Introduction / Margaret Gray and Thomas Reid / William Reid and Janet Wards

Margaret Jane Reid and David Scott

Margaret Jane (Maggie) Reid, born about 1889 in Eday, was the only daughter of William Reid and Margaret Petrie. She married David (Davie) Scott of Fort in Calfsound, Eday, on 3 December 1908. They had four children, all born on Eday:

• David Scott was born 1 August 1909. On 14 July 1939 he married Mary Jane Smith, born 1 October 1911. She died in childbirth in November 1940. David married on 13 July 1949, Elizabeth Collins or Sinclair. David was employed most of his life by the Orkney & Shetland Steam Navigation Co. where he was bosun on the St. Magnus. He had no children, and retired to Burray where he lived with his nephew, also named David Scott.

• James William Scott was born 1 November, 1911. He married Jeanie Reid Patterson of Mounthoolie, Calfsound, Eday, born 31 December 1909 and died 9 May 1984. They had two sons, Alistair and David. James had a general merchants shop at Mounthoolie and also ran a traveling van. He died 22 January 1981.

• Elizabeth Jane Scott was born 5 May 1913. She married 16 September 1931 Robert George Burgar, born 14 December 1898 and died 8 December 1979. They farmed at Shoeha, Eday. They had a son and a daughter named Elsa.

• Ellen Scott was born 17 June 1915. She married, 2 November 1932, George Robertson, born 4 August 1910, and died 27 November 1973. They had a son, David George, and a daughter, Masie. George was a farm servant at Stenoquoy, Eday. Ellen retired to Caithness beside her daughter.

Davie Scott, a navy man, was lost at sea during the First World War, on the 28th September 1916, at age 34. Maggie raised her family on Eday, and for many years ran the Eday Agricultural Co-op which supplies the needs of the islanders. She was renowned for keeping the shop open late, and could often be seen after midnight walking the two miles home to Calfsound. She died 17 October 1979, at age 91.