burgh, royal town with privileges conferred by charter but without butr, butter payment in kind, used as grease c. (with date) circa, about capon castrated cock casie straw basket cast random lot casualties incidental cash items caution (pronounced ‘cayshun’) surety, security
caur., cautioner guarantor cess Scottish land tax chamberlain, chalmerlane, charlmerlane: factor of absentee landlord, e.g. of Crown estates chancellarie King’s Chancery chancery office of king’s chancellor chartulary collection of charters chantor officer of cathedral chapter
charter formal document, typically of title chirurgeon surgeon civil registration statutory requirement for registration of births, marriages and deaths clare constat recognition by superior of heirship to feudal lands clearances mass removals of tenants to enable lairds to improve their estates
codicil extension, typically to a will Commissary, -iat court, jurisdiction over matters relating to executors and testaments Commissar, -y lay officer of Commissariat commonty land owned in common, e.g. hill pasture compear appearance of defendant in court compt account c’only, (as in conly & sealy), conjunctly: each liable for whole
conqueist lands acquired by purchase or exchange, as opposed to inherited consumption tuberculosis contra against coogil cow’s grazing cordiner a shoemaker Cornet a junior military rank corroboration, bond of confirmation cost, coist 2/3 malt, 1/3 meal;
more generally, duty payable in kind cottar sub-tenant liable to give labour, later: householder liable to <£2pa rent cousin any blood relative, kinsman crofter householder liable to <£30pa rent cropt crop cunningar rabbit warren curator guardian of affairs of a minor
curia court customar customs officer d. daughter; died; penny; pennyland
TRACE YOUR ORKNEY ANCESTORS 69
Dean of Guild head of merchant association in royal burgh and member of town council decree arbitral arbitration decree, decreet, decreit final judgement or order of a court defender defending party in civil action defunct dead person demit give up depone, depose bear witness
diligence to sue or prosecute for a debt disc., discharge resign claim, forbid dispone dispose of, make a disposition disp., disposition deed granting transfer of land dittay criminal indictment DL Deputy Lieutenant do ditto dome, doom judgement domiciles household articles
dot dowry double contemporary copy DNA test for genetic genealogy d.s.p. decessit sine prole (died without issue) d.v.p. decessit vita patris (died in father’s life) Earldom Estate earldom lands; reallocated in 1614 earth and stone symbols of possession (in sasine) e.d. eldest daughter
Edr Edinburgh eik addition, typically to a confirmation elder lay member of church court enfeoff see infeft entail settlement on inheritance of estate entres interest eodem die the same day e.s. eldest son
escheat forfeiture of property evidents deeds establishing title to property excambed, excambion exchange of lands executioner dative executor of intestate estate exeris executors ex parte Regis on the side of the king extant surviving, existing extending to corresponding to
extract authorised copy f., ff, folio(s) sheet(s) in a volume (= 2 pages) factor manager of affairs of absentee laird factory deed conferring authority farthing land quarter of a pennyland ferd quarter (see Appendix X) ferry-louper incomer to Orkney (term of contempt) feu, fee, fief feudal grants; payment to servant feuar, fewar holder of feudal land
feu ferme perpetual lease (feudal charter) fiar owner of feudal land; fiars prices prices of victuals, fixed annually fl. (with date) floruit, flourished flesch meat (rent paid in kind) flit to remove to another house forsd foresaid foud governor
free (as in -gear, -rent) free of debt gear possessions General Assembly highest court of Presbyterian Church General Register national register of diligences, sasines gen(eral) serv(ice) transmission of all heritable estate on death of heritor GENUKI The UK & Ireland Genealogical Information Service
german, ger. full brother or sister girnel granary glebe land associated with vicarage goodsir(e) grandfather GR, GRS General Register of Sasines
grandsire great grandfather grassum due payable on renewal of few or lease GRH General Register House (NRS) grieve farm manager grip possess GROS General Register Office of Scotland (now NRS) guids goods, livestock guild burgh association with exclusive trade rights
haill all, whole of H.E.I.C.S. Honourable East India Company Service heir heir or here herelly, heretly heritably heritable bond right to rents to repay debt heritor landowner (other than Bishopric & Earldom) Hj., Hjaltland Shetland holm uninhabited islet horn, put to the proclaimed a debtor and outlaw
ib, ibid the same IGI International Genealogical Index (of LDS) ilk, of that same, (after surname: of the same place) imprime in the first inde in rentals: out of which in inventories: summing to indweller inhabitant infeft invest new owner of heritable property
inhibition prohibition on debtor disposing of property insets, inskyft infield liable to run-rig division instrument formal record inter alia amongst others interdict prohibition interlocutor interim judgement of a court interpone interpose intrometit interfere with another’s property
inventar, inventory list of movable possessions, writs or papers ita est i.e., the same as jam now joint parishes adjacent parishes sharing a single minister J.P. Justice of the Peace (magistrate) kail cabbage kains, kanes, kind payments in kind, produce (instead of cash) kelp ashes/slag from burning seaweed
kingsland earldom land, owned by King of Norway before 1468 kirk church ky, kye, kyne cow L, li, lib, lb pound (see Appendix V) lacuna gap, omission, e.g. in an old document laigh low lair book contemporary record of locations of graves laird landlord of tenanted estate
landmaill rent landwaiter customs official laull, lawful rightful, legal lawborrowis security against injuring a third party lawman chief justice (Norse law) lawrichtman member of parish baillie court lawthing Norse law court LDS Church of the Latter-day Saints (Mormons)
letter formal warrant or writ ley uncultivated land liferent right to income from property lint flax litster a dyer loan narrow street, track lovitt beloved m., md. married
m, meil unit of weight (= 6 settings, c80kg) mail, meale oatmeal mails, mailing, meilling: annual rent, rental value mainland main island of Orkney (term still in use) mains home farm of an estate
70 TRACE YOUR ORKNEY ANCESTORS
mair more marches land boundaries master heir-apparent, landlord
Maties Majesties meikle, mekill much, large mercat market mercht. merchant merchant laird 18th century laird and merchant trader merk, mark 13s 4d Scots money merk, merkland unit of land messuage dwelling house with adjacent property miln, mylne mill
minor boy aged 14-21, girl 12-21 Minor Registers specialist birth, marriage and death registers of Scotland and UK minute brief summary minute book chronological index moiety half mortcloth pall hired to cover a coffin at funeral mosses boggy moorland, often with peat
moveables property other than land, buildings Mr. graduate, minister of the church ms, mss manuscript(s) muirs moors, rough land multures fee of grain due to miller by tenant muniments title deeds NAS National Archives of Scotland (now NRS) natural illegitimate
NB New Brunswick; North Britain; nota bene nepos, nevoy nephew or grandchild nether lower n.d. no date NLS National Library of Scotland NOAJ New Orkney Antiquarian Journal nolt cattle, oxen not.(ary) pub.(lic) officer authorised to certify deeds
notar. inst.(rument) deed authenticated by notary novodamus charter renewing earlier charter NP Notary Public, clerk or scribe NRH New Register House (NRS) NRS National Records of Scotland nychboris neighbours O Orkney OA Orkney Archive, Kirkwall OADS Orkney Agricultural Discussion Society
ob., obit died ob., oblate halfpenny obleist bound, under obligation ob., obligation contractual commitment odal see udal offices outbuildings OFHS Orkney Family History Society OH Orkney Heritage Society newsletter
OLM Old Lore Miscellany of Viking Club OLR Old Lore Records of Viking Club OM Orkney Miscellany O.N. Old Norse onset outhouse OPRs Old Parish Registers O.S. old Scottish; Old Style (see App.W) outbreck detached piece of land
outfield, outsets arable land within hill dyke oy grandchild or nephew oyr other p, pp page(s) p. (with date) post, after pairt, pt. part (third pt = 1/3; 2pt = 2/3; 3pt = 3/4) panel prisoner par., parochin parish
parsonage teinds teinds payable to parson or prebend Particular Register County Register of Diligences, Sasines p.e., pro episcopo bishopric land
p.land, pennyland unit of land value, for skat peedie, peerie small peedie laird owner-occupier of a small property
pendicle small or detached piece of ground perambulation survey of boundaries pertinents buildings, land rights etc. planted settled planking survey and re-distribution of run-rig land plenishings furniture pnt(ed), pnts present(ed) POAS Proceedings of the Orkney Antiquarian Society Pomona erroneous name for mainland of Orkney
poinding, poynding impounding goods of debtor po’one possession portioners (udal) male and female heirs portioners (feudal) female heirs possess occupy as tenant post (with date) after PR, PRS Particular Register of Sasines p.r., pro rege king’s land (part of Earldom estate)
prebendary cathedral official, holder of parsonage teinds precept, ppt court order precognition witness’ statement prinll principal, original PRO Public Record Office, Kew (now TNA) probative writ writ containing evidence of validity pror, procurator agent, guardian Procurator Fiscal public prosecutor (Scots law)
proc’ie, procuratory authorisation to act as agent pro indivisio undivided proponit proposed propriis manibus by superior’s own hand, e.g. sasine protest legal demand for repayment of debt provost equivalent of mayor ps pays PSAS Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries
of Scotland pt., pties part, parties pultrie poultry pursuer party suing an action (plaintiff) pundlar large local weighing device Pundlar Process action by 18 lairds against Earl of Morton, 1733-59, over rents, dues, wts. & measures pupil boy under 14, girl under 12 qch which
qra against qrof whereof qua, quha as, who quarter day date when rent is payable quern hand-mill for grinding corn quhilk which quhyt white quitclaim renounce all claims
quoad sacra parish disjoined during 19th century for ecclesiastical purposes quot fee for confirming testament quoyok heifer, young cow quoy(land) enclosed land, formerly commonty r, recto top side of folio (c.f. v) RCE Register of Corrected Entries ranselman local official empowered to search
for stolen/smuggled goods ratif., ratification confirmation reddendo payment terms in feudal charter regn registration, reign regrat registered relict widow relief due payable by heir to superior rent rent or interest on a loan
rental register of tenants and their liabilities repertory catalogue repive respective
TRACE YOUR ORKNEY ANCESTORS 71
resignation surrender of land by vassal to superior ressavit received rests arrears retour service of heir retoured heir confirmed feudal heir reversione redemption of mortgaged lands rexive respective rig narrow strip of tilled land
RMS Register of the Great Seal RNE Register of Neglected Entries roithman, rothman best landed men, holder of udal rights roll list room, roum holding of land roup sale or let by public auction RSGS Royal Scottish Geographical Society run-rig medieval system of intermingled allocation of land holdings
S; s. Shetland; shilling, son SAFHS Scottish Association of Family History Societies samyn same sasine, seizing, seized formal possessing of feudal land sax six scat see skat schaltie, sheltie, shelty Shetland pony
scions descendants Scots Scots money (see Appendix V) sd said seall several sederunt court rules; chronological list of action sequels payments in kind for grinding grain service of heir transmission of heritable property servitor servant
set lease, let settin, setting unit of weight (= 24 merks) settlement form of will, disposing of land SFN Sib Folk News (journal of OFHS) SGS Society of Genealogists of Scotland shead field Sheriffdom area under the jurisdiction of a sheriff SHR Scottish Record Society
SHS Scottish Historical Society sic thus (apparent error faithfully reprinted) sickerly surely sicklyke similarly sighting contemporary reference to named person but without family relationship skaithless free of harm skat, scat Norse land tax skat s(ilve)r skat paid in cash
s.p. see d.s.p. sp(ecial) serv(ice) transmission of specified lands on death of heritor speit(t) specified spulzeit act of despoiling SRA Scottish Records Association SRO Scottish Records Office (now NRS) SRS Scottish Record Society
SSPCK Society in Scotland for Propagating Christian Knowledge state right or title steading farm building steelbow loan of farm goods by laird to tenant stent local tax, raised like cess; Stewartry area under the jurisdiction of Crown’s tacksman; the Earldom sheriffdom
stirk young cow or bull stot young ox stouk benefice or side chapel of cathedral stouklands lands whose rents funded a stouk sua so
subscribe, subscryve sign, signature subsistence farming to support occupier, without surpluses sucken obligation to use a named mill suit, suitor member of assize of a court summa sum, total superior feudal overlord superior dues, duties payments due to feudal superior s.y. same year
synod church court, under General Assembly tack lease of land, or rents or teinds thereof tacksman a tenant, specifically holder of bishopric and earldom estates from the Crown tailzie entail, settlement of heritable property on specified heirs tantum same teinds, tiends church dues, equivalent of tithes teind sheaves every tenth sheave, paid as teind
tempore in the time of tenement town building ten(n)or meaning, substance terce widow’s third of heritable rights terre, tre. land testament instrument of probate testing clause clause in a deed listing witnesses and date and place of execution
thesaurer treasurer thing see lawthing thrid third till to TNA The National Archives, Kew (ex PRO) tocher, tocherguid property given as dowry toft homestead and associated land towmale, tunmal tilled land adjacent to house, not run-rig
township group of farms, sub-division of a parish transmission (of land) gift, sale, mortgage or inheritance transumpt copy tua, twa two tutor guardian of estate of a child under 12/14 udal, uthell, odal land held without liabilities of service, but transmission subject to limitations udaller, utheller holder of udal land
UF United Free (Church) ulie oil (fish-, whale-) umql., umquhile the late, deceased UP United Presbyterian (Church) upgestrie udal deed surrendering land rights in return for favours, e.g. care in old age v, verso reverse side of folio (c.f. r) valuation register listing rental values of lands vassal recipient of feudal charter
vicarage teinds teinds payable to incumbent of parish vicecomes sheriff victuals grain crops, food violent profits occupying property without paying rent wadset pledge, mortgage of land, redeemable wardhill highest hill in district, bonfire site ware seaweed warrandice undertaking to indemnify
webster weaver wether castrated ram wrack wreck wrine written writer solicitor W.S. writer to the signet, solicitor x (with dates) between yard, yaird garden
yr. there, younger yt that z half Z., Zetland Shetland zeir year
72 TRACE YOUR ORKNEY ANCESTORS
BIBLIOGRAPHY The following only includes publications referred to in the text (other than Appendix O). For a more comprehensive list, see websites of GENUKI (Orkney pages) & OFHS (members’ only pages). Books now in print are annotated with their recommended retail prices. Many books out of copyright are digitalized on the web.
Anderson, Peter D, 1982 Robert Stewart, Earl of Orkney, Lord of Shetland, 1533-1593 -
Anderson, Peter D, 1992 Black Patie, The Life and Times of Patrick Stewart, 1565/6-1615 -
Bailey, Patrick JM, 1974, 1995 Orkney £ 7.99
Ballantyne, John H, & Smith, B, eds., 1994, 1999 Shetland Documents i, 1580-1611; ii, 1195-1579 -
Baptie, Diane, 2001 Parish Registers of the Secession Church in Scotland £ 4.00
Baptie, Diane, 2001 Parish Registers in the Kirk Session Records of the Church of Scotland £ 4.00
Barclay, Robert S, ed., 1962 The Court Book of Orkney and Shetland, 1612-1613 -
Barclay, Robert S, 1965 The Population of Orkney, 1755-1961 booklet
Barclay, Robert S, ed., 1967 SHS: Court Books of Orkney and Shetland, 1614-1615 -
Barclay, Robert S, ed., 1977 Orkney Testaments and Inventories, 1573-1615 p’back
Bardgett, Rev. Frank D, 2000 Two Millennia of Church and Community in Orkney p’back
Barry, Rev. George, 1805, 1808, 1868, 1977 History of the Orkney Islands -
Begg, James, 1924 POAS, ii, iii, iv: The Orkney Bailie Courts of Orkney -
Bell, R, 1890 Dictionary and Digest of the Law of Scotland -
Bigwood, Rosemary, 1999, 2001 Tracing Your Scottish Ancestors £ 7.99
Black, George, 1946 The Surnames of Scotland -
Bloxham, V Ben, 1970 Key to the Parochial Registers of Scotland from the Earliest times through 1854 -
Briggs, E & Morton, Ann, 1996, 2003 Biographical Resources at HBC Archives, i, ii -
Brown, Callum G Religion and Society in Scotland since 1707 £14.95
Campbell, Rev. Andrew J, 1938 Fifteen Centuries of the Church in Orkney -
Church of Latter-day Saints Scotland Research Outline (Doc. No. 32960000) $ 1.00
Clouston, J Storer, ed., 1914 SHS: Records of the Earldom of Orkney, 1299-1614 -
Clouston, J Storer, ed., 1927 The Orkney Parishes -
Clouston, J Storer, 1932 A History of Orkney -
Commonwealth War Graves Commission, 2000 The War Dead of the Commonwealth: The Orkney Isles -
Cowper, AS, 1997 SRS: SSPCK Schoolmasters 1709-1872 -
Cox, Michael, ed., 1999 Exploring Scottish History £ 9.95
Craven, Rev. John B, 1893-1901 History of the Church in Orkney i, ii, iii -
Craven, Rev. John B, 1911 Church Life in South Ronaldshay and Burray -
Craven, Rev. John B, 1912 History of the Episcopal Church in Orkney, 1688-1912 -
Dalyell, JG, 1834: Darker Superstitions of Scotland -
Denniston, Walter T, 1880 Orcadian Sketch Book -
Dobson, David, 1995 Emigrants and Adventurers from Orkney and Shetland (Part One) -
Fea, P, 1976 An Orkney Family Saga -
Fenton, Alexander, 1978, 1996 The Northern Islands: Orkney and Shetland £20.00
Fereday, Dr.Ray P, 1980 Orkney Feuds and the ’45 -
Fereday, Dr.Ray P, 1990 The Orkney Balfours, 1747-99 -
Firth, WD, 1906 Victoria Street United Free Church, Stromness, 1806-1906 -
Flett, James, 1926 POAS, v: Kirkwall Burgess Ticket of 1734 -
Fowler, Simon, 1992 Army Records for Family Historians £ 7.99
Fraser, John, 1932 POAS, x: The Orkney Fencibles -
Gibb, AD, 1946, 1971 Student’s Glossary of Scottish Legal Terms -
Gibbon, Dr SJ, 2006 Origins and Early Development of the Parochial System in the Orkney Earldom -
Gibson, Jeremy, 1994 Militia Lists and Muster Rolls, 1757-1876 £ 3.95
Gibson, William M, 1991 Auld Peedie Kirks p’back
Gooder, E, 1978 Latin for Local History -
Goodfellow, Rev. Alexander, 1903 Birsay Church History -
Goodfellow, Rev. Alexander, 1912 Sanday Church History -
Goodfellow, Rev. Alexander, 1913 OLM, vi: Rendall Congregational Church -
Gouldesbrough, Peter, 1985 Stair Society: Formulary of Scottish Documents -
Grant, Francis J, 1904 SRS: Commissariot Record of Orkney & Shetland - Orkney Testaments, 1611-1684
Gray, A, 2000 Circle of Light; the history of the Catholic Church oin Orkney since 1560 -
Harcus, Henry, 1898 Orkney Baptist Churches -
Hewison, William, ed., 1997 The Diary of Patrick Fea of Stove, Orkney, 1766-96 -
Hewison, William, 1998 Who Was Who in Orkney £14.95
HMSO, 1946 Royal Commission on the Ancient Monuments of Scotland: Orkney & Shetland, ii -
HMSO, 1977 Guide to Census Reports, 1801-1966 -
HMSO, 1996 Guide to the National Archives of Scotland £50.00
Hossack, Buckham H, 1900, 1986 Kirkwall in the Orkneys £30.00
Howie, R, 1893 The Churches and the Churchless in Scotland -
Inglis, HRG, and Main, DG, 1973 RSGS: A Guide to the Early Maps of Scotland to 1850 -
Irvine, James M, 2003a SFN, xxvi: Alias Surnames -
Irvine, James M, 2003b The Orkney Poll Taxes of the 1690s £ 9.95
Irvine, James M, 2008 SFN, xlvi DNA in Genealogy -
Irvine, James M 2009 The Breckness Estate £24.95
Irvine, James M and A Fraser, eds. 2014 (CD) Orcadian Families, by Roland St.Clair (on sale at Orkney Library & Archive) £ 8.50
James, Alwyn, 2002 Scottish Roots £ 9.99
Johnston, Alfred W, 1940 The Church in Orkney -
Johnston, Liz, 1994 St.Magnus Cathedral Gravestones -
Lamb, GAW, 1962 Education in Orkney before 1800 (in The Orcadian, April 26th
-August 8th
) -
TRACE YOUR ORKNEY ANCESTORS 73
Lamb, Gregor, 1981, 2003 Orkney Families (formerly Orkney Surnames) £14.95 Lamb, Gregor, 1993 Testimony of the Orkneyingar -
Lamb, Gregor, 1988, 1995, 2012 The OrkneyWord Book £12.50 Latham, RE, 1973 Revised Medieval Latin Word-List -
Leith, Peter, 1956 The Kirk and Parish of Stenness p’back Macgillivray, Evan, 2004 NOAJ, iii: Before the Orkney Heritage Society £12.00
Mackenzie, James, 1750 The General Grievances and Oppressions of the Isles of Orkney and Shetland - Mackenzie, Murdoch, 1750 Orcades -
Mackintosh, WR, 1885 Glimpses of Kirkwall and its People in Olden Times - Mackintosh, WR, 1889 The Orkney Crofters -
Mackintosh, WR, 1892 Curious Incidents from the Ancient Records of Kirkwall - McLaughlin, Eve, 1987 Reading Old Handwriting £ 2.00
McLaughlin, Eve, 1994 Simple Latin for Family Historians £ 2.00
Maconochie, JA, 1836 Rental of the Provostrie of Orkney in 1584 - MacWhirter, Archibald, 1956 OM, iii: Separations and Unions in the Church of Scotland -
Marwick, Ernest W, 1975 The Folklore of Orkney £ 8.99 Marwick, Hugh, 1929, 1992, 1993 The Orkney Norn -
Marwick, Hugh, 1936, 1939 Merchant Lairds of Long Ago, i, ii - Marwick, Hugh, 1939 POAS, xv: Orkney Weights and Measures in the 18
th Century -
Marwick, Hugh, 1952 Orkney Farm-Names - Marwick, Hugh, 1957 Orkney Miscellany, iv: The Baikies of Tankerness -
Marwick, Robert C, 1994, 1999 Rousay Roots - Marwick, Robert C, 1995 From my Rousay Schoolbag £ 7.50
Miller, Ronald, ed., 1985 The Third Statistical Account of Scotland - The County of Orkney - OFHS, 1999-2002 Census Returns for Orkney Parishes, 1821-1901 (153 booklets) var.
OFHS, 2002, in progress Monumental Inscriptions for Orkney Parishes (eventually c. 20 booklets) var.
Omand, Donald, ed., 2003 The Orkney Book £25.00 Palsson, Hermann & Edwards, P, 1981 Orkneyinga Saga p’back
Peterkin, Alexander, 1820 Rentals of the Ancient Earldom and Bishoprick of Orkney - Peterkin, Alexander, 1822 Notes on Orkney and Zetland -
Picken, Rev. Stuart DB, 1972 The Soul of an Orkney Parish p’back Pitcairn, Robert, 1833 Bannantyne Club: Criminal Trials in Scotland, 1488-1624 -
Pitcairn, Robert, 1837 Abbotsford Club: Trials for Witchcraft, Sorcery, and Superstition in Orkney - Pogue, Rev. PC, 1956 OM, iii: Schools in the Cairston Presbytery in the Eighteenth Century -
Pottinger, Morris, 2000 The Minutes of The Town Council of Kirkwall in the Orkneys, 1669 to 1700 p’back Registrar General, 1872 The Old Parochial Registers of Scotland -
Rendall, Jocelyn, 2002 A Jar of Seed-Corn p’back Robertson, John DM, ed,. 1991 An Orkney Anthology (works of EW Marwick) £30.00
Robinson, Mairi, 1996 Concise Scots Dictionary £ 8.99 Rollo, D, 1956 History of the Orkney and Shetland Volunteers 1793-1958 -
Rosie, Alison, 1994 SRA: Scottish Handwriting, 1500-1700 (Self Help Pack) £ 8.00
St.Clair, Roland, 1898 The St.Clairs of the Isles - Schei, Liv K and Moberg, Gunnie, 2000 The Islands of Orkney £20.00
Schrank, Gilbert, 1995 An Orkney Estate - Scott, Hew, 1928 Fasti Ecclesiae Scoticanae -
Shaw, Frances J, 1980 The Northern and Western Islands of Scotland - Simpson, Grant G, 1973, 1998 Scottish Handwriting, 1150-1650 £14.99
Sinclair, Cecil, 1994, 1997, 2003 Tracing Your Scottish Ancestors £ 9.99 Smith, John, 1907 The Church in Orkney -
Smith, K, & Watts, CT & MJ, 1998 Records of Merchant Shipping and Seamen £ 6.99 Steel, Donald J, 1970 Sources for Scottish Genealogy and Family History -
Steuart, ed. A Francis, 1898 The Diary of Thomas Brown, 1675-1693 - Stromness Church, 1999 The Kirkyards of Stromness and Graemsay £ 8.50
Sutherland-Graeme, Patrick, 1936 Pateas Amicis -
Tait, Charles, 1991, 1997, 2000 The Orkney Guide Book £17.95 Thomas, Garth, 1994 Records of the Royal Marines £ 8.95
Thomson, DP, 1956 Orkney through the Centuries booklet Thomson, Thomas, ed., 1811-16 Inquisitionum Retornatorum ad Capellam Domini Regis quae in publicus
Archivis Scotiae adhuc servantur Abbreviatio (“Retours”) - Thomson, William PL, 1978 Introduction to The Old Statistical Account - Orkney -
Thomson, William PL, 1987, 2001, 2008 (The New) History of Orkney £16.99 Thomson, William PL, 1988, 2000 The Little General and the Rousay Crofters £ 9.99
Thomson, William PL, 1989 The Eighteenth Century Church in Orkney, in Light in the North, ed. H Cant - Thomson, William PL, 1996 Lord Henry Sinclair’s 1492 Rental of Orkney -,
Thomson, William PL, 2008 Orkney Land and People £19.99 Thomosn, William PL, 2013 Orkney Crofters in Crisis £20.00
Timperley, Loretta A, ed., 1976 SRS: A Directory of Landownership in Scotland c.1770 -
Troup, James A, 2004 The Canadian Connection in The Orkney Book, ed. Omand Turner, Stanley H, 1908 The History of Local Taxation in Scotland -
Var., 1842 The New Statistical Account of Scotland - Orkney Islands - Var. eds., 1882-1914, 1984 Register of the Great Seal of Scotland, 1306-1668 (“RMS”) -
Watson, Fiona, 2001, 2002 Scotland, A History, 8000BC - AD2000 £ 9.99 Watters, Margaret, & Cormack, B & S, 1995 Notes on George Petrie, 1818-1875 (unpublished) -
Webster, Rev. David, 1910 History of the United Congregation of Kirkwall, 1796-1900 - Wenham, Sheena, 2001 A More Enterprising Spirit - The Parish & People of Holm in the 18
th Century £16.95
Wenham, Sheena, 2003 The Eastern Mainland, in The Orkney Book, ed. Omand - Wilson, Bryce, 2003 Profit Not Loss, The Story of the Baikies of Tankerness £ 8.50
Wilson, Bryce, 2013 Stromness, a History £19.50
74 TRACE YOUR ORKNEY ANCESTORS
INDEX
Aberdeen, W 36 Admiralty Courts 31, 32 Admission Registers 25, 46 Adoptions 32 Alias 66
America 6, 9, 12, 36 Anderson, PD 16, 33, 34, 36 Antiburghers 30 Antiquaries 6, 11, 34, 35, 51 Army 12, 18, 25, 26, 31, 35
Augmentations 27 Australia 6, 9 Bailies 21, 24, 29, 31
Balfour 6, 12, 27, 35, 47, 51 Banns 18, 19, 45 Baptisms 6, 8, 10, 12, 13, 18, 19, 43, 44, 45 Baptist Church 30, 31, 47 Barclay, RS 15-17, 21, 32, 43, 48, 59 Births 6, 7, 10, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 31, 43, 44, 45 Bishopric 7, 26-29, 32, 33, 35, 48, 49, 62, 63, 64, 65 Bonds 21-24, 33, 34
Books of Council and Session 34 Breckness Estate 13, 27, 35, 41, 51 Burgesses 29 Burghs 23, 24, 30, 31 Burial 10, 18, 19, 20, 52 Canada 6, 9, 13, 36 Catalogues 6, 7, 9-13, 23, 35 Catholic Church 30, 31, 47
Caution, cautioners 20, 21 Cemeteries - see Gravestones Census 6, 8, 10-14, 17, 18, 25, 43, 46 Cess 26, 29, 35 Chancery records 21, 36, 41 Charter 6, 21, 23 Chat rooms 6 Christenings - see Baptisms Church of Latter-day Saints 6, 7, 9, 10, 17-22, 24, 25, 37, 43
Church ministers 29-31 Church records 25, 26, 28, 30, 37, 43 Civil Registration 8, 10, 18, 19, 43 Clare constat 21, 23 Clearances 6 Clouston, JS 6, 15, 33, 35, 37, 48, 49, 51, 58, 59 Coastguards 35 Commissary Courts 20, 31-33, 48, 49
Commissioners of Supply 26, 29, 35, 36 Communicants 25, 46 Confidentiality 8, 14, 17, 19 Confirmation 20, 21, 23, 39 Congregational Church 30, 31, 47 Conqueist 21, 65 Contracts 19, 23, 33 Copyright 14
Council records 12, 25, 26, 29, 30, 36 Court of Session 31-34, 48, 49 Craven, Rev. AJ 30, 31, 44, 47, 51 Crofters Commissions 12, 31, 36 Crown Estate 64, 65 Curator 21, 22, 33 Custer, W 8, 17-19 Customs 12, 14, 36
Dates 7, 16, 21, 33, 34, 63
Dean of Guild Courts 31 Deaths 10, 13-15, 18, 19, 20-23, 29, 43-45 Decreets 20, 32-34, 48 Deeds 15, 19-21, 22, 23, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 49, 64 Denniston, WT 6, 51 Diligences 32, 34
Directories 12, 29, 36, 53 Divorces 18, 19
DNA 67 Earldom Estate 13, 15, 26, 27, 28-31, 34-37, 62-65 Edicts 21
Edinburgh 6-8, 9-11, 17, 18, 20, 21, 23, 28, 29, 32, 33, 63 Edinburgh Central Library 11 Edinburgh University 11, 37 Education 12, 29, 35, 36 Eiks 21 Electors 25 Emigrants 29 Entails 22
Episcopal Church 30, 31, 47 Established Church of Scotland 18, 19, 30, 31, 47 Estate records 12, 13, 19, 27-29, 35, 51, 54-56 Exchequer records 29, 41 Family History Centers 6, 7, 9, 10, 17-20 Family Records Centre 13, 18, 20 Famines 37, 63 Famous Orcadians 29
Fereday, RP 35, 36, 51 Feudal 6, 16, 22, 29, 64, 65 Fiars Courts 27, 32 Fiars Prices 27 Fishing 13, 34-36 Franchise Courts 25, 31 Fraser, A 12 Free Churches 19, 20, 30, 31, 47
Freeholders 25, 32 General Register House 10 General Register Office of Scotland 6, 8, 10, 41 GENUKI 6, 8, 9, 13, 14, 17, 18, 31, 35-37, 52 Gravestones 12, 14, 20, 40, 52 Great Seal 12, 15, 23
Guilds 31 Handwriting 6, 9, 15, 17, 24, 28 Hearth Tax 29
Heir General/Special 15, 21, 22-24, 27, 29, 30, 32, 43, 60, 64 Heraldry 35, 66 Heritor 21, 22, 26-29, 64, 65 Hewison, W 29, 51 High Court of the Justiciary 31, 48 Hornings 32, 34, 50 Hudson’s Bay Company 9, 12, 13, 36 Infeft 21, 23, 24
International Genealogy Index 7, 8, 10, 11, 13, 14, 18, 19, 43 Internet 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 14 Inventory 15, 20, 21, 33, 35 Irregular marriages 19, 31, 32 Irvine, JM 17, 26, 34, 35, 46, 51, 53, 59, 60 Jacobites 12, 30 Johnston, AW 6, 26, 28, 31, 33, 46, 49, 51, 54, 59 Justices of the Peace 12, 29, 31, 48
Kirk Sessions 19, 25, 26, 30, 31, 47 Kirkwall 6, 7, 9, 11, 12, 17, 18, 20, 22-26, 28-30, 32-34, 36-38,
41, 43-49, 52-54 Kirkwall Town Council 12, 30, 36 Kirkyards - see Gravestones Lairds 13, 30, 32, 34, 35, 37, 64, 66, 67 Landowners 7, 16, 23, 25, 64
Land Tax 25-27
Landlords 25, 33, 36 Latter-day Saints - see Church of Leask, JH 35, 51, 59 Legal system 7, 14, 15, 23, 31, 68 Liferent 20, 22-24, 30 Legal terms 6 Local history 6, 7, 14, 15, 16, 37
TRACE YOUR ORKNEY ANCESTORS 75
Lord Lyon 10, 67 MacGillivray, E 6, 35 Mackenzie, J 6, 51 Mackenzie, M 36 Mackie, D 12 Mailing Lists 8 Maps 9, 10, 11, 12, 36, 61
Marriage 8, 12-14, 18, 19, 20, 23, 31-33 Marwick, EW 6 12 Marwick, H 6, 15, 16, 26, 27, 36, 63, 65 Marwick, R 19, 35 Members of Parliament 25, 29 Merchant Lairds 64 Merchant Navy 13, 17, 35
Message Boards 8 Minor Registers 10, 18, 19, 20
Monumental Inscriptions 11-13, 20, 40, 52 Names 14, 16, 18, 19, 27, 36, 66 Naming Stone 40 Napier Commission 36 National Archives 12, 13, 20, 21, 35, 36 National Records of Scotland 6, 9, 10, 12, 13, 19-26, 28, 29,
31-36, 41, 42, 45-51, 54-60 National Library of Scotland 9, 11, 25, 35, 51
National Museum of Scotland 11 New Register House 10, 17-19 Newspapers 6, 12, 36, 53 New Zealand 6, 9 Norn 15, 16 Norse 6, 15, 16, 26, 27, 35, 37, 64, 66 North Yorkshire County Record Office 12, 13, 41, 51 Notaries Public 23-25
Novodamus 21, 33 Old Parochial Registers 8, 11-13, 18, 19, 30, 41, 43, 44
Omand, D 37 Orcadian history - see Local History Ordnance Survey 9, 36 Orkney Archive 9, 10, 12-14, 17-23, 25-29, 31-33, 35, 36,
41, 42, 44-47, 52, 54-60 Orkney County Council 29, 36
Orkney Family History Society 6, 7, 10, 11, 12, 13, 39, 45, 52, 53 Orkney Library and Archive 11, 38, 39 Orkney Room 11, 12, 31, 32, 36, 38 Parish 6-9, 12, 13, 17-21, 23, 25-31, 34-37, 43-47, 52-54, 61, 64 Parliament 25, 26, 29, 30, 34, 36, 41, 63, 65 Peedie lairds 16, 26, 64, 65 Periodicals 11, 36, 53 Peterkin, A 6, 26, 28, 37, 46, 51, 54, 55 Petitions 21, 32
Petrie, G 6, 11, 51 Photographic Archive 12 Placenames 17, 36 Planking 32, 62, 65 Poll Tax 26, 46, 53 Poor relief 26, 27, 31, 37, 46 Population 17, 31, 37 Pottinger, M 36
Presbyterian Church - see Church of Scotland Presbyteries 30, 31, 47 Primary sources 14, 15 Privy Seal 36, 41 Processes 32, 33, 48 Proclamations 19, 45 Procurator(y) 23, 32 Professional researchers 11, 13
Provosts 29 Public Record Office 9, 13, 20, 35, 41, 60 Pundlar Process 32, 36 Quakers 30 Radio Orkney 12
Reid, G 6, 35, 51 Rendall, J 51, 73 Rentals 12, 13, 26, 27, 28 Rests 27 Retours 21-23, 60 Reversion, rights of 23, 64 Road and Rogue Tax 25, 29, 31
Royal Commissions 30, 31, 33, 34, 35 Royal Navy 17, 25, 26, 35, 37 Salvation Army 30 Sasines 12, 14, 15, 19, 21, 22, 23, 24, 32-35, 41 Schoolmasters 27, 29, 35 Schools 25, 30, 31, 46 Scots currency 16, 24, 27, 62
Scots language 6, 7, 15 Scottish Archives Network 6, 9, 10, 15, 31, 35
Scottish Association of Family History Societies 9 Scottish Family History Service 9 Scottish Genealogy Society 11, 17-19, 22, 29 Scottish Land Court 12, 31, 41, 48 Scottish Record Office - see National Records of Scotland Secession Churches - see Free Churches Secondary Sources 14, 18, 35 Sequestrations 32, 34, 50
Service of heirs 15, 21-23, 32, 60 Service Records 12, 13, 35 Settlements 20, 21, 33 Sheriff Court 12, 16, 22, 27, 29, 31, 32, 33, 41, 48, 49 Sheriffs 16, 21, 22, 29, 32, 63 Shetland 10, 12, 16, 22, 23, 27, 29, 33, 34, 37, 53, 57, 66 Shetland Archives 12, 13, 41 Skat 26, 27, 64, 65
Smith, B 13, 33 Sound and Video Archive 12 Source Lists 6, 10, 12 St.Clair, R 6, 35, 51 Statistical Accounts 9, 37, 43, 48, 49 Statutory Registration - see Civil Registration Stent 26 Stewartry 24, 31-33, 48, 64, 65
Stromness Town Council 12, 29, 36 Suit Rolls 29, 32, 58 Superior dues 25, 27, 28, 64 Superiors 21, 23, 27, 64 Synods 30, 31, 47 Tacksmen 27-31, 34, 35, 64, 65 Tartans 67 Taxation 18, 25-27, 29, 32, 64, 65 Technical Terms 6, 7, 16, 21, 24
Teind Court 31, 33, 41, 48 Teinds 27, 31, 34 Tenants 7, 13, 16, 23-28, 32-36, 64, 65 Testaments 9, 10, 12, 14, 15, 20, 21, 32, 33, 43, 59, 60 Thomas Thomson House 10 Thomson, WPL 6, 16, 17, 27, 29, 30, 36, 37, 51, 54, 65 Tombstones - see Gravestones Township 8, 14, 27, 28, 36
Trade Directories 11, 29, 36, 53 Tutor 21, 22 Udal 6, 16, 20, 22-24, 26, 27, 29, 64, 65 Upgestrie 64 Uthell Buik 26 Valuations 25, 26, 28, 41 Voters 25 Wadsets 23, 33
Warrants 21, 32-34, 49 Websites 6, 7, 8-10, 12, 13, 17-21, 35-37, 67 Wenham, S 6, 29, 31, 35, 51 Whaling 36, 37 Wills 13, 20, 21
Trace Your Orkney Ancestors
As the popularity of family history continues to grow, so too do its tools: archive collections expand,
their indexing improves, new books and magazines are published, and websites proliferate. But how
accessible and costly are all these sources? How useful and readable are they, how relevant and reliable?
How should they be interpreted? How does genealogy interact with other disciplines?
Orkney represents a fascinating microsm of these wider issues. Sagas recount the ancestry of local
Vikings of the 9th century. Contemporary records have helped to unravel pedigrees spanning 20
generations; they suggest at least one farm has been inhabited by the same family since 1492; and they
can help trace ancestors of the 19th century migrants to North America and the Antipodes. Problems of
access and interpretation have been eased by catalogues, databases, digital images and guidance now
available in many libraries, at the Family History Centres of the Church of the Latter-day Saints, and on
the “web”. But there is still no substitute for personal visits to the vast archive collections in Edinburgh
and Kirkwall, and to see first-hand where your ancestors lived, maybe even the ruins of the old croft.
This is the first book to focus on tracing Orcadian ancestry. A practical guide that assumes no prior
knowledge of technical terms, it is written for both novice and experienced genealogists.
The text identifies websites, libraries and archives where sources for Orcadian genealogy can be found.
Details are included to help choose which sources are appropriate to where you live and how much time
and money you may wish to commit. Up-to-date guidance is given on the background, use, limitations
and interpretation of the various indexes and records now widely available that relate to the most useful
sources: censuses, births, baptisms, marriages, deaths, gravestones, testaments and land-ownership.
For more zealous readers the text then addresses the copious records of churches, courts, employers,
estates, schools, and local and national government that are less readily accessible but nevertheless can
reveal fascinating glimpses of Orcadian ancestors as pupils, communicants, electors, employees,
landowners, tenants, taxpayers, paupers, jurymen, witnesses, litigants, criminals and sinners.
Comprehensive appendices list numerous archive references and explain local weights and measures,
udal and feudal law, systems of land-ownership and tenancy, and local naming customs. A glossary,
bibliography, index, examples and cross-references help make this text an indispensable to everyone
interested in Orcadian family history.
Much of this text is also relevant to students of Orkney’s rich local history: sources are identified that can
ascertain the owners, tenants and rental values of Orcadian landholdings through the centuries.
the sheer ground-breaking usefulness is undeniable, and it fills a long felt want: Ray Fereday
very useful for people working in Orkney history, and those researching their ancestors: WPL Thomson
quite invaluable and just what is needed, in fact for every area of Scotland: Rosemary Bigwood
A regular visitor to Orkney from his home in Surrey, Captain Irvine draws on 50 years of experience in
tracing his descent from tenant and udal farmers in the parishes of Sandwick and St.Andrews, possibly as
far back as 1369. Before his retirement from the shipping industry in 2000 he completed distance-
learning courses with Stirling and Aberdeen Universities on Scottish family history and Orkney’s social
history. He has written and edited articles and books on Orcadian family and local history, including a
detailed account of The Breckness Estate, and is current editor of the New Orkney Antiquarian Journal.
This second edition of Trace Your Orkney Ancestors is published in CD
format by The Orkney Family History Society, 44 Junction Road, Kirkwall
KW15 1AG, www.orkneyfhs.co.uk
Copyright remains with the author, [email protected]