Introduction / Families / Sinclair / Mary Sinclair and William Harcus / Robert Harcus

Robert Harcus and Margaret Rousay

Robert Harcus (b. abt 1836) was a son of Robert Harcus and Margaret Shearer and brought up at Luan, Eday.

He married Margaret Rousay (b. 19th November 1833) in Eday on 26th December 1861 at Cocklepark Eday. Margaret was the daughter of Peter Rousay and Jane Hutchison. Robert’s elder sister Margaret Harcus married his wife’s brother, Robert Rousay two years later.

Their first child was born in Eday, the two subsequent children in Rendall in the West Mainland of Orkney and the later children in Kirkwall. They were to have seven children:

• Robert Harcus, born 4th January 1863 who married Mary Reid, Blackpow on 25th March 1897. Mary was a daughter of John Reid and Ann Rousay. Robert and Mary had family. Robert died on 9th May 1945 and Mary on 9 May 1953, both in Eday.

• Jane Harcus, born 17th February 1865 who married James B McKenzie in North Leith in 1889. She died in Edinburgh on 6th July 1939.

• Margaret Harcus, born 3rd April 1867

• Peter Harcus, born 14th March 1870, who married Annie Cormack (b. 1878) in South Leith on 26th November 1903. Annie was the daughter of William Cormack and Jane Reid. Peter was a dock gateman and died in Leith on 14th August 1946.

• Isabella Harcus, born 14th May 1873.

• Johan Harcus, born 9th January 1876. The 1901 census indicates that she suffered from epilepsy. She died at Dale (Venness), Eday on 3rd April 1910.

The family were in Dunkirk, Kirkwall in 1871 when Robert’s occupation was given as fisherman. This was next to Robert’s widowed sister, Jane Harcus, who had been married to William Harcus.

They were still in Dunkirk with five of their children in 1881 but had moved back to Eday by 1891 when they were at Dale (Venness) when Robert gave the occupation crofter. Children Robert, Peter and Johan were with their parents at Dale in 1891 and just Peter and Johan in 1901 when Robert’s occupation was given as crofter and fisherman.

Robert died there on 18th March 1902 and Margaret on 15th January 1916.