Brotchies Steading Aerial View

You can see the remains of the Brotchie Steading Westside Dunnet Church just below the cemetery to the right of the thumb tack you can see the walls. This just goes to show you we leave are print on the earth and it remains here for all of time.

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Brotchies Steading an Excavation

Found this to be very exciting I lost a whole weekend trying to find more information. It is believed by me that possibly this was my grt grt grt gran mothers family home. Still searching for someone to say one way or the other. Their address in a census was Westside Dunnet that may very well mean (landmark) Westside Dunnet Church in that case I am correct in thinking they lived there.

Brotchie’s steading, is a ruined croft house just to the West of Dunnet Church ^[1]. It originally became the focus of archaeological interest because structural members (cruck blades) in one of the rooms were known to have been formed from a pair of whale mandibles, probably from a fin or blue whale. These are presently housed in the Dunnet Bay Visitor Centre.

An excavation by Headland Archaeology was undertaken to examine the role of whale bones as a construction material in Caithness croft houses but it quickly became apparent that the 19th/20th century croft house sits on a much older and extensive archaeological site.

Brotchie's steading facing NE showing the depth of stratigraphy

Trial trenching has shown that the bank upon which Brotchie’s steading sits is largely man-made and part of an extensive settlement mound that possibly includes a ruined broch. The earliest deposits excavated were from an occupation surface and material from this provided a date in the range 390-170BC. At the North end of the site a thick layer of stone rubble associated with a clay and stone-lined pit and two red deer antler picks was identified. Radiocarbon dating showed these to be from the 1st-3rd centuries AD. The overlying strata supported by a sequence of radiocarbon dates and datable finds indicate that the site was also a focus of human activity in the 5th, 13th and 15th centuries AD up until the early 20th century. While the full extent of the site is currently unknown the knoll upon which Dunnet Church now sits would appear to form a part of a major archaeological site that has seen almost continuous, or at least regular, occupation for over two millennia.^[2]

Canisbay Old Kirkyard

Found online my great great grand parents grave yard head stone in the Canisbay Old Kirkyard cemetery, Caithness, Scotland.
Reads:
In loving memory of George Bremner who died at Seaview, Freswick, 13 FEB 1924 aged 88 years. His wife Isabella Sinclair Geddes who died 18 SEP 1926 aged 86 years, their son William who died in Glasgow March 1911 aged 43 years.
Base : William Bremner amd mother Sinclair Rosie and sister Jean.

1. James Bremner #4471 m. 11 MAR 1783, in Canisbay, CAI, SCT,1 Isobel Sutherland #4470.
Children:
i Helen Bremner #4555 b. 1782, Canisbay, CAI, SCT, 18 APR 1782, Canisbay, CAI, SCT.1
ii Margaret Bremner #4472 b. 1784, Canisbay, CAI, SCT, 02 MAY 1784, Canisbay, CAI, SCT,1 d. in infancy.
2. iii Isobel Bremner #4556 b. 1786.
iv Margaret Bremner #4473 b. 1788, Canisbay, CAI, SCT, 29 JUN 1788, Canisbay, CAI, SCT,1 d. in infancy.
3. v Margaret Bremner #4474 b. 1790.
4. vi William Bremner #4475 b. 1793.

Second Generation

4. William Bremner #4475 (1.James1) b. 1793, Canisbay, CAI, SCT, 03 MAY 1793, Canisbay, CAI, SCT,1 occupation Farmer*, m. Sinclair Rosie #3482, b. c 1799, Canisbay, CAI, SCT,6 (daughter of Donald Rosie #32118 and Margaret Brown (?) #32119) d. 19 MAY 1895, Forse
Inn, Latheron, CAI, SCT,7 buried: Canisbay, CAI, SCT.8 William died 27 AUG 1880, Freswick, Canisbay, CAI, SCT.9 1841: Lived at
Skirza, Coast Guard. 1871: Farmer of 16 acres, 12 arable at Canisbay. Note that at wife Sinclair's death his occupation was give as "Tide
Waiter". Sinclair: 1881: Lived with son George. 1891: Lived alone in Canisbay 1891.
Children:
9. i Margaret Bremner #3490 b. 1821.
10. ii Isabel Bremner #3487 b. DEC 1822.
iii James Bremner #3488 b. DEC 1824, Canisbay, CAI, SCT, 18 DEC 1824, Canisbay, CAI, SCT.1 1841: Lived with
brothers Donald and William at Skirza, Canisbay.
iv Donald Bremner #3484 b. SEP 1827, Canisbay, CAI, SCT, 28 SEP 1827, Canisbay, CAI, SCT,1 occupation Tailor 1851, d.
02 NOV 1867, Freswick, Canisbay, CAI, SCT.10 lived with parents/family in 1851, unmarried
v William Bremner #3492 b. NOV 1829, Canisbay, CAI, SCT, 16 NOV 1829, Canisbay, CAI, SCT,1 d. 19 AUG 1848, Elzy,
CAI, SCT.11
11. vi Sinclair (Rosie) Bremner #4507 b. 1832.
12. vii George Calmer Bremner #3485 b. MAR 1835.
viii Jean Bremner #3489 b. AUG 1837, Canisbay, CAI, SCT, 21 AUG 1837, Canisbay, CAI, SCT,1 m.12 William Wilson
#31485. Jean buried: Canisbay Kirkyard, CAI, SCT. noted on MI at Canisbay (Caithness MIs Vol. 1 p 14/127), no death
date shown William: (4 children).
ix Helen Bremner #3486 b. JUL 1840, Canisbay, CAI, SCT, 27 JUL 1840, Canisbay, CAI, SCT,1 m. 19 JUN 1868, in
Canisbay, CAI, SCT,13 John Gunn #19182, b. c 1832,14 (son of George Gunn #19183 and Anne Gulloch #19184)
occupation Joiner/Crofter.

Third Generation

12. George Calmer Bremner #3485 (4.William2, 1.James1) b. MAR 1835, Canisbay, CAI, SCT, 26 MAR 1835, Canisbay, CAI, SCT,1
occupation Fisherman*, m. 06 MAR 1863, in Canisbay, CAI, SCT,55 Isabella Sinclair Geddes #4501, b. 06 NOV 1839, Canisbay, CAI,
SCT,56 25 NOV 1839, Canisbay, CAI, SCT,57 (daughter of Thomas Geddes #19178 and Mary Peddie #19179) d. 18 SEP 1926, Canisbay,
CAI, SCT.58 George died 13 FEB 1924, Canisbay, CAI, SCT,59 buried: Canisbay, CAI, SCT.58 1898: Son Donald gave George's occupation
as "Shipping Agent". 1901: Lived at Shore, Canisbay.

Children:

22. i William Bremner #4503 b. 18 NOV 1863.
ii Mary Geddes Bremner #4502 b. 11 JAN 1867, Canisbay, CAI, SCT.43 1901: Lived with parents, unmarried.
iii Donald Bremner #4504 b. c 1870, Canisbay, CAI, SCT,32 occupation House Carpenter 1901, m. 31 MAR 1898, in 19
Fernie St., Glasgow, LKS, SCT,60 Elizabeth Murray #15905, b. c 1871,61 (daughter of John Murray #38069 and Elizabeth
Moat #38070) occupation Domestic Servant, d. before 1944.62 Donald died 15 DEC 1944, Hillhead, Hillside, Montrose,
ANS, SCT.63 1898: Lived at 4 Fernie St., Glasgow with wife-to-be Elizabeth. 1901: Lived at 31 Rasberry St., Glasgow with
wife Elizabeth, no children. 1928: Informant at father's death in Canisbay. 1944: Usual residence at death, The Heather,
Freswick, CAI.
iv Isabella Bremner #4505 b. c 1875, Canisbay, CAI, SCT,32 m. 18 JUN 1897, in Canisbay, CAI, SCT,64 Alexander Cormack #38928, b. c 1873,65 (son of James Cormack #38929 and Margaret Mowat #38930) occupation Ploughman. 1891: Lived with parents. 1897: Lived in Freswick at time of marriage.
v James Bremner #4506 b. 1880, Canisbay, CAI, SCT.32

Cormack Family Home and Distant Cousins

I spent the weekend posting in various forums and Google'ng all sorts of info on my quest to find those missing links in my tree. Who were we? where did we come from? all those age old questions. I found the family home (ruins of) on google earth. Just imagine our relatives living here 100 years ago. Today that would sell for 4 million dollars if it were Malibu Beach, California.
What great beach front property.

And the long lost distant cousins I've yet to meet, doing what I am, looking.. I was curious where did they live, work, school, farm, play and pray. I looked in so many places I think I'm related to everyone from Caithness. Seriously, I've read so much material on all these other families they are like my own now. It does not help that there are so many and they are all named Alex, James George William Margaret, Isabelle John etc. Cormack though seen in Ireland Cormac, and viking Cormaig pretty much from what I can gather arrived in Caithness and all others originated from there. Good to know I'm in the right area. I found a couple posts by people who had connections with my tree but no way to contact them. To my surprise I arrived home from work today to an email from a new distant cousin.
She writes:
Mary Anne Campbell was my great granny and she was born in Melvich Sutherland. I was told she came to Olrig to work at the harvest and married my great grandfather William Mowat. She is burried in Olrig cemetry which is near where I live. My grandfather was John Mowat who married Williamina Robertson. My father was James Robertson Mowat one of a Family of 13 if he was alive he would be 105 today. I remember him speaking of Cormack cousins when I was young.

One of my questions was who was Mary Anne Campbell? It was like Christmas in August. I now know, who she was, why she was there, where she came from, and how they met. Just sending me off on more quest's. Till next time. Quillen

Rambling Recollections of Twa Roving Loons By James Cormack

While paying around with a flip book program I decided to put a book that Gran Dad wrote on line . It's titled Rambling Recollections of Twa Roving Loons By James Cormack It was printed in a string bound paperback copy right 1985, the year he passed away. Drag your cursor on the pages or just click on the bottom right and corner of a page to flip the page.

Cormack Family

George Calmers Bremner and Isabella Geddes Bremner

Isablla Cormacks parents
( from what we can gather)

James Cormack and Margaet Mowat Cormack Alexander's Parents

Isabell Bremner Cormack and Aleexander Campbell Cormack

James Ivrach Munro Cormack 27 Jan 1998~ 29 Oct 1985

Comack Family Genealogy

Searching your family history can be really exciting and tedious. I Get excited at every little turning point and disappointed at every setback. It all started when I made a post on Helmsdale.org I was researching WWI Army medals. My Grandfather James Iverach Munro Cormack born Jan. 27,1898 had lived in the village of Helmsdale as a little boy and worked at Navidale Farm. Then later had gone back for a time before returning to the United States again. He passed away at the age of 96 year old Oct 29,1985 in his sleep, at home in Santa Barbara CA. In my jewelry making I had discovered these wonderful WWI medals. My Mother had my granddad's so I tried to get some more history stumbling on to the Helmsdale website. I went through it and found a photo of James with two other fellas. After signing the guest book I was contacted by one of our long lost cousins Sandra Dodd. Her grandfather Donald Cormack was my grandfathers Father Alexander Cormacks brother. We have been in touch as she too is curious about the families history. The one really exciting thing that I have discovered is my gran dads entire line on his mother Isabella Bremner's side dating back to 1752. The info was found at Brebner.com this is a great site if you have the time to go through it. Our line is Canisbay James BREMNER and Isobel SUTHERLAND 11 MAR 1783 07 APR 2008 He notes: Another large Canisbay family, son William married Elizabeth Sinclair ROSIE. There were a couple of marriages within the family to other BREMNER cousins, which makes this one of the more complicated genealogies to trace.. Our Bremner line on the web. So with info gathering I am trying now to piece together the Comack side.
What I know so far~

1. James Iverach Munro CORMACK. Born on Jan 27 1898 in Olrig, Caithness, SCT. James died on Oct 29 1985 in Santa Brabara, California, USA; he was 87.
Parents
2. Alexander Campbell CORMACK. Born on May 27 1873 in Olrig, Caithness, SCT. Alexander died in 1962 in Grenwich, Conneticuit, USA; he was 88. Alexander married Isabella BREMNER. They had the following children ... i. George CORMACK () ii. Alexander (Alec) CORMACK () iii. Isabella (Bella) CORMACK () iv. Mary CORMACK () 1 v. James Iverach Munro CORMACK (1898 - 1985) vi. Margaret (Peggy) CORMACK (b.1900)
3. Isabella BREMNER. Born in 1875. Isabella died in 1952 in Grenwich, Conneticuit, USA; she was 77.
Grandparents
4. James CORMACK. Born on May 28 1848 in Dunnet, Caithness, SCT. James died on Nov 23 1936 in Thurso, Caithness, SCT; he was 88. On Jan 24 1873, when James was 24, he married Margaret MOWAT. They had the following children ... i. Jane CORMACK () ii. Margaret CORMACK () iii. Katherine CORMACK () iv. James CORMACK () v. Sarah CORMACK () vi. John CORMACK () vii. Donald CORMACK () viii. George CORMACK () 2 ix. Alexander Campbell CORMACK (1873 - 1962) x. Mary Anne CORMACK (1874 - 1968) xi. William CORMACK (1879 - 1972)
5. Margaret MOWAT. Born on Sep 27 1849. Margaret died on Apr 05 1940 in Thurso, Caithness, SCT; she was 90.
6. George Calmers BREMNER. Born on Mar 26 1835 in Cannisbay, Caithness, Sct,UK. George died on Feb 13 1924 in Cannisbay, Caithness, Sct, UK; he was 88. George married Isabell Sinclair GEDDES. They had the following children ... i. William BREMNER (b.1863) ii. Mary Geddes BREMNER (b.1867) iii. Donald BREMNER (1870 - 1944) 3 iv. Isabella BREMNER (1875 - 1952) v. James BREMNER (b.1880)
7. Isabell Sinclair GEDDES. Born on Nov 06 1839 in Cannisbay, Caithness, Sct,UK. Isabell died on Sep 18 1926 in Cannisbay, Caithness, Sct, UK; she was 86.
G Grandparents
8. Alexander CORMACK. Born on Feb 08 1824 in Dunnet, Caithness, SCT. Alexander died on Feb 09 1907 in Thurso, Caithness, SCT; he was 83. On Aug 08 1846, when Alexander was 22, he married Jane BROTCHIE. They had the following children ... i. William CORMACK (b.1846) 4 ii. James CORMACK (1848 - 1936) iii. John CORMACK (b.1851) iv. Jane CORMACK (b.1854)
9. Jane BROTCHIE. Born on May 29 1826 in Dunnet, Caithness, SCT. Jane died on Dec 09 1906 in Olrig, Caithness, SCT; she was 80.
10. William MOWAT. William married Mary Anne CAMPBELL. They had the following children ... 5 i. Margaret MOWAT (1849 - 1940) ii. William MOWAT (b.1850) iii. James MOWAT (b.1852) iv. Catherine MOWAT (b.1856) v. Donald MOWAT (b.1858) vi. Janet MOWAT (b.1860) vii. Sarah MOWAT (b.1864) viii. John MOWAT (b.1865) ix. Mary Anne MOWAT (b.1870) x. Janet MOWAT (b.1871)
11. Mary Anne CAMPBELL. Born in Watten.
12. William BREMNER. Born on May 03 1793 in Cannisbay, Caithness, Sct,UK. William died on Aug 27 1880 in Freswick, Caithness, SCT, UK; he was 87. William married Sinclair ROSIE. They had the following children ... i. Margaret BREMNER (b.1821) ii. Isabel BREMNER (b.1822) iii. James BREMNER (b.1824) iv. Donald BREMNER (1827 - 1867) v. William BREMNER (1829 - 1848) vi. Sinclair Rosie BREMNER (b.1832) 6 vii. George Calmers BREMNER (1835 - 1924) viii. Jean BREMNER (b.1837) ix. Helen BREMNER (b.1840)
13. Sinclair ROSIE. Born in 1799 in Cannisbay, Caithness, Sct,UK. Sinclair died on May 19 1895 in Forse Inn Latheron, Caithness, SCT UK; she was 96.
GG Grandparents
16. William CORMACK. Born on Dec 15 1800 in Bower. William died on Sep 28 1869 in Thurso (?); he was 68. On Sep 26 1821, when William was 20, he married Catherine SINCLAIR. They had the following children ... i. John CORMACK (???? - 1821) ii. George CORMACK (???? - 1826) iii. Christian CORMACK (???? - 1830) iv. Francis Leigh CORMACK (???? - 1827) 8 v. Alexander CORMACK (1824 - 1907)
17. Catherine SINCLAIR. Born in 1791. Catherine died on May 16 1876 in Thurso; she was 85.
22. Donald CAMPBELL. Donald married Margaret AYRE(?). They had one child ... 11 i. Mary Anne CAMPBELL ()
23. Margaret AYRE(?).
24. James BREMNER. Born on Mar 11 1783 in Cannisbay, Caithness, Sct,UK. James married Isobel SUTHERLAND. They had one child ... 12 i. William BREMNER (1793 - 1880)
25. Isobel SUTHERLAND.
26. Donald ROSIE. Donald married Margaret BROWN (?). They had one child ... 13 i. Sinclair ROSIE (1799 - 1895)
27. Margaret BROWN (?).
GGG Grandparents
32. John CORMACK. Born in 1775. On Mar 01 1799, when John was 24, he married Christian (Christy) DAVIDSON. They had the following children ... 16 i. William CORMACK (1800 - 1869) ii. Alexander CORMACK (b.1803) iii. John CORMACK (b.1805) iv. Christian CORMACK (b.1807) v. Anne CORMACK (b.1810) vi. George CORMACK (b.1814)
33. Christian (Christy) DAVIDSON.