Introduction / Houses

Holland

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Holland lies towards the south end of Pharay, with only the Ness to the south. It lies to the west side of the island with Windywa only a short distance to the north. There were quite a number of different families at Holland over the years.

The rental of 1810 shows the tenant as George Stevenson. The Stevensons are one of the early families and probably left the island for Eday in the 1820s.

By the 1841 and 1851 census, Holland was tenanted by Thomas Drever with his wife Christian Drever. Thomas Drever had come from Westray and is thought to be of a different Drever family from those that were so long at Windywa and also at a number of other houses on the island.

Stewart Drummond and his wife Jane Drever moved to Holland from Cott between 1851 and 1861. In the latter year, there was a separate household consisting of son in law Peter Hercus from Doggerboat, his first wife Jane Drummond and their family. Jane died in 1865 and by 1871 Peter had remarried and was back at Doggerboat.

There were probably Drummonds at Holland until around 1890. Stewart Drummond and Jane Drever’s daughter Ann Drummond married James Allan from Eday and were there from the end of 1860s, forming a separate household.

James Reid from Westray was tenant by the 1891 census and with his son Robert Reid saw the Reids continue there until 1925 when the tenancy was taken over by another Westray man, John Meil. The Meils moved to Ferness, Eday in 1936 and were followed by Henry Leslie, also from Westray. Henry and his wife moved to Lopness in Sanday and were succeeded for the last three years until 1947 by James Seator, again from Westray.