Introduction / Families / Reid

Elizabeth Reid and James Allan

Elizabeth Reid, daughter of John Reid and Janet Bews was was born in the Mainland parish of Deerness on 1st October 1797 and baptised the following week, on the 9th. She married James Allan on 6th April 1821 in Eday.

James was born in Kirkwall on 25th September 1795 and the son of David Allan and Elizabeth Sinclair.

Elizabeth and James had nine children born in the parish of Eday:

• Janet Allan, b. on Pharay, on 9th Dec 1821 and baptised on 10th Feb 1822. In 1851 Janet was a farm servant at Cleat, Westray. She later moved to Kirkwall where she was living with some Hercus (Harcus) nieces and working as a domestic in 1881. In 1891, still in Kirkwall, she was living with a niece Margaret Allan. Janet died in Kirkwall on 15th Mar 1892; her death was reported by her nephew David Harcus.

• David Allan, b. 4th Apr 1823, c. 31st May 1823

• Elizabeth Allan, b. 17th Nov 1825, c. 8th Jan 1826, who married William Hercus, her second cousin

• Ann Allan, b. 27th Mar 1828, c. 6th Apr 1828, who married John Gullion, her second cousin

• Sibella Bremner Allan, b. 11th Mar 1830 and c. 18th Apr 1830 in Kirkwall. In 1851 Sibella was a servant at Windywall, Pharay. Nothing more is known of her.

• John Allan, b. 28th May 1832, c. 5th Aug 1832, who married Christina Bews

• James Allan, b. 26th Aug 1834, c. 12th Oct 1834 who married Jane Groat

• Jane Allan, b. 10th Mar 1837 and c. 9th Apr 1837

• William Flett Allan, b. 6th June 1840 and c. 12th July 1840. He was a fisherman who drowned on 17th Mar 1861, at the age of 16, on the sea between Shapinsay and Eday.

It is not known where Elizabeth or James grew up, but according to their marriage record they both resided on Eday at that time. Subsequent census records for their daughter Janet consistently indicate she was born on Pharay, and Sibella was born in Kirkwall, but the other children were probably born on Eday where James and Elizabeth were living through at least 1851. By 1861, they had moved to East Laro, Shapinsay, near where some of their Gullion cousins had also settled. James was a master joiner, and a farmer. He died at East Laro on 15th May 1862. Thereafter, Elizabeth lived with her son James' family at Quoybanks, Shapinsay. The civil record of her death has not been located. The published gravestone inscription, which varies from the civil record of James' death, perhaps due to the condition of the stone, reads as follows: "Erected by Elizabeth Allan in memory of her beloved husband, James Allan, who died May 4th 1863, aged 66 years. The above Elizabeth Allan died 12th May 1886, aged 87 years."