Introduction / Families / Groat / Robert Groat and Janet Guthrie

John Groat and Margaret Bain

John Groat (c. 28th August 1805) was the second son of Robert Groat and Janet Guthrie of Quoy. He spent most of his adult life in Westray, marrying Margaret Bain (c. 16th March 1804) around 1828/29.

Margaret was a daughter of James Bain and Janet Baikie. They are known to have had six children born in Westray:

• James Clouston Groat c. 28th Feb 1830 who married Betsy Peace

• Janet Groat c. 16th July 1832

• Robert Groat c. 9th Nov 1834 who married Mary Drever

• Elizabeth Groat c. 11th Dec 1837 who married Robert Drever

• John Groat c. 2nd July 1840 who married Stewart Seatter

• Thomas Groat c. 3rd Nov 1844. Thomas was a joiner and died in Kirkwall on 5th July 1928 at the age of eighty three.

Mary Drever and Robert Drever were siblings, the children of Thomas Drever and Jean Bain. There is no apparent connection with the Drevers in Pharay.

John Groat and Margaret Bain and their family were at North Tuan in Westray at the time of the 1841 census and Storehouse in 1851 when children Elizabeth and Thomas were still with their parents. John’s occupation at that time was given as fisherman. John and Margaret were on their own at Musgarth in Eday in 1861 where John was a ploughman. They were back in Westray at Cleat by 1871 when John’s occupation was given as farm servant.

John died at Cleat on 18th September 1881. Margaret died on 9th July 1884 at East Hammer on Westray.