Introduction

Eday Grays
Margaret Gray and Thomas Reid

Margaret Gray was the youngest known child of William Gray and Barbara Allan. Her birth date is not recorded but, according to Westray Parish records, she was baptized 3 August 1809. (The actual text is one line in the parish register for the date of 3rd of August 1809:

"To William Gray and Barbray Allan a Daughter M..." Westray OPR

The rest of the name is in the fold of the book and is not legible on the microfilm copy, other than it is clear that there is a letter with a tail on it. This is probably the reason that the IGI has the name as "Mary," but it is evident from census and death records that the name is "Margaret" and the letter with the tail is a "g," not a "y.") It is not known when, or with which family members, if any, Margaret moved to the island of Eday, but she married there in 1826.

No birth or baptism records exist for Thomas Reid. According to his civil death registration, his parents were Nicol Reid and Christina Allan, and based on census returns, he was born about 1804 in Eday.

REID & GRAY - Thomas Reid and Margaret Gray residing in Eday having been proclaimed were married on the second day of July Eighteen hundred and twenty six by the Revd John Simpson before several witnesses. Eday OPR

Thomas and Margaret had seven known children:

• Barbara Reid was born 15 December 1826 and baptized two days later. Witnesses were Thos Allan and Richd. Rousay. (It is not known what relationship, of any, the witnesses had to the family, but it is interesting to note that in the 1841 census, Barbara's maternal grandmother, Barbara Allan, was in the household of a Thomas Allan.) Barbara was listed in the household with her parents and family in the1841 census, but she was not found after that.

• Ann Meil Reid was born 15 November 1828 and baptized 30 November 1828.

• John Reid was born 18 April 1832 and was baptized the following 5th of August. John was listed with the family in the 1841 census, but was not found after that.

• William Reid was born 8 January 1835 and was baptized 22 February 1835.

• Lilias Stobie Reid was born 20 May 1839 and was baptized 30 June 1839

• Maria Dobbin Davidson Reid was born 10 September 1843 and was baptized "in the home of the parents" on 10 October 1843

• Thomas Reid was born 26 October 1852 and was baptized the following 3rd of April b. 26th October 1852

Census records and other civil records generally indicate that Thomas was a crofter or agricultural worker. In 1841 the Thomas Reid family was living at Little Ha and Thomas was an Ag Labourer. In the 1851 census, the Reid family was living at Swine House and Thomas' occupation was given as a fisherman, the only time this occupation was noted. By 1861, Thomas, Margaret and their son Thomas were at Gravesend and Thomas was a crofter of four acres. Also living in the household was the family of daughter Ann, married to John Irvine. In 1871, Thomas was still at Gravesend, a crofter of five acres. His son Thomas, a fisherman, was still in the household, as was the family of daughter Lilias, married to John Wallace. In 1881, Thomas and Margaret were living at Dykeside and both were reported as invalids. All of these residences are in close proximity to one another and are on or near Calfsound at the North End of Eday. Both Thomas and Margaret died at Dykeside of "Decay of nature from Old Age." Thomas died 9 March 1882 and Margaret died 4 November 1885. Both deaths were reported by son Thomas. Thomas and Margaret are buried in the old Eday Kirkyard in the same plot as their daughter Maria.