Introduction / Westray Grays / Archibald Gray / Mary Ann Gray and John Tulloch / William Tulloch and Elizabeth Drever

Isabella Tulloch and Robert Reid

No record has been found for her birth or baptism, but the Death registration for Isabella Tulloch gives the names of her parents as William Tulloch and Elizabeth Drever. She was born in Westray, according to the census records, and her age in those records indicates that she was born about 1828.

Isabella was staying with her father and siblings at Nether Feold, Westray, at the time of the 1841 census, when she was 12 years old. In the 1851 census she was recorded as a Farm servant at Trenaby.

On 13^th November 1852, Isabella married Robert Reid (born 2^nd June 1832, son of Richard Reid and Marjory/May/Mary Rendall). According to her Death registration, he was a shoemaker. The IGI lists two children for them, both born in Westray:

• William Reid, born 10^th November 1855. He died at 6 months of age, on 18^th May 1856.

• Marjory (May) Reid, born 23^rd October 1857. She also died in infancy, on 5^th June 1858.

Robert Reid died on 25^th December, 1858, when he was 26 years old. In the 1861 census, Isabella was a widow staying at Westbreck with her husband's parents and siblings. She seems to have stayed at Westbreck for the rest of her life; at least, she was recorded there in each of the censuses through 1891. From 1871, though, she was living alone in her own household.

The following shows the variations in the form of her name, and in her occupation, in the census records:

1861 - Bell T. Reid, Daughter-in-law, age 32, Seamstress

1871 - Isabella Tulloch, Head, age 41, Shareholder (1/3 of 15 acres)

1881 - Bell Tullock, Head, age 51, General labourer

1891 - Isabella Reid, Lodger, age 61, Woollen spinner (even though she was recorded as a lodger, she was living alone)

Isabella died at Westbreck on 11^th June 1898.