Is there a place called Laiwick?

[Gortinanima]

I have an army record from 1806 giving address as LAIWICK, SUTHERLAND.

I can find no trace of Laiwick in Sutherland. Are there any placenames that are similar?
Help gratefully received as I am in Ireland and not so familiar with placenames in Scotland.

[anabanana]

Hi Gortinanima,

Can you post an image of the address from the army record?

Kind regards,

A

[Gortinanima]

The address is a transcript from the online National Archives WO series - born Laiwick, Sutherland:

I have not ordered the original papers yet.

[Gadget]

Hi

The only places that come to mind are Lairg in Sutherland and Lerwick in Shetland. Maybe they thought that Shetland was part of the County of Sutherland or Lairg was pronounced with the final 'g' as a 'k' 


gnu

[anabanana]

Lairg looks the best bet = Lairg, back in the day was often pronounced Layer-ig   - what was the name of the soldier that features in the army record?

[Jeannetta]

I have an army record from 1806 giving address as LAIWICK, SUTHERLAND.

I can find no trace of Laiwick in Sutherland. Are there any placenames that are similar?
Help gratefully received as I am in Ireland and not so familiar with placenames in Scotland.


This is interesting as I am researching my GGG Grandfather, Robert Mcleod b. 1776, Sutherlnd (married to Fanny Little b. 1781 Londonderry) and have found an Army record which is very similar to the one you have quoted, and I have also tried to locate Laiwick.
Are you perhaps researching the same name?

[IanB]

The IGI records a christening of William MacLeod at Reay, Caithness on 24 April 1803; parents Robert MacLeod and Fanny Little.

I believe Reay is fairly close to the border of Sutherland, but I can't see anything resembling "Laiwick" on my map.

IanB

[Jeannetta]

Yes, it seems that Laiwick simply doesn't exist.  Someone's writing has been undeciferable.

[Wred]

If it was misheard and mistranscribed how about Melvich near Reay?