Norman Tulloch was indeed right to caution the accuracy of the Wikipedia article on him. The quote would read more accurately as: "Originally known as Cliffdale, Balfour was built in 1787 by Thomas Balfour (1752-1799), who qualified as a Doctor in 1774 and acquired a private income a year later by marrying Frances, daughter of Field Marshall Lord Ligonier, and who had rented the Bu of Burray. With his wife's wealth, the proceeds of selling his commission as an Ensign and a loan from his elder brother John 3rd of Trenaby who made his fortune serving with the British East India Company, Balfour purchased the estate of Sound in 1784. The house of Sound had been burned down in revenge for the then owner's support of the 1745 Jacobite Rising. During the next few years, to make way for a new residence nearby, Balfour of Elwick, as he now styled himself, cleared cottars from the south-west of the island, and appropriated part of the common, building the village of Shoreside to house those evicted. In 1846 his grandson, David Balfour, inherited the estate, which now encompassed most of the island. The following year, he recruited an Edinburgh architect, David Bryce, to transform Cliffdale House into the Scottish Baronial Balfour Castle." Thomas Balfour raised the Orkney and Shetland Fencibles in 1793, being commissioned as Major. He was promoted to Colonel a year later, to raise the North Lowland Fencibles. He never saw active service. I have this information from books written by Ray Fereday and Willie Thomson, whose works OFHS members may sight in the Bibilography included as the last item in the page listing "Resources". This needs updating with Thomson's second edition of his "New History of Orkney" and his superb new "Orkney Land and People" (already - temporarly - out of print). James Irvine.

Ah! It's out of print already? WOW. Good thing I bought two copies when it first came out (one for me, and one for a special cousin's birthday present). :-) - Lisa --- James Irvine wrote: > [...] and Willie Thomson, [...] Thomson's [...] his superb new "Orkney Land and People" (already - temporarly - out of print). > > James Irvine. >