Introduction / Westray Grays / Early Westray Grays / Miscellaneous Gray Information

Barbara Groat

Barbara Groat was the only known child of David Groat and Barbara Gray, and was christened in Westray on 30th May 1808. The only Barbara Gray from Westray who looks like a candidate for the mother was the daughter of John Gray and Barbara Gray, born in 1776. A gravestone in the St. Boniface churchyard, Papa Westray, says "Barbara Gray, 1808", and likely refers to the mother. It appears that she died in childbirth or shortly after.

David Groat was the son of George Groat and Janet Miller, and was born about 1786. After Barbara's death he married Mary Bigland. No record was found for their marriage, but it must have occurred about 1809, since their oldest child was christened in 1810. They are known to have had at least 10 children, including another Barbara Groat christened in 1811. David and Mary and their family were found at Quoys, Papa Westray, in the censuses of 1841 and 1851, and at Quarryhouse in 1861 and 1871. David died on 22nd February 1878, at the age of 91 years.

Barbara married William Foulis in Kirkwall on 5th March 1833. He was a merchant seaman, and no other information has yet been found for him. They had two daughters, both born in Kirkwall:

• Barbara Foulis, born 18 Sept 1833

• Mary Anne Foulis, born 6 Aug 1835

In the 1851 census the two girls were seamstresses in Kirkwall, and a note specifically stated that the head of the household was absent. At the same time, there was a Barbara Foulis, a washerwoman, age 42, married, born in Papa Westray, visiting the Davidson family at Schoolhouse, Westray, It seems likely that this was Barbara Groat.

Barbara died in Kirkwall on 28th February 1899. The informant was her niece, Mary Stout, from Papa Westray (daughter of Margaret Groat and William Harcus). No further information has been found concerning Barbara's daughters.