Drummond

The Drummonds in Pharay are descended from William Drummond and his wife Barbara Groat who moved to Pharay (or possibly Eday) at some time between 1802 and 1808, based on the place of baptism of their children. Unfortunately, the OPR for Eday and Pharay does not indicate the island of birth of these children. There is also no Drummond in the rental of 1810. We do know from later censuses that their child born in 1811 was born in Pharay.

Both William and Barbara appear to have died some time prior to the introduction of the statutory recording of births, marriages and deaths in Scotland in 1855 and consequently their parents are not known.

There were no earlier Drummonds on Pharay but there is a Robert Groat recorded at Quoy in the 1810 rental. Barbara Groat does appear at Cott in the 1841 census, aged 65 years. With the rounding down of ages in that census to the five years below, she may have been born between 1771 and 1776. It is noted that the two children recorded in the OPR for Robert Groat and Elizabeth Drever were born about 1775 and 1780. It is unknown if Barbara Groat could be a daughter and William Drummond and his family were at Quoy in 1810.

William Drummond’s son, also William Drummond (born about 1808), is indicated in the 1851 census to have been born in Pharay. This could give a little weight towards a connection with the Groats at Quoy. However, his older brother who was born in Westray is also indicated in 1851 census, as having been born in Pharay but appears as born in Westray in subsequent censuses.

There are two sons of William Drummond and Barbara Groat who formed the Drummond line at houses on Pharay: