Stromness and Sandwick
Sandwick is a parish on the west coast of the mainland of Orkney. It is bounded by the Atlantic Ocean, and by the parishes of Birsay, Harray, Stenness, and Stronmess. (1867: The Imperial Gazetteer of Scotland, by John Marius Wilson).
Breckness
PRE-REFORMATION GOVERNANCE:
POST-REFORMATION GOVERNANCE:
In the sixteenth century the parishes of Sandwick and Stromness were united. Stromness was severed again from Sandwick in 1832. There was a chapel within the bounds at Breckness. (1928: Fasti Ecclesiæ Scoticanæ, by Hew Scott, D. D.)
Includes ministers, licentiates, assistants, readers, and clerks.
Sandwick and Stromness (QO)
Sandwick (QO)
(1928: Fasti Ecclesiæ Scoticanæ, by Hew Scott, D. D.)
Parish registers turned over to the Registrar-General, as a result of the Registration of Births, Deaths, and Marriages (Scotland) Act of 1854. The letters B. D. and M. indicate Births (or Baptisms), Deaths (or Burials), and Marriages (or Proclamations of Banns) respectively. Numbers indicate separate volumes or books. Note: These records are by no means complete or without damage; consult the Detailed List of the Old Parochial Registers of Scotland (1872) to learn more about the condition of the records.
| OPR and RD Numbers | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date Range | Name | Number | Type |
| 1727-1854 | Sandwick | 26 | OPR |
| 1855-1971 | Sandwick | 26 | RD |
| 1972-2003 | Sandwick | 140 | RD |
| 2009 | Orkney Islands, Sandwick | 140 | RD |
| 2026 | Orkney Islands Council; Harray and Sandwick Community Council | ||
(2009: Parishes and Registration Districts of Scotland - Old and New, National Records of Scotland)
Local community councils (2026) are provided as a potential source of additional information for settlements within the original boundaries of the parish. (Source)
Statistics from informal and official censuses
Brass, Flett, Garson, Harvey, Irvine, Johnston, Kirkness, Linklater, Sinclair, Spence
Note: Names appearing in research materials, other than censuses. Simple names (First name, surname only) have been omitted unless they appear associated with large properties. All women's names, and men's names with occupations, military ranks, or peerage titles are included.
By the Reverend Mr William Clouston.
"There are 45 male servants and 74 female servants in this parish; 1 shop-keeper, 7 weavers, 2 tailors, 7 shoemakers, 1 joiner, 1 mason, and 2 blacksmiths. Coarse woollen cloths and stuffs are made for household-use but in no great quanitty. Linen is also made for wearing apparel. The principal manufactures carried on here, are knitting stockings, and spinning linen yarn."
(This section contains excerpts, at times restructured or paraphrased, from an article appearing in Statistical Account of Scotland, Sir John Sinclair, 1791-1799)
Primary Sources:
Statistical Account of Scotland (1791-1799), Volume 16, p. 409
New Statistical Account of Scotland (1834-1845), Volume 15, Section III, p. 41
See Parish Page Sources for all source information and links.
