Introduction / Margaret Gray and Thomas Reid

William Reid and Janet Wards

According to the Eday Parish Records, "William, lawful son to Thos. Reid & Margaret Grey, was born on the 8th day of January Eighteen hundred & Thirty-five & baptized on the 22nd day of February following by the Rev. David Rintoul in presence of the Congregation." In 1841, William, his then four siblings and his parents lived in Little Ha, on the North End of Eday where his father was an Agricultural Labourer. In 1851, the family was living at Swine House, and 16-year old William was reported to be a fisherman's son. On the 12th of November 1857, William was married, at his family home at Gravesend, to Janet Wards of nearby Castles, by Walter Brock, minister of Eday. (Married at the same time was William's older sister Ann to John Irvine.) According to the civil marriage record, William signed the register, but Janet (and Ann Reid) signed with their X mark. William's profession was given as "Sailor" or "Yachtsman." The Reids of the Calfsound had the reputation of being fine sailors.

Janet Wards had been born the 2nd of November 1836 to John Wards and Margaret Cursiter, and she was baptized the following 4th of December by Rev. William Grant in the Cross Parish of Sanday. The Wards moved to the Calfsound of Eday between the censuses of 1841 and 1851; sometime during this same period Janet's mother had died. John Wards was a farmer living at Castles, Eday.

William Reid and Janet Wards had three children:

• William Reid was born the 24th of December 1857

• James Reid was born the 18th of April 1859

• Margaret Reid was born the 19th of August 1861 at West Blett, Eday

Apparently in the early 1860s William contracted a back ailment and he died the 3rd of November 1866 at Upper Cott, Eday, from "Disease of Spine" at the young age of 31. Janet continued on as a crofter at Upper Cott or Cott. She lived until just eighteen months shy of her 100th birthday, passing away on the 19th of May 1935 at West Cott of "Senile decay" after having been in ill health for a number of years. Both William and Janet are buried in the old Eday Kirkyard.