My name is Iain Sutherland in Yorkshire, England, brother of Mona Black in Queensland, Australia. I try and find the dead folk while Mona works out who taught them so well!
Our Mum, Margaret Robertson, was a side School Teacher at West Langwell School near Rogart in the 1930s. Photo on the left shows Margaret as a ten year old. John MacDonald's excellent book on Rogart has mention of our Robertsons and Macbeaths from Rogart. An article our Mum wrote a long time ago has been posted on the List "The Job Was Mine for Forty Pounds a Year" - would aTeacher work for that now?
Many people in Clyne in particular owe an unacknowledged debt to Mona, who about 17 years ago, asked Jackie Maclennan, then the Registrar, to look into our Family history. The work which he did was later given out by the late Willie Gunn and I have seen two exact copies on my visits to Brora. I was even refused sight of one because "Willie gave me it"! I must admit I find this hilarious particularly as the same gentleman gladly took the information I freely gave him and has since given talks based on both.
Our family begins with John Sutherland marrying Henrietta Mackay of Rogart around 1800. Henrietta's parents were John Mackay and Merron Matheson who I cannot trace in 1805. It appears that John and Henrietta were at Ladies Loch, Clyne, on a croft to be occupied by descendants till the 1930s. John's son married Jessie Bannerman from the croft next door and in turn their son John married Margaret MacBeath of Rogart. Son Donald did as his forefathers had and married a Rogart lass, our Mum.
James MacBeath, "soldier 2nd S.F.R.", married Ann MacBeath of Reisk, Kildonan, in March 1798. They were cleared from Reisk in 1813. The next mention I have of James is his death around 1830. His son Neil was at the Doll, Clyne, with his Mother in 1841. He married Margaret Ross. Both are buried in Clyne Kirkton.
One of their sons, James or Jamus, in John's book married twice - once to Christina Sutherland then as a widower to Margaret Sutherland who's Mother was Christina Grant of Achnaggarin, Rogart.
The Reid family were at Crakaig, Loth from before 1830 till the 1930s. Williamina Reid nee Gunn married to Gordon Reid was the daughter of William Gunn and Janet Gilchrist. Williamina died in 1869 aged 100. In 1841 William Reid married Catherine Swanson of Kilmote, Loth and their son Donald was our Mum's Grandfather. Another child, Catherine, married another James MacBeath and through this union we are related to both MacBeath lines in the Doll.
Kenneth Robertson, born in Kiltarlity, was a coach driver for the Duke of Sutherland's Factor and lived for a time in Golspie. He was in Rogart having seen war service but with a bad leg in 1917 and is in the photo on Christine's Site. Kenneth's wife Minnie was born near Croy. She died in Rogart and both are buried in Rogart Cemetary.
Yorkshire, England
