Introduction / Barbara Allan / Westray Allans / John Allan and Margaret Bews / William Allan

Andrew Allan

Andrew was baptised 20th November 1824 in the East Parish of Westray, the son of William Allan and May Irvine. He married twice:

(1) Margaret Mason
(2) Williamina Moodie

His first marriage was on 21st December 1850 to his first cousin, Margaret Mason. Margaret was the daughter of John Mason and Margaret Allan. Andrew and Margaret had eight children, all born at Sponess, Westray:

• Mary Rendall Allan, b. 18th Nov 1851, c. 7th Mar 1852, who married William Mair, an engine driver in a flourmill. She died on 30th May 1925 at Sponess. At the 1871 census she was a visitor at North Tuan in the household of Christina Drever and her father Robert Gray.

• May (Marjorie) Allan, c. 19th July 1853, who married in 1886 George Meil. In 1871 she was a servant at Patience and in 1881 she was a servant in the Meil household at Cott. She and George had at least one child, a daughter, Mary Ann Allan Meil who in 1918 married Samuel Drever. Descendants are living on Westray. May died on 21st Feb 1917.

• William Allan, c. 20th May 1855 and died in 1925, unmarried.

• John Allan, c. 21st Jan 1858, a sailor who later lived at Sponess. He was unmarried but had a daughter, Jean, born about 1884, who married John Peace in Sanday. The Peace family moved to Sponess about 1930 where they farmed both Sponess and the neighboring farm East Thorn. Jean and John had two sons who left Westray but did not live to be old. Jean was the last Allan to live at Sponess. She died on 25th April 1944, age 59.

• Andrew Allan, c. 4th Apr 1862, died 1918, unmarried

• Thomas Mason Allan, c. 29th Aug 1867, died 1918, unmarried

• Maggie Allan, c. 28 Nov 1870, never married

• Jean Allan, c.22nd July 1873, d. 24th July 1873

William, Andrew, Thomas and Margaret (Maggie) were all at Sponess in the 1881-1901 censuses. William and Andrew were described in the census records, most insensitively, as "imbecile" or "lunatic." Family members later recalled that they had very strong upper bodies but weak lower bodies.

Andrew lived all his life at Sponess where he was a farmer. Margaret died on 28th July 1873, probably due to complications of childbirth. Andrew married the second time, Williamina Moodie in 1882. They had no family. Andrew died at Sponess on 5th June 1910. A Westray cemetery has gravestones with the following inscriptions relating to this family:

In Loving Memory of Marjarie Irvine Allan Beloved Wife of George Meil who Died 21st Feb 1917 Aged 62 Years also the Above George Meil who Died 26th Feb 1941 Aged 77 Years "Christ Shall Clasp that Broken Chain closer When We Meet Again."

Erected in Loving Memory of John Peace who Died 13th March 1938 Aged 57 Years also his Wife Jane Allan who Died 25th April 1944 Aged 59 Years