Introduction

Eday and Papa Westray Grays

The Grays in Eday and Papa Westray are descendants of William Gray and Barbara Allan. Three children of this couple are known:

• William Gray b. 18th January 1806 in Westray / Papa Westray. William married Mary Robertson and lived in Papa Westray and gave rise to what we will call the Papa Westray Grays.

• John Gray b.30th July 1807 who married Janet Scott and lived in Eday.

• Margaret Gray b. 3rd August 1809 who married Thomas Reid and also lived in Eday. We will call John and Margaret and their families the Eday Grays.

Unfortunately for future genealogists and family historians, William Gray died prior to the introduction of the registration of births, marriages and deaths in Scotland in 1855 and it has yet to be established who his parents are. It is extremely likely that he comes from Westray and consequently that the Papa Westray and Eday Grays are offshoots of those in Westray.