Introduction / Families / Hourston / David Hourston and Christian Drever / Jean Hourston and George Leslie

Elizabeth Stevenson Leslie and Robert Gray

Elizabeth Stevenson Leslie (b. 13th July 1857) was a daughter of George Leslie and Jean Hourston.

On 20th November 1857, she married Robert Gray (b. 13th July 1836) who was the third of the seven children of George Gray and Ann Thomson. Robert was a stonemason as was his father.

Robert and Elizabeth were at North Midhouse at the time of the 1861 census with the start of their family. The first child was born at Garth and the second at North Midhouse. They were to have six:

• Jean Gray b. 10th September 1858. She was with the family, aged twelve at the time of the 1871 census.

• Ann Gray b. 13th March 1860. She was with the family, aged eleven at the time of the 1871 census.

• Elizabeth Gray b. 9th November 1864 who married David Rendall

• George Gray b. 24th May 1868 who married Janet Logie

• Christina Gray b. 6th January 1871 who married William Thomson

• Isabella Gray b. 18th April 1873; d. 1901, Kirkwall

The family moved to Longbigging around 1862 where the last four children were born. George’s occupation also changes from stonemason to general merchant with the move to Longbigging.

Elizabeth died there on 4th October 1887 at the age of fifty four. Robert was still at Longbigging at the time of the 1891 census but is missing from Westray in 1901.

In 1901, Robert Gray was in Kirkwall at 3 Wall’s Close with his daughter Isabella Gray, now aged twenty seven. George’s occupation is given as stonemason while Isabella is a dressmaker.

He died on 21st March 1914 at the age of seventy seven.

Erected By Robert Gray In Memory of His Beloved Wife Elizabeth Leslie Born July 13th 1833 And Fell Asleep in Jesus Oct 4th 1887 The Above Robert Gray Died 21 Mar 1914 Aged 77 Years But I Thine Own Face In Righteousness Will See And In Thy Likeness When I Wake I Shall Satisfy Thee Reader God Loves Thee