Linklater Velzian Tree

                                 Map of Orkney, showing where our Velzian ancestors lived.



I have been reaserching the name LINKLATER from the Orkney Islands (mainland).
My husbands great grandfather was supposedly born in Stromness, to parents John LINKLATER and Eliza Velyan (now known to be VELZIAN)

His name was James LINKLATER, he migrated to New Zealand about 1876.



Over many months this year myself and others(Wendy Middlemiss) have been looking for a James Linklater born about 1856, having the above parents, but with no luck.

In fact there was no registration for such a person at that time with those parents.
A woman living in New Zealand said he had to be illegitimate, this is what we found-:
Birth Ref.No. 1856 21/1 60
James Velzien, Illegitimate 31st August 1856 2h pm Albert Street, Kirkwall, Orkney Is


Mother: Elizabeth Velzien
Reg.by Margaret Velzien, her mark, grandmother 20.9.1856

Photo of James Linklater in New Zealand, date unknown(Colour version below)

Photo: James Linklater b.1856 with Keith Murray Linklater b. 1921 New Zealand.


This is our Elizabeth below in 1851-:****



Kirkwall  St. Ola, Orkney 1851

3/103 Victoria St
William Vellian Hd 39 joiner Evie
Margaret Vellian wf 36 Kirkwall
**Elizabeth Vellian dau 14 Walls****
William Vellian son 10 Walls
Ann Vellian dau 8 Walls
Robina Vellian daur 7 Walls
Jamima Vellian daur 6 Walls
John Vellian son 2 Kirkwall
Not bapt. Vellian daur 2days Kirkwall

***this I'm sure is the Elizabeth Velzian(Vellian)
Elizabeth VALLIEN (F)................. C: 18 Aug 1836
Father: William VALLIEN Walls And Flotta,Orkney,
Mother: Margaret CANTLEY

Brother-:
Nathaniel VALLIEN (M)................. C: 10 Dec 1834
Father: William VALLIEN Walls And Flotta,Orkney,
Mother: Margaret CANTLEY

Nathaniel  married in 1854
Nathaniel VELZIAN (M).................... B: 1834
Spouse: Isabella or Sybella LINKLATER
occupation: seaman
Here is William Velzian, son of Nathaniel Velzian and Sibella Linklater in an actual painting!!!

 “Rest after Toil”Taken from "The Breckness Estate" book by James Irvine 2009
This oil painting, measuring 1630 x 1270mm, was exhibited at the Royal Scottish Academy in 1886.
 It was said to represent “the kitchen of an Orkney fisher-farmer, in which the weary master has just returned from the fishing.  His wife, daughter, and grandchild are in the room, while his son-in-law is entering the door.  Today “Rest after Toil” is thought to depict a scene in what was the servants’ kitchen of a Sandwick Manse, now known as Flotterston.  The figures are thought to be,  from left to right:
-    William Velzian, born 7th May 1863, son of Nathaniel Velzian and Sibella Linklater of Lanquoy in Yesnaby, who was later a fisherman and married Davina Budge.
-    Margaret Wishart, born 10th September 1857, daughter of William Wishart of Hestwall and Charlotte Tullock, who was a housemaid.

 -    Nathaniel “Nathan” Velzian, born 10th December 1834 in Kirkwall, son of William Velzian of Evie and Margaret Cantley, a seaman of Langquoy in Yesnaby, who married Sibbla Linklater on 12th January 1854, and died before April 1881, possibly while fishing off France.
-    Sibella Linklater, born 4th April 1818 in Sandwick, daughter of Thomas Linklater of Forsewell and Jean Slater of Trinnigar, who married Nathaniel Linklater on 12th January 1854, died 1st February 1896 and is buried in St.Peter’s Kirkyard.  She was grandmother to Tom Bremner of Forsewell in Yesnaby, 1893-1975.

Sibblea above does have a brother John. There were twins John and James b.1837 to Thomas and Jean (Slater) LINKLATER @ Forsewell, Sandwick. But no trace of this John in the
1861 1871 or 1881 censuses. Died or gone oversea's? So its unlikely that James could be on a farm with this John and the stepmother before leaving for NZ.


In conclusion, we can't find James's father supposedly John Linklater. We know James was born in the Kirkwall area, and the other half brother, Robert born Sandwick, Forcewell, where Elizabeth's brother, Nathaniel married Sibblea Linklater.




1861 Census Place: Kirkwall,
Dwelling: 31 Albert St

                        Marr Age Sex Birthplace Occ

Margaret Velzion       W 47 F Kirkwall washerwoman

Elizabeth Velzion dauU 24  F Walls washerwoman

Jeminna                dau U 14

John                      son U 12    Kirkwall scholar

Thomas Cantley   son       2

James Velzion      g/son    4    Kirkwall*********

Robert " "                          1    Sandwick

Robert VELZIAN
No father named on the birth certificate but he was born at Forcewell,
Sandwick where Thomas and Jean Linklater also lived.

Birth Ref.No. 1859 27 19
Robert Velzian 3rd September 1859 6h 30m pm Forcewell, Sandwick
Mother: Elizabeth Velzian
Reg.By Elizabeth Velzian, her mark, mother 23.9.1859

***Now found Roberts Father:
Robert Grant Watt ALLAN b. 1838 East House, Sandwick, Orkney
Occupation: Merchant Seaman (mainly the Australian run)

Father: William ALLAN
Mother: Marjorie HUNTO

So, Robert Velzian (our James Velzian/Linklater's half brother) became

Robert Grant Watt Allan 1859 – 1908 (died Victoria, Australia)

Married Mary Jane Gamble, b. 1856 (grandmother was Jane Linay b 1832, Holm, Orkney)16 Nov 1877 Duncrow, Holm, Orkney (see marriage cert below)

The whole family moved to Australia about 1891
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

CENSUS for our James Velzian,  he has now changed his surname to Linklater
1871 Census Place:
Nth Stromness: Quholme 15 Una

First name(s)

	Last name	Relationship	Marital status	Gender	Age	Birth year	Occupation	Birth place
Alexander	Hunter	Head	Married	Male	75	1796	Farmer Of 12 Acres	Stromness, Orkney, Scotland
Margaret	Hunter	Wife	Married	Female	70	1801	-	Firth, Orkney, Scotland
Bettsy	Hunter	Daughter	Unmarried	Female	26	1845	Farmer Daur	Stromness, Orkney, Scotland
James	Linklater	Servant	Unmarried	Male	15	1856	Farm Serv	Sandwick, Orkney

When you look at the census, it seems that most teenagers left home to work at 14 years, probably that's when James left Kirkwall, maybe went to Forcewell, where they got him a job with Jean Slater's sister (Margaret Hunter above) ,at Una, Nth Stromness.

Also,
nearby-:Upper Garth contd.
Mary Paplay Hd U 32 14 acres Stromness
Adam Flett b/law M 30 carpenter Rendall
Marg sister wife 29 Stromnes
Eliza Velzian ** U 15 gen.serv Sandwick
(Nathan and Sibblea's daughter from Forcewell)
In 1871
Census Returns - Kirkwall and St Ola 1871
4/53 : Off Albert St
1 Margaret Velzian head widow age 50 Laundress born Kirkwall
2 Thomas Sclater son age 12 Scholar born Kirkwall

I have Marg Velzian living @ 53 Albert St Kirkwall
then Robert Flett age 82 @ 58 Albert St Shoemaker
Probably James stayed with his Grandmother for a while
(until the age of 14)and its likely he would have learnt his shoemaking skills with this neighbour.
Also interesting to note at the same house, the son Robert Flett age 43 was a Shipping Agent. Maybe he got the idea to emigrate through him???


Next nearest shoemaker was 88 Albert St, leather merchant employing 4 men (George Hercus W 37)
Then 119 Albert St., John White 71 yrs, Master Shoemaker, employing 3 men. & 120 Albert St., James Craigie 70 yrs shoemaker. So there were alot of shoemakers in that street alone.

Elizabeth Velzian( our James's mother) married Robert Eunson in 1862

1871 census: Holm Thistlequoy.

Robert EUNSON 36 b.Holm farmer
Elizabeth(nee Velzian) 30 b. Walls
(should be 35/34yrs)
Archibald. 7 b. Holm
Alexina 6 b. Holm
James 4 b. Holm
Margaret 2 b. Holm
Robert 8months b. Holm.


The thing is, even if John Linklater(twin) isn't the father, we are still related to the Thomas Linklater and Jean Slater Family through our Velzian side 
i.e.Nataniel Velzian, Elizabeth's brother, marrying Sibilla Linklater.

I'm sure the twin John Linklater (or another John Linkter) must have gone oversea's(maybe HSC)
probably just when Elizabeth got pregnant, then he couldn't marry her.
Probably Elizabeth went over to the Forcewell area to get some work. The other
John Linklater in the area at that time is John b. 1836, parents James and Jannet(jessie)
Linklater of Housegarth. Here he is below-:
(note this John is nowhere to be found on the 1861 census...out of country, HBC?)
1871 Census Sandwick
1 Millhouse Skaill
John Linklater M Hd 36 Meal miller Sandwick
Margaret wife 30 " (nee Clouston Sabiston )
Marg dau 4 "
John son 1 "

1881 census Sandwick, near Skaill
Dwelling: Millhouse
Census Place: Sandwick, Orkney, Scotland
Source: FHL Film 0203398 GRO Ref Volume 027 EnumDist 4 Page 1
Marr Age Sex Birthplace
John LINKLATER M 45 M Sandwick, Orkney,
Rel: Head
Occ: Miller And Farmer 5 Ac
Margt(Clouston Sabiston)M 40 F Sandwick, Orkney,
Rel: Wife
Margaret LINKLATER U 14 F Sandwick, Orkney, Scotland
Rel: Dau
Occ: Farmers Dau
John LINKLATER 11 M Sandwick, Orkney, Scotland
Rel: Son
Occ: Scholar
William LINKLATER 6 M Sandwick, Orkney, Scotland
Rel: Son
Occ: Scholar
James LINKLATER 3 M Sandwick, Orkney, Scotland
Rel: Son

In conclusion, I believe the above John b.1836 is the "best fit" to be James' father. I think this John was oversea's for a 5/10yr contract with Hudson Bay Co., maybe? When he got back Elizabeth was already married to Robert Eunson 1862, and James and Robert then lived with Elizabeth's mother.
At the age 14yrs, 1870, James left home, probably stayed with his father at Skaill, and would have visited Forcewell, where his Uncle Nathaniel was married to Sibblea Linklater. But due to not getting on with the step mother, Margaret Sabiston, he left, finding work a bit further south, at Una, Stromness, with his Uncles mother-in-laws sister(Margaret Slater).


Then when he had enough money, got a ship to NZ. In 1876 he sailed from Glasgow on the
Timaru to New Zealand.

Our name now is LINKLATER. our James VELZIAN became James Linklater on the 1871 Census and when he migrated to New Zealand, his name was James Linklater, as can be seen on his marriage certificate. (see below)

His father probably is a John Linklater from Orkney(which one, there are several possibilities), unfortunately he never married Elizabeth Velzian.
We don't know why, possibly he may have gone to Canada to work for HBC for 5/10 yr contract..

This is the ship he sailed on to NZ
LINKLATER, James, 19yr, Farm Labourer, OKI (Orkney), TIMARU (the ship), departed Glasgow 26/7/1876,
arrived Port Chalmers New Zealand 20/10/1876.

The first record I can find him in(New Zealand) is the Wises Directory of 1880/81 where he is listed as a boot maker in Woodlands, so there is a gap of about 3 years, so we think he went to Sth Is Gold Fields NZ.
Marriage
Oct 1884 and his age given as 29.
On his New Zealand death certificate the same two parents are listed death
Nov 1920 at the age of 64. Birth is given as Orkney.
Vilyan is not an Orkney name but Velzian is (there are various spellings for this name)


He may have been illegitimate and there is a suggestion that he left Orkney because he didn't get along with his step-mother. He was born James Velzian and assumed the fathers surname Linklater by 1871, as can be seen on the census.That's about all we know, wish we could find out who the John Linklater really is!

New Zealand Electrol Rolls 1896 and same for 1911

First name(s)	James
Last name	Linklater
Number	1664
Electoral year	1896
Occupation	bootmaker
Residence	Woodlands
Electorate	Awarua
Qualification	freehold
Property qualification	sec. 63, Woodlands
Country	New Zealand

In New Zealand he lived at Woodlands northeast of Invercargill
(http://www.familytreecircles.com/children-of-james-linklater-flora-mcshannon-invercargill-28475.html)

He was a Bootmaker and Saddler.
- He married Flora McSHANNON in 1884

the children of James and Flora were:

1885 - Eliza Jane Linklater
- married Albert Ernest BRANKS in 1905

1887 - Rachel Linklater
- married John Alexander Dunlop LYON in 1906

1889 - Mary Ann Linklater
- married Robert Young WHYTE in 1916

1891 - Archibald John Linklater
- married Daisy TREGONING in 1915

1894 - Flora Linklater
- married Robert Cuthbert NAIRN in 1919



1892 - James Linklater ******our line
- married Olive Gertrude Maude SCOTT in 1916

Death 12/07/1921  Invercargill, Southland, New Zealand
( unfortuately this James died age 28 yrs, leaving his wife to raise 3 young children)
 Keith Murray Linklater b 1917 d 2010, Joy Linklater b.2016 d. 2002, and Mira Linklater,
1915 to 1995.
He was a Cheesemaker and fell into a vat of curds and whey, the later developed TB.

Headstone reads:-
In loving memory of
My beloved husband
James Linklater
Who departed this life
12th July 1921
Aged 29 years
Rest cometh in the morning

James Linklater snr b. 1856, Orkney, died 19 November 1920 in Invercargill aged 63
- his last address was 'Woodlands'
- he is buried in PLOT 11 - BLOCK 16 of Eastern Cemetery (see death certificate)
Flora died 30 September 1954 in Invercrgill aged 89
- her last address was 39 Melbourne St
- she is buried with James

- their headstone (2) inscription reads:

In loving memory of
James Linklater
Beloved husband of
Flora Linklater
Who died 16th Nov 1920
Aged 63 years
Also his beloved wife
Flora
Who died 27th Sep 1954
In her 90th year
Peace, perfect peace