Introduction / Barbara Allan / Westray Allans / Marion Allan and James Harcus / John Harcus and Jane Drummond / Mary Hercus and James Drever

Gillies Drever and Georgina Stevenson

Gillies Drever was born on Pharay on 9th April 1859, the son of James Drever and Mary Harcus. He married Georgina Stevenson on 26th November 1886 at St. Andrews, Edinburgh. She was the daughter of George Stevenson and Ann Chalmers, born 1860 on Stronsay. At the time of their marriage both were living in Edinburgh where Gillies was a journeyman tailor and Georgina was a domestic servant. They had a family of six:

• Annie Drever, b. 21st Aug 1887, Edinburgh. She worked in Edinburgh and then returned to Kirkwall to look after her father before his death. She later lived in Portsoy, Banffshire.

• Frances M. Drever, b. 14th Aug 1889 in Edinburgh. She taught school in Birsay, Stronsay and perhaps other places in Orkney and retired in 1951 to Portsoy, Banffshire with her sister, Annie.

• John G. Drever, b. 14th Sep 1890 in Kirkwall and married Bella (Isabella) Calder in 1918. He lived in Edinburgh where he liked to garden. He had three children.

• Ebenezer Gillies Drever, b. 1896, Kirkwall, and d. 1898 at age 2

• Maisy (May, Georgina May) Drever b. 31 May 1899 in Kirkwall who married Andrew Walls in 1924 and lived in St. Ola, Orkney. They had two sons.

• Lily Drever, b. 18th April 1901 who kept house for her father and then for her sister Frances in Stronsay. She painted water colours and later lived with her sisters in Portsoy.

Gillies was orphaned when he was just ten years old and was raised by his uncle Gillies Hercus on Stronsay. He became a tailor and then moved to Edinburgh for several years during the 1880s before returning to Kirkwall. He was a tailor's cutter with Peace and Low on Broad Street. In 1891, the family was living at 34 Main Street and in 1901, they lived on Holm Road. In later years Gillies was in business on Junction Road where he worked until he was over 80. He kept birds as a hobby and won awards and medals at bird shows. Cousins remembered he was always well dressed, very polite and had a very pleasant demeanor. Upon his death in Kirkwall on 11th January 1950 at age 91 the local newspaper, the Orcadian, noted:

Reference was made from the pulpit to the passing in his 91st year of Mr. Gillies Drever, one of Kirkwall's most respected citizens, and senior elder of Paterson Church. An appreciation of his life and service to the Church was recorded with pride and gratitude, and condolences were extended to his family in their bereavement

Gillies had been a widower over 30 years as Georgina had died in 1917 near Edinburgh.