Laurence GRAY
SOURCE The Isle of Foula as the birth place of Laurence Gray has been handed down. from Mary Grace (Cromarty) Johnson CENSUS: 1841-1861 (FHL- 10931, 103765, 103913); 1851 and 61 shows from Foula DEATH: Death records of Scotland ( document on hand) Shows parents (FHL 363235) NOTE Barbara Hancock of England found in an old note book of her father's showing that Lawrence Gray, who married Robina Sinclair, was a son of Walter Gray and Barbara Johnson. (Received letter from Barb 6 Jun 1990) . A pedigree sheet from the Isle of Foula sent in September 1990 shows the Parents of Laurence Gray who married Robina Sinclair as Laurence Gray and Barbara Johnsdotter. (from Sheila Gear by way of Barb Hancock, Oct 1990) ORAL TRADITION: from Mary Grace (Cromarty) Johnson of Lerwick 1971 Laurence had a brother, Walter both born at Foula. Laurence had a son named Henry and lived at Liverpool There was another brother who was drowned along with 2 sons when fishing Sillocks at the craigs (rocks) in Foula (about 1849) DEATH: day and month came from Frank Scot of Lerwick (1990) residence time of death - Breck, Twatt PARENTS: Frank Scot has them as Laurence Gray and Barbara Johnsdotter. NOTE from Frank Scot. Laurence born about 1787 (I cannot find it recorded) in Foula must have come to Walls fairly early in life. At this time the fishing boat, Sixareens, very often stayed in Foula and landed their catches there. Somehow he must have got involved in this fishing because he is recorded in various places as being a fihserman/ crofter. Anyhow he married Robina Sinclair though I cannot find the marriage recorded and all his family were born at Voe, Walls the youngest taking place in 1836. Soon after this he and most of the family moved to Breck, Twatt, Bexter as in 1841 the census shows him there age 53 farmer, Robina 50, Scott 20, Laurence 15, Usla 12, Grizel 8, and James 4. In 1851 the same seven persons are recorded and he is shown as born in Foula. Next in 1861 we find there are changes. He, Robina, Scott, Grace and Laurence are there but we find also Jane Scott 38, John Scott 9, Peter Scott 6, and Catherine Gray (Scott's Wife). There is no entry for 1871 for Breck, Twatt. His death is recorded as 28-3-1868 age 81. It would seem, from some letters to my father from a granddaughter of his that he was a dour man who paid little attention to his children but was always busy making kishies or working with fishing lines or the like.
SOURCE BIRTH: Corr: from Foula, Shetland CENSUS: 1841-1861 (FHL -101931, 103765, 103913, PLACE: 1851 Census shows from Nesting; 1861 shows from Lunesting Shetland MARRIAGE: F Scot 6 Pt 5; shows that she was the wife of Laurence Gray This was at the time of the marriage of their son Robert DEATH: Corr: from Foula and Shetland Death records of Scotland: shows parents (FHL 340240) NOTE Robina Sinclair had a brother, Thomas, who had a son Thomas who had a daughter Dora who married Coutts who had a son, Dennis. (this was word of mouth) BIRTH AND DEATH DATES: from Sheila Gear, Magdala, Foula Shetland, (17 Sep 1990) by way of Barb Hancock (also Robina from Stennestwatt Walls) BIRTH AND DEATH DATES: also from Frank Scott of "Onderhul," 15 Gressy Loan, Lerwick, Shetland ZE1 OBB Sheila had the birth date at 1793 The day and month year came from Frank Scot for the death date.(1990) NOTE - BIRTH Place is hard to read - could be spelt Lunesting - From Frank Scott (1990) - Robina Sinclair was a daughter of Robert Sinclair who was the last crofter in Vementry. Again I have not been able to find her birth though one source says she was born in Nesting another says Lunnasting. How the couple came together I don't know. After her husband died it seems the home at Twatt broke up as there is no entry for breck in the 1871 census. In that same census she appears with Laurence, her son, as head of the house at North House Aith. He is recorded as being an imbicile. She died at Stennistwatt, Walls having been registered by the Poor Inspector. How did she get there from North House? bayannie.info/Shetland has Robina born at Vementry, Aithsting
SOURCE BIRTH: Parish Registers F. Scot 6 Pt 7 for Walls, Shetland, Scot. Walls Parish film 0919496 NOTE OCCUPATION: Emigrated to Australia and became a successful Fruit farmer.
SOURCE NOTE OCCUPATION: Mate of the Persuit residing in Scalloway. Mate of the "Smack" called the Repulse Sailed skipper of the Prince of Wales, and other traders of a former generation, for many years, and was well known throughout the whole of Shetland. BOOK: Robert Gray's picture and prominent mention appears in Captain Halcow's well-known book "Sail Fisherman of Shetland." HISTORICAL: His Daughter, Jane, remembers a little dog they had when she was quite young called "Princie" after the Smack Historical: OCCUPATION: Mate of the Persuit residing in Scalloway. Mate of the "Smack" called the Repulse Sailed skipper of the Prince of Wales, and other traders of a former generation, for many years, and was well known throughout the whole of Shetland. BOOK: Robert Gray's picture and prominent mention appears in Captain Halcow's well-known book "Sail Fisherman of Shetland." HISTORICAL: His Daughter, Jane, remembers a little dog they had when she was quite young called "Princie" after the Smack
SOURCE BIRTH: Parish Registers F. Scot 6 Pt 7 for Walls, Shetland, Scot. See also FHL 919496 MARRIAGE: from Frank Scott of Lerwick 1990 I also have a marriage for the date of 4 Nov 1852? CENSUS: 1881 as husband and father at Lea Sandsting & Aithsting NOTE ORAL TRADITION from Mary Grace (Cromarty) Johnson Scott had a daughter Robina who married a Eurson " " " " Helen who married a Coults from Trondra, and they had a daughter, Katie There were two other sons (sailors) who died in America Another boy that died at 10 years of age NOTES also from Frank Scott reporting death date and place of death check marriage date 1854 or 1852
SOURCE BIRTH: Parish Registers F. Scot 6 Pt 7 for Walls, Shetland, Scot. FHL 919496 DEATH: from Frank Scot of Lerwick NOTE NAME: Jean is also known as Jane DEATH: 29 Market St. CENSUS 1881 living with her Brother, Lawrence: Dwelling: Clairmont Place, Lerwick NOTES: from Frank Scott - Born in Voe, Walls took a job as a servant with Robert Twatt also in Voe, Walls. This is shown in 1851 census. It must have been about this time when she met John Scott who had been born at Brunnatwatt only about a mile away, but the family home was at Riskuness only about a mile from Voe the opposite way from Brunnatwatt. John and Jane (Jean) married early in 1852 and must have gone almost at once to Westoe in South Shields because their first born son born in Dec 1852. They only had a few years of married life as John died of smallpox at sea in 1856. When Jane came home to Breck, Twatt, with her two boys I and not sure but the 1861 census shows them there. She and the two boys also stayed at Gardenhouse and Melby where John was a stable boy to Scott of Melby. In the 1871 census we find Jane living alone in a home in Stove, Walls so both boys had gone. John to start his career at sea which he did in 1865 and Peter surely making his way to Australia. The next I was able to find out about her was when she married a second time, to William Mouat, a widower. He is recorded as a cooper and they married in the Methodist Church, Lerwick and stayed in Hangcliff Lane. However she died in 29 Market Street and she is on the Scott Gravestone as Jane Gray, mother of John Scott. (was there a disapproval of this second marrige?) I never knew of this second marriage and only found out about it when I looked up her death certificate.
SOURCE BIRTH: Parish Registers F. Scot 6 Pt 7 for Walls, Shetland, Scot. FHL 919496 NOTE Laurence had a bad accident at age 7, almost deprived him of use of his legs. It retarded his speach. Living with his sister Jean according to the 1881 census. Dwelling: Clairmont Place Lerwick & Gulberwick, Zetland, Scotland Death date from bayannie.info/Shetland
SOURCE BIRTH: Parish Registers F. Scot 6 Pt 7 for Walls, Shetland, Scot. FHL 919496 DEATH: Frank Scott of Lerwick Ursula, Ursilla or Osla died at age 40 a widow. Death date and place and widow of Robert Johnson from scotlandspeople Could not find the marriage of Ursula Gray to Robert Johnson on scotlandspeople spelled Johnson or Johnston. Ursula is shown as a widow in 1871 with two children William. and Robina living with her unmarried brother, Laurence Gray. Laurence and Ursula's mother Robina is on record there too.
SOURCE BIRTH: Parish Registers F. Scot 6 Pt 7 for Walls, Shetland, Scot. date - from Frank Scott of Lerwick Census of Aithsting, Shetland, Scot (1841 -101931 & 1851-103765 FHL) NOTE ORAL TRADITION from Mary Grace (Cromarty) Johnson Grace married George Goodlad who was a grandson of old John Goodlad after whom a road was named and still is "Gullets Brae". He lived there. CHILDREN: Andrew (father of the Goodlads of Leith) George - Father of George Goodlad who married Winnie Stephen Robert, John and Grace (John died young) (Grace married a Copland) ADDRESS: in 1971 of Grandaughter - Mrs Alex Strachan, 9 Ibris Place, North Birwick, Scotland ( her maiden name was Johan Goodlad NAME: Grace is also known as Grizel Death date from; bayannie.info/Shetland on 1871 Census - calculating her age from census she would be born in 1836 also on 1881 census
SOURCE BIRTH: Parish Registers F. Scot 6 Pt 7 for Walls, Shetland, Scot. FHL Parish Regs. Aithsting, Shetland Scot. 919493 NOTE ORAL TRADITION from Mary Grace (Cromarty) Johnson James was known as Capt James Gray and was Piemaster at Portobella (near Edinburgh). He was there in 1913 He was a master mariner and ultimately settled in Leith MARRIAGE: to a Shetland girl called Dalziel CHILDREN: Ruby - who married a Capt J. Harwick of Leith (Dudley) Christina - who married a Andrew Mowat Helen and Jamie Death from scotlandspeople NOTE BIRTH: Aithsting is from Frank Scott of Lerwick
He married Robina Sinclair Abt 1812 at Shetland, Scotland . Robina Sinclair was born at Lunnasting, Shetland, Scotland Abt 1793 daughter of Robert Sinclair and Grizel Gray .
They were the parents of 8
children:
Walter Gray
born 13 Dec 1813.
Robert Gray
born 1 Jun 1817.
Scott Gray
born 15 Sep 1820.
Jean G. S. Gray
born 29 May 1823.
Laurence Gray
born 5 Oct 1826.
Ursula Gray
born 8 Jun 1829.
Grace Gray
born 1833/36.
James Gray
christened 8 Apr 1836.
Laurence Gray died 28 Mar 1868 at Breck, Twatt, Aithsting, Shetland, Scotland .
Robina Sinclair died 20 Feb 1874 at Stennistwatt, Walls, Shetland, Scotland .