Mowats/Westerdale/ Halkirk

**flora** · 10-Apr-10, 22:47

Hello to everyone,I have a Donaldina/Dolina Mowat married to Donald Ross 1881 at westerdale her occupation says farmers Daughter does anyone know where the Mowats where farming her Father was William and Mother Janet Tait, Donald was a journeyman shoemaker. I would be very grateful for any information ,I think Donald came from Wick Regards Flora

**phyllis ferguson** · 12-Apr-10, 09:01

I have checked the 1861 census and found a William and Janet Mowatt aged 42 and 38 respectively living in Halkirk area. Households before and after them on the record had the address Achavarn and William was a 'Land Stewart' could this be what you are looking for?

**phyllis ferguson** · 12-Apr-10, 09:13

Ignore the above I have found Donaldina age 9. Her father William is 53 and wife Jane is 47. 2 housholds previous has the address West Tormsdale and 2 households after has the address Dalmore.

Piece: SCT1861/37 Place: Halkirk -Caithness Enumeration District: 7B
Civil Parish: Halkirk Ecclesiastical Parish, Village or Island: Halkirk
Folio: 0 Page: 9 Schedule: 42
Address: -
MOWAT William Head M M 53 Farmer Caithness - Halkirk
MOWAT Jane Wife M F 47 Farmer's Wife Caithness - Halkirk Age 47 with 41 in parentheses following
MOWAT Isabella Dau U F 20 Farmer's Daughter Caithness - Halkirk
MOWAT Donaldina T Dau - F 9 Scholar Caithness - Halkirk
MCLEOD Margret Grndau - F 5 Visitor Caithness - Halkirk

**flora** · 12-Apr-10, 10:26

thank you so much Phyllis thats a great help this is the family,there was a daughter Margaret so presumablyshe married some one called mcleod hence G Daughter Margaret. I'll take a look at some maps and see if Ican pin point the place.We were up in Caithness last year but didn'thave enough information to go on so we shall return later this year hopefully this time with more info' thanks once again for your time and effort regards flora

**spittalhill** · 12-Apr-10, 17:38

Tormsdale and Dalemore are easy to find. Upstream (south) from Westerdale on the Thurso River.

**flora** · 12-Apr-10, 21:17

thanks for that Spittalhill I went on google and found Tormsdale house is this the same place?

**spittalhill** · 13-Apr-10, 16:48

If you go to www.her.highland.gov.uk, the Highland archaeological site, and enter Tormsdale in the Search box, two sites should come up - Tormsdale farmstead and Tormsdale House. The latter is in the hamlet of Westerdale, so I rather think your folk would be in one of the houses at the farmstead.

**flora** · 14-Apr-10, 09:02

Hi Spittalhill, I tried the link but it looks like it's been moved ,not to worry though I've been on Freecense and found a little more to go on in 1851 William was a farm servant living with his family at Balnatunish and in '71 he was a farmer of 73 acres but no address again, next occupants are at Upper Tongside,do you think they moved around a little or are they one and the same? thanks for your help regards Flora

**spittalhill** · 14-Apr-10, 11:12

Sorry about that! It still seems to work for me. However, if you go to the Highland Council website, www.highland.gov.uk and click on archaeology under Council Services, you should get there. Balnatunish, I think is a short distance north of Westerdale on the Thurso River, and Tongside is further north again near Loch Calder. I don't think they are the same place.

**flora** · 16-Apr-10, 10:20

thank you for that I am sure we will find it, we have a sat nav !!!!!ha! ha! Flora

**trinkie** · 17-Apr-10, 08:41

Does anyone have connections with Mowats of Skirza and Freswick?

In particular the family of James Mowat one of the last Pentland Pilots

Trinkie

**peggy** · 20-Apr-10, 16:40

Hi there,
Isabella Mowat was my great grandmother,Doaldinas sister. Isabella married John Sinclair in 1866 they lived at Westerdale.
The Mowats originally came from Strathernaver but were burnt out
in the clearances they then moved to Tormsdale.
I hope this will be of help. I would be very interested in any more
information about the more modern Mowats

**flora** · 21-Apr-10, 10:21

Hi Peggy, thanks for your very interesting reply it's the first time I have heard this story.Donaldina was my husbands G Grandmother and although we have been doing the family tree for many a long year we have only got this far on the Mowat/Ross branch and now regretably there is no one left to ask we havn't come accross any of the Mowats but we live in hope.If there are stories like yours to tell then perhaps we left the best to last. Do you know of anything we can read about their particular ordeal? If I come accross any Mowats then I will let you know, many thanks Flora

**flora** · 21-Apr-10, 13:02

Hi again been Googling and found loads to keep me busy,I found John Sinclair was a witness at Donaldina & Donalds wedding , another piece of the jigsaw found, would you know which part of Strathnaver they came from and if there are any old photo's etc' Thanks again Flora

**spittalhill** · 21-Apr-10, 13:27

A grandson of Isabella Mowat, Alastair Phillips, wrote a book of reminiscences called - "My Uncle George - The Respectable Recollections of A Backslider in a Highland Manse", in which, among other things, he recounts childhood memories of time spent at Westerdale and Tormsdale with his grandmother, Isabella and her husband, John Sinclair, the bootmaker.
I think the book is now out of print, but I was certainly able to pick up a second hand copy online. My copy was published by Pan in 1984

**Scunner** · 21-Apr-10, 14:07

A good read, especially about the procurement of a salmon for the Communion lunch. And the mention of 'Shirley Temple' who, I think is still around in Wick, somewhere.

**flora** · 22-Apr-10, 11:01

Wow! this is great,went and googled and I can definately order the book so thats my next job,thanks for the info'.Peggy would you know who the parents of William Mowat & Janet/Jane Tait where I have lots to choose between and as I can't find any male children to the marriage I have no clues other than Donaldina who I asume was named after one of their fathers and Isabella who I think was named after Williams Mother as she (if I've got the right one) is living with William and Jane on the 1861 census as a Widow any information however small will be greatly appreciated as at the moment I am clutching at straws, regards Flora

**spittalhill** · 22-Apr-10, 13:36

According to Alastair Phillips, Isabella's family hailed from Grummore in Strathnaver, Sutherland, the same village as my own ancestors. It is well worth a visit to see the remnants of the dwellings destroyed in the Clearances.

**flora** · 23-Apr-10, 08:03

Hi Spittalhill, thanks for that I've found a great map site (not google) not only was I able to find Grunmore I also found Tormsdale and Dalemore.I see there is a graveyard at Lochnaver, are they old graves or was everything destroyed along with their homes? regards Flora

**spittalhill** · 23-Apr-10, 13:45

There are a number of burial grounds in the area - the nearest is Grumbeg. You can view photographs of all the burial grounds at www.countysutherland.co.uk, but there is a one off charge of £6.00.