Introduction / Families / Rendall

Balfour Leigneer Craigie Rendall and Maggie Ann Gray

Balfour Leigneer Craigie Rendall and his wife Maggie Ann Gray came to Windywa around the end of December 1927 / beginning of January 1928.

Balfour, who was a son of Thomas Drever Rendall and Mary Rendall and grandson of Jemima Paul Rendall, was brought up by a great uncle and aunt at Manseboat on Eday.

Maggie was a daughter of William Reid Gray and Margaret Sinclair Fea from the Ruah, just to the west of Manseboat.

They were to have ten children including:

• William (Billy) Gray Rendall (b. 1912) who married Annie Jean Drever Seatter

• Balfour Leigneer Craigie Rendall (b. 1920) who married Mary Elizabeth Tulloch, a teacher at the Pharay School during WWII.

• Jean Gray Rendall (b. 1928) who married James (Jim) Drever on 28th August 1946. They lived in Finstown and Jim worked for the firm of Flett and Sons. They had two children. Jim died on 2nd March 1983 and Jean on 24th November 1989.

• Sarah (Cissie) Yorston Rendall (b. 1928) died of tuberculosis at the age of 14 on 28th December 1940.

The other children of Maggie Gray and Balfour Rendall have tended to be employed in farming or to marry farmers. One daughter married a serviceman during the war and left Orkney to live in Airth, Stirlingshire. Maggie Gray and Balfour Rendall were to have nineteen grandchildren.

Balfour Rendall served in World War I. This did not help his health and he died on 28th March 1937 at the age of forty three. Maggie Gray was carrying their tenth child, who was born subsequently. Balfour, their second oldest son, became the head of the household, their eldest son having already married and left.

In 1947, the family moved to a farm in Tankerness in the East Mainland of Orkney.

Maggie Gray died in hospital in Aberdeen on 10th November 1964 at the age of sixty seven. Her sons made the trip from Kirkwall to Eday by small boat, on an extremely rough day, for the interment with their father in Old Kirkyard in Eday. Their grave is about the closest to the shore.

Balfour L C Rendall Husband of Margaret A Gray Who Died 28th May 1937 Aged 43 Years. Also Their Daughter, Sarah Who Died 28th Dec 1940 Aged 14 Years And the Above Margaret Ann Gray Who Died 10th Nov 1964 Aged 67 Years