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Mowat - Thomson - Lyall - Sutherland

Latest From Fiona 3 March 2001
I got another message from Joan in Australia. If she’s not a long lost relative, she’s certainly a long lost neighbour!
In 1881, David Lyall and his wife, Annie Houston, were living with his brother, John Lyall at 17 Staxigoe Road! The info she’s sent me for 1881 in 17 Staxigoe Road is:
John Lyall – Fisherman age 36
David Lyall – brother (cooper) aged 28
Ann Lyall – sister in law age 23
David Lyall – nephew age 3 months
Georgina Green – age 17, general servant

From Fiona Williams 22 February 2001
I’m over the moon tonight! I’ve just received a message from a lady called Joan in Melbourne, who had seen my message on the Caithness site and she has a marriage certificate:

18 March 1880

Groom: David Lyall (cooper, journeyman) 28 years of Papigoe, son of David Lyall and Margaret Sutherland, both deceased
Bride: Annie Houston 23 years of Papigoe, daughter of James Houston (cooper) and Christina Lyall
Do you have any tips on how I could check to see if this David Lyall was the brother of my great, great grandmother Catherine?

I also now know that James and Catherine Mowat’s three sons who were lost at sea were:
Thomas (apprentice cooper born approx 1866)
David (born approx 1867)
James (born approx 1875)
I got their details from the 1881 census (but yes I’m being very careful as when I first started researching I was led completely up the wrong tree!)
I know that the family had moved to Edinburgh by 1894, as Margaret Mowat (daughter) was married there). Maybe one of the three sons (Thomas?) had a family before they died?


From Fiona Williams - [email protected] 

I first became interested in my family history many years ago as we wore a Sutherland tartan kilt, but no one knew why. I asked my great Auntie to jot some notes down for me and then came to a halt.

A year ago, when I got on line, I discovered how easy (if not expensive!) it was to get information from the General Register for Scotland. So here is the information I know:

On 4th December 1835 Thomas Mowat, a farmer in Bilbster married Catherine Thomson. Present were Alan/Aled(?) Davidson, a carpenter in Wick and Donald Bain, a farmer in Bilbster. On May 20th 1837 they had a baby boy James. George Bain, from Wick, was at the baptism.

On 9th December 1864, James Mowat (aged 26), a fish curer married Catherine Lyall a domestic worker (aged 19) in Papigoe.

Catherine’s parents were David Lyall (farmer) and Margaret Sutherland. They were married in Watten on 18th March 1841.

James Mowat and Catherine Lyall had six children. Three sons were drowned at sea (one called Thomas born 1870), one son James (born 1870) was a merchant seaman, Margaret was born 1868 and Catherine was born April 1872. Margaret had one son, Jack Craig, who lied about his age and joined the Royal Munster Fusiliers and was killed in the First World War at the Dardanelles (I have his medal). And Margaret died of cancer in Edinburgh in 1910.

James Mowat and Catherine Lyall owned fishing boats at Keiss. They lost all the boats in a storm and paid an insurance to the bereaved families, so his daughters (Margaret and Catherine) had to go to Edinburgh for work.

My great grandmother Catherine Mowatt (1872 – 1949) married William Jackson from Lesmahagow and they lived at 7 St Mary’s Street in East Wemyss, Fife.

The rest of my family history is all in Fife or South West Scotland.

I know James Mowat (the son born 1870) had three sons and three daughters and I’m hoping I can trace their ancestors.

From Caithness.org 
If you have any connection to the above information let us know and we will make links or add information.
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