Where is/was Crya, Ontertown, Orkney, Stromness? COMPLETED. Thanks Ruskie

[akc]

Hi there, dont want to butt in, Ruskie has done such a good job, I was reading the book "The Breckness Estate " last night, Creya was part of the estate owned by the Breckness Estate, at Skaill House in Sandwick (www.skaillhouse.co.uk ) who owned a lot of the land on what we call " the west mainland " stretching down from Sandwick to Stromness and on to Finstown, it was tenanted by Sinclairs for most of the time, so the Isbisters were probably tenant farmers for a short while in the mid 1800,s, Innertown and Outertown are small areas just outside Stromness,both were divided into small crofts, mostly owned by the estate each with their own population and overlook the islands of Hoy and Graemsay, there is a photo and map in the book, apparently the house of Creya still exists but has been empty for a while

[Ruskie]

Hi there, dont want to butt in,

You are more than welcome to contribute (there is no such thing as butting in ) especially with such interesting information.  I think that snippets like that really add to the whole picture and I'm sure Ted's friend will be interested.

Monica - the Stokan family you found in Innertown look likely to be related to Janet/Jessie. I think that it would be quite possible to put these people into family groups as the populations were so small. (depending on how far Ted wants to take the search)

[akc]

outertown and innertown from an old map, i was out there yesterday, couldnt find the house of creya, asked the farmer at feolquoy and he had no idea where it was and he has lived there all his life so i reckon the house is gone, it has a fantastic view though

[Ruskie]

Yes! Innertown is found!  And confirmation that Crya is Creya on the NLS map. Looking at google maps there does look to still be a house in the vicinity of 'Creya' today.

Scenery looks breathtaking - you are lucky to have been able to visit akc!

Ted has posted a different thread asking for photos - I don't suppose you took any while you were there? There's not much detail to be seen on google maps - you would probably need to drive up the driveway to get closer to the house to take a decent photo. I would have liked to have known if I am right in having spotted a roofless building close to the current house. Wondering if this may be an old house, or if it is just a barn.

[tedscout]

Wow thank you so much for all everyone has done about finding Creya.

akc - thank you for the visit and asking the farmer.

Thank you Monica for the help with the maps and locations and for finding the Stockens in 1841. I wonder how John and Jessie felt leaving family behind for the other side of the world.

Luv Ted

[Ruskie]

I would be sad to leave such a beautiful place. I think many (most?) immigrants must have been unaware of the harsh conditions that awaited them. I'm sure some did have better lives, and others ... possibly not. 

The trip alone for the Isbisters must have been unimaginably hellish and every day they must have regretted ever setting out on the voyage.

I'm sure every family has a different story about how they fared after arrival. Have you checked Trove for any mentions of the Isbisters? There may be something there which gives you some clues ...

[akc]

this cottage was very close to where creya would have been, most cottages were very similar to this one a long but and ben with the byre on the end

[MonicaL]

Great photo, akc  Sunny there too today 

Monica

[Ruskie]

... but and ben ...

I have learned something new today.  Great picture.
Those derelict cottages look ripe for a makeover to me.