Introduction / Westray Grays / Early Gray Families / Isabella Gray and William Robertson

Barbara Robertson and David Manson

Barbara Robertson was the oldest child of William Robertson and his wife Isabella Gray. She was born in Westray, and christened there on 9th November 1794.

She married David Manson and had two children:

• Ann Traill Manson, christened 4th January 1824 - married Robert Rendall and had eight children.

• David Manson, b. about 1834, died unmarried in Westray in 1862

Barbara and her family were at Nether Ousness, Westray, in the 1841, 1851, and 1861 censuses. Nether Ousness was described as a farm of 21 acres, and was located in the district of Rackwick, in the north-east part of Westray.

The chart below shows the census record for the Manson household in 1861.

1861 - Nether Ousness, Westray

	Relation	Status	Age	Occupation	Born
David Manson	Head	Married	59 years	Farmer of 21 acres	Westray
Barbra Manson	Wife	Married	58 years		Westray
David Manson	Son	Unmarried	28 years		Westray
Robert Rendall	Son in Law	Married	31 years	Ploughman	Westray
Ann Rendall	Dau	Married	33 years		Westray
Barbara Rendall	Granddaughter	Unmarried	13 years		Westray
Fanny Rendall	Granddaughter	Unmarried	11 years		Westray
David Rendall	Grandson	Unmarried	9 years		Westray
John Rendall	Grandson	Unmarried	1 years		Westray

(The names and ages given above for the children do not agree with information about them from other sources.)

Barbara died 26th June 1869, according to the Death Registration, although the gravestone inscription says 5th June. David died in Kirkwall, Orkney, on 26th August 1876. He may have been buried in Kirkwall, since his death is not recorded on the monument in the graveyard on Westray.

Erected By David Manson In Memory of His Wife Barbara Robertson Who Died 5th June 1869 Aged 75 years And Their Son David Manson Who Died 1862 Aged 27 Years