Introduction / Westray Grays / Early Gray Families

Isabel (Isabella) Gray and William Robertson

According to the 1851 census, Isabella Gray was born in Westray and was 84 years old, which indicates a birth date of about 1767. The only Isabel/Isabella Gray christened in Westray between 1751 and 1783 was the daughter of John Gray and Barbara Gray, who was christened on 17th June 1770. Therefore, it seems likely that this Isabella Gray is the daughter of that John Gray and Barbara Gray.

She married William Robertson and had three daughters:

• Barbara Robertson, c. 9th November 1794. She married David Manson and had two children.

• Isabella Robertson, c. 8th May 1796

• Mary Robertson, c. 3rd November 1798. She married William Gray and had seven children.

In the 1841 census, Isabella was staying at Holland, Papa Westray, with her daughter Mary and her family. She was at Nether Ousness, Westray, with her daughter Barbara and her family in the 1851 census, as shown below.

1851 - Nether Ousness, Westray

	Relation	Status	Age	Occupation	Born
David Manson	Head	Married	50 years	Farmer	Westray
Barbra Manson	Wife	Married	55 years		Westray
Ann Manson	Dau	Married	27 years		Westray
David Manson	Son	Unmarried	16 years		Westray
Robert Rendall	Son in Law	Married	20 years		Westray
Isabela Gray	Mother in Law	Widow	84 years		Westray
Jean Manson	Servant	Unmarried	14 years		Westray

According to the Death Registration for his daughter Barbara, William Robertson was a farm servant, while his daughter Mary's Death Registration gives his occupation as farmer. Since Barbara's place of birth is given in the census records as Westray, and Mary's is given as Papa Westray, it looks as though the family moved from the larger island to the smaller between 1794 and 1798. No further information has been found for William; it appears that he died before the censuses began, and no record has been found for his baptism.

Isabella seems to have died in the period between the 1851 census and the beginning of civil registration in 1855; no record has been found for her death.