Birsay Feas
There are a number of references to Feas in Birsay, Orkney.
While it is likely that these trace back to the Feas in the North Isles
of Stronsay and Sanday, the connection is not known.
There are two lines of Feas which have been traced back to Feas in Birsay:
the descendants of James Fea of Boardhouse,
who has a son, Robert Fea (b. 1710), and those of Peter
Fea (b. 6th September 1764) and Ann Medd. Links between these Birsay
Feas and to other Birsay Feas for which there are references have not been
confirmed. There is a possibility that Peter Fea is descended
from James Fea of Boardhouse and his wife, Janet Nisbet.
These Fea families are quite early and there is only one reference to
the family in the census. That is in 1841:
1841 Census
Walkerhouse, The Barony, Birsay |
Catherine Fea
Janet Fea
Ann McDonald
James McDonald
Ann McDonald |
70 years
70
35
5
2 |
Born - Orkney
do
do
do
do |
There are a few Birsay Feas births in the IGI:
-
To James Fea - Katherin Fea (b. 26th November 1700), James Fea (b. February
1704) and Margaret Fea (b. 31st January 1719). It has not been established
if these Feas are siblings of Robert Fea (b. 1710) mentioned above as a
son of James Fea and Janet Nisbet.
-
To William Fea - Elizabeth Fea (b. 28th February 1736) and John Fea (9th
April 1739)
-
To John Fea and Margaret Taylor - Janet Fea (b. 16th June 1771), Margaret
Fea (b. 16th July 1777) and probably Ann Fea (b. 11th November 1780).
There was a Margaret in Stromness, Orkney as can be seen in the early
census of 1821. This would be around the time of the birth of Peter
Fea (b. 1764) mentioned above.
1821
No 354, Stromness |
James Flett
Margaret Fea
Ann Flett
Margaret Flett
James Flett
John Flett
Eliz Flett
Jannet Flett
Peter Flett |
44 years
44
16
10
11
9
7
5
2 |
This may well be the Margaret Fea born in Birsay. James Flett and
Margaret Fea married in 1804 and like many, had a large family.
The following births can be found in the IGI:
-
Ann Flett b. 2nd July 1804
-
Margaret Flett b. 22nd May 1806
-
James Flett b. 18th February 1810
-
John Flett b. 12th December 1811
-
Betty Flett b. 12th February 1814
-
Jannet Flett b. 20th December 1815
-
Peter Flett b. 24th February 1819
No further research has been done on this Fea \ Flett line although
it is known that Jannet Flett married James Moar (b. 1817) in 1845
and they emigrated to Australia.
