At 08:57 AM 8/27/99 -0700, you wrote: >deer list > on feb 09, 1894 my grandfather WILLIAM ESSON was born in braehead, >westray. his parents were WILLIAM ESSON (farmer) and mother name was >BETSY KIRKNESS married on dec, 04, 1873 in south ronaldsay. now what im >curious about is that WILLIAM was registered nine days later in south >ronaldsay on feb,28 1894.........did william and betsy pack up there son >only a few days old and move back down to s/ronaldsay, or were all >records from the islands sent to a central register in s/ronaldsay, and >the family stayed on in braehead?? also in the 1800"s what >occupations were available to a man of westray besides farming??? The other occupations I've seen include: fisherman, mason/carpenter, merchant, weaver, tailor/dressmaker, teacher, minister, domestic servant. -The woman and children often worked too. Anne Rendall