SIB FOLK NEWS - Orkney Family History Society

Issue No. 47 September 2008
Overlooking the ‘Gateway to the New World’ and steeped
in history, the Hall of Clestrain, although not quite tumbledown,
is and has been uninhabited for 50 years. It is recognised
by Historic Scotland and the Scottish Civic Trust as
an ‘A’ listed building, a critical ‘at Risk’ building.
The land of Clestrain was once part of the vast estates of
the Honeyman family and the original house was ransacked
in 1725 by the infamous Orkney pirate John Gow who was
to end his days hanging from a rope at Execution Dock in
London.
The original building was replaced in 1768 by an entirely
new Georgian building built by Patrick Honeyman, third
Laird of Graemsay.
In 1813 John Rae was born at the Hall of Clestrain. Recently
the BBC TV docurama
‘Passage’ related
the stories of the endeavours
of Rae, considered by
many to be the greatest
Arctic explorer of all time.
The programme highlighted
his service as a medical
doctor to the Hudson’s Bay
Company, his charting of
northern Canada, his discovery
of the ‘North West
Passage’ and his uncovering
the fate of the Franklyn
expedition. This later
discovery was to deny Rae
Dr John Rae
By Alan Clouston - Member No 339
his place in history as Victorian
Society attempted
to conceal the horrific truth of what actually happened to
Sir John Franklyn’s illfated 1845 expedition.
The Hall was also highlighted in the BBC2 ‘Restoration’
series in 2004, with hopes of it being restored into community
use as a heritage facility to tell the John Rae story and
within its grounds to erect a new Boat Hall and other facilities
to house Orkney’s boat collection telling stories of ‘Orkney
and the Sea’. This project continues to be advanced and
hopefully the Hall will not be left to ‘tumble down’ and will
be restored for the use of future generations.
Are you perhaps related to the Rae family in some way?
Do you have any stories or inforemation about Rae’s siblings
and their families?
If so Alan Clouston would be delighted to hear from you.
You can contact him at alan.clouston@virgin.net or at the
Orkney Family History Society office.
Space does not allow for the inclusion of the census details of the servants
who worked at the Hall between 1821 and 1901. If these are of interest to you
Alan will e-mail a copy on request.
NEWSLETTER OF THE ORKNEY FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY
HALL OF CLESTRAIN 1821 1841 1851 1861 1871 1881 1891 1901
Name age age age age age age age age
John Rae (head) 40
Margaret Rae (wife) 30
James Rae (son) 15
Jess Rae (daughter) 10
Marion Rae (daughter) 10
William Rae (son) 10
Richard Rae (son) 5
John Rae (son) 5
Thomas Rae 1
William Mackay (head) 30 42 53 62
Fanney Mackay (nee Sinclair) 35 43 54 67
Jennet Mackay (daughter) 15
George Mackay (son) 11
James Mackay (son) 9
Isabella Mackay (daughter) 6 15
William Mackay (son) 4 13 23
Margaret Mackay (d’ter) 1 11
John Mackay (son) (head) 9 28 39
Betsy Mackay (daughter) 6 17 35
Frances Mackay (daughter) 4 14 33
Richard Mackay (head) 36
Christina Mackay (wife) 37
Richard Mackay (son) 7
John Mackay (son) 5
Francis Mackay (son) 2
Jane Robina Mackay (d’ter) 5 wks
James Baillie (head) (ret’rd) 77
Margaret Baillie (wife) 69
James Baillie (son) (head) 37
Jemina Baillie (wife) 29
John W Baillie (son) 6
Jessie Baillie (daughter) 3
William B Baillie (son) (head) 43
Mary Baillie (wife) 33
James S Baillie (son) 12
Frances M Baillie (daughter) 10
William D Baillie (son) 9
Isabella J Baillie (daughter) 7
Eleanor M Baillie (daughter) 4
Alexina J Baillie (daughter) 2
Thomas L Baillie (son) 1 mth
3
Peter Maxwell (head) 30
Ellen Fotheringham ( hlf sister) 41