Introduction / Families / Hourston

David Hourston and Christian Fergus

We know of David Hourston and Christian Fergus only from the death registration for their son, David Houston, who died post the introduction of statutory recording of births, marriages and deaths in 1855.

David Hourston jnr was at Lochend, Eday at the time of the 1851 census. Unfortunately, and possibly due to a number of David Hourstons, there is uncertainty regarding where he was in 1841.

The 1851 census, being the first to record the island of birth as opposed to merely Orkney as was the case for the 1841 census, indicates that David Hourston jnr was born in Pharay. He was aged 77 years according to the census and consequently must have been born around 1773. His occupation was given as farm labourer.

David jnr was married to Elizabeth Cormack who was the daughter or James Cormack and Elizabeth Sandison. She was born about 1779 in Westray. There is no record of their marriage or of children in the IGI.

David died on 25th January 1856 at the age of eighty three. Elizabeth died on 31st December 1861. The informant per the death register was a neighbour.