My interest is in the origins and family of James SLATER and Robina(h) MUIR. My progress has been slow, as some of the earlier research seems to have been flawed, and I am now only reasonably confident back to James SLATER (probably born either 1757 to James SLATTER and Elspeth CRAIGIE , or just possibly born in 1748 to James SLATTER and Elisabeth LAING) and Robina(h) MUIR. At this stage the 1757 date looks much more likely, not only because the timing seems better, but the family of James SLATTER and Elisabeth LAING looks to be along a different line. I have not been able to identify anything about Robina prior to their marriage. James and Robina had five children. Ann(e) was born March 13, 1786, and seems to have married Richard HAY, a widower, and died in 1869 at Cott, Lady Parish. James was born December 19, 1787. Did he marry Margaret SINCLAIR, or possibly Jean GRAY? Elizabeth was born on July 24, 1789. Did she marry Stephen MUIR? William born June 3, 1793 presumably died before 1799, and the birth of the second William on December 27, 1799. This William married Jean/Jane GUTHRIE (daughter of William GUTHRIE and Jean CROMARTY?) on December 5, 1822. >From there the documentation is fairly sound. Their six children were born in Sanday. The family moved to Mainland soon after the birth of the youngest child in 1839. In the 1850's the family emigrated to South Australia. Any help, positive (or negative in ruling out some of the alternatives) gratefully received. Robert Slater

A group of us have been working on the genealogy of the Gray families of Westray, and have put our results on a website. The information we found about James Sclater and his wife Jane Gray can be seen at http://genealogy.northern-skies.net/gray.php?number=304 If anyone can add to the information we have, we would be happy to hear from you. Mavis Gray