Introduction / Westray Grays / George Gray and Margaret Seatter / George Gray and Jean Reid / Robert Gray and Christian Harcus / Christina Gray and James Drever

George Drever and Jemima Rendall

George Drever, the only son of Ann Gray and her first husband, Thomas Drever. He was born on 1st October 1845 and only three years old when his father died. His mother remarried in 1856.

George was at North Tuan in the Skelwick District of Westray at the time of the 1851 census with his mother's sister Christian Gray, who was married to James Drever, and can be found there through the succeeding censuses.

His grandfather, Robert Gray stayed with them at North Tuan, following the death of his grandmother, Christina Harcus in 1858 and can be seen there in the 1861 and 1871 censuses. He died in 1871

George Drever married Jemima Rendall (b. 22nd May 1854) on 16th May 1873. She was from Lakequoy and the daughter of David Rendall and his second wife, Catherine Drever. Jemima's aunt, Catherine Rendall had married William Drever from Gretnagreen,but it is not know if there is any direct connection between the Grays who were originally at Gretnagreen and the Drevers who were there subsequently.

George's uncle, James Drever, had died before George and Jemima married. His aunt is described in the 1871 census as a widow and farmer of 14 acres while George's occupation is given as an agricultural labourer. George continued farming there.

George and Jemima had nine children who were all born at North Tuan in Westray:

• Catherine Drever b. 13th October 1873 who married John Thomson (b. 1875) in June 1895. Catherine was a domestic servant in Kirkwall at the time. John was the son of James Thomson and Mary Scott. They had family, at least two of which were born in Kirkwall. They were back in Westray staying at No 5 Tuquoy at the time of the 1901 census. John Thomson's occupation was cattleman.

• Ann Drever b. 20th February 1875 who married John Seatter (b. 1855) from Newark in 1892. He was the son of George Seatter and Francis Stevenson. They had nine of a family of who seven married and had children of their own. George was a farmer and at Newark on 1901 with Ann and children, John, George, Robert and David.

• James Drever b. 14th March 1877

• Tomima Drever b. 13th May 1879

• John Ernest Trousdell Drever b. 14th May 1879 who married Jane Miller (b. 1883) from Taftend in Westray on 1st March 1907. She was the daughter of farmer William Miller and Jane Hewison. Jane died on 25th January 1957, aged 74 years and John died at Taftend on 9th March 1975 at the age of ninety five.

• David Drever b. 6th October 1882

• George Drever b. 6th June 1885 who married Davina Jane Leslie Drever (b. 1884) from Piggarth in Westray in 1908. She was a daughter of John Mainland Drever and Margaret Leslie. George died at East Gretna on 18th August 1965 at the age of eighty. Davina died nearly three years later on 8th April 1969 at the age of eighty three. They had family including:
  
  
  • Daniel Leslie Drever who was drowned in 1935 at the age of eighteen.
  • Catherine M Drever who died on 21st April 1943 at the age of thirty two.

• Robert Drever b. 19th November 1887

• Christina Drever b. 6th January 1891

Jemima Rendall died on 9th September 1912 at the age of 58, while George Drever died ten almost ten years later on 5th February 1922. Their gravestone also refers to George's parents, Thomas Drever and Ann Gray:

"Erected by George Drever in Memory of his Beloved Wife, Jamima S Rendall who died 9th Sept 1912, aged 58 years. Also his Father & Mother, Ann Gray Thomas Drever Who Died 26 Dec 1848 aged 35 Years. Also the Above George Drever who died 5th Feb 1922 aged 76 years."