During my 36 years of researching my Caithness roots, I have recorded a lot of information in various forms. Some of you may be interested in the index to deaths/burials in Dunnet Parish that I have compiled. It has come from two sources.

The first is the OPR and from it I have 152 entries starting with Barbara Diren, a child, who died in Greenland 12 Sep 1751 and ending with Helen Bruce, of Ham, who died 15 May 1756.

The second is the receipt book from the Kirk Session Records which records 445 payments relating to the ringing of the bell (6d), the use of a shroud (1/6d) and a coffin at 3/- each. This starts in 7 July 1786, when the bell was rung for Jean Baillie, right through to 31 December 1846, when a coffin was made for James Brodie of Skarfskerry.

From this source I discovered that my 3xGreat Grandfather Donald Durran(d) was buried in Dunnet Churchyard on New Year's Day in 1829 as the family paid 6d for the bell to be rung. Where the family could not afford to erect a headstone, this is a very valuable source for family historians. If anyone thinks they might have a family member dying in Dunnet during the periods indicated, I am quite happy to look through the index for them.

Regards,

John