Link Historical Document

[RJ_Paton]

http://www.scan.org.uk/researchrtools/shetland_ms.htm

This notebook, 12 cm x 18 cm, with 68 pages completed, entitled 'Notes of conversations about the Old Rock'. ('The Old Rock' is a local phrase often used to describe Shetland.)

The author of the notes was Thomas Mathewson, a native of the island of Yell in Shetland who later became an episcopal church minister, first in Yell and later in Aberdeenshire. He seems to have prepared the notes around 1889-90.

The notes are about local antiquarian matters. They comprise anecdotes about local people and families, and archaeological matters, mainly about Yell, sometimes with a genealogical tinge.

[olinda]

Thomas Mathewson's notes include a detailed reference and family tree for my ancestors in Shetland. The tree starts with the Urquhart brothers (Thomas and John) who were born before 1745 and 1754 respectively. They came from the Orkneys and settled and married in Yell and Fetlar. John was my gggggfather.
Are you aware of any records for the Orkneys where I might start to look for them before they relocated to the  Shetlands?.

[Rian]

Try this site — best I know of for Orcadian and Shetland records; my ancestors are also from Orkney, Shetland and Fair Isle.

http://www.cursiter.com/

Good luck, Rian.

[olinda]

Thanks Rian. I'll let you know if I make any progress.