Apportionment of sheep in North Ronaldsay in 1902

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: North Ronaldsay, Orkney, Scotland

In 1837, the owner of North Ronaldsay, the northernmost of the Orkney Isles in Scotland, decided to modernise the agricultural system used by the existing crofts (tenant farmers). This was precipitated by the collapse of the kelp (seaweed) industry, which had previously supported a population which had substantially increased across the 1700s.

The traditional run-rig system, where land was farmed in common by a number of farmers, was "squared off", so each croft had its own defined land which the farmer then had an incentive to maintain and develop. At the same time, the flock of sheep, which had adapted to feed off seaweed but had previously roamed across the whole island, was confined to the seashore by a sea wall that circled the entire island.

Each croft in 1837 was allocated a certain number of sheep from the flock and regulations set out various responsibilities including maintaining the sea wall. In 1893 a schedule was presented to the Crofters Commission which set out the number of sheep allocated to each croft and the occupier at the time. This list provides a useful comparison to the 1693 Poll Tax Returns and the 1851 Census.^[1] Note the townland is not included in the 1893 schedule and has been taken from the 1851 census. The apportionment was amended again in 1902.^[2]

Townland	House	Occupier (1893)	No of Sheep (1893)	(1902)
East North Yard	Bewan	Widow Jean Thomson	5	20
	Seaside		-	20
	Rue	John Tulloch	25	25
	Vincoin	William Swanney	25	25
	Dennishill	John Thomson	25	25
	Scottigar	Sibella Tulloch	25	25
	Grind	William Thomson	25	25
	Sholtisquoy	Peter Muir	25	25
	Westhouse	William Scott	25	25
	Senness	Widow Mary Cutt	25	25
	Sandback	John Tulloch	25	25
	Quoybanks	John Thomson	25	25
	Conglabist	Thomas Thomson	25	25
	Lochend	John Tulloch	25	25
	Garsow No 1	Widow Jessie Tulloch	25	25
	Garsow No 2	Thomas Tulloch	25	-
	Midhouse	Hugh Muir	5	20
	Niven	Thomas Muir	5	20
	Senness (b)	Thomas Tulloch, Merchant	5	-
	Nether Breck	Mrs Margaret Cutt	6	-
	Parkhouse	Mrs Mary Cutt	5	20
	Westness	Mrs Jessie Tulloch	60	60
Ancumtoun	Nether Linnay	John Swanney	50	50
	Upper Linnay	John Muir	50	50
	Brigg	James Muir	21	25
	Burray	John Muir	21	25
	Upper Cott	William Swanney	40	40
	Longar	William Tulloch	42	45
	Ancum	Charles Tulloch	40	40
Linklettoun	North Manse	John Scott	30	30
	Veracott	William Swanney	24	30
	Antabreck	Donald Thomson	40	40
	Trebb	John Kelday	10	20
	Purtabreck	Thomas Tulloch	40	40
	Sangar	John Swanney	25	30
	North Gravity	John Swanney	20	30
	South Gravity	Mary Thomson	6	20
	Greenspot	William Kelday and Peter Kelday	21	25+25
	Waterhouse	William Muir	20	30
	Phisligar	Alexander Tulloch	27	27
	Scotsha'	Thomas Muir	20	25
	Barrenha'	Mrs Ann Tulloch	6	20
	Milldam	Peter Cutt	12	20
	Cauldhame	John Cutt	24	30
	Roadside	Mrs Mary Scott	6	25
	Holm	Mrs Mary Swanney	20	30
	Sugarhouse	SIbella Tulloch	6	10
Nesstoun	Hooking	Thomas Tulloch	60	60
	Peckhole	John Thomson	60	60
	Garbo	Mrs Mary Cutt	18	20
	Gateside	Thomas and Neil Tulloch	20	25+20
	North and West Newbigging	William Swanney	45	45
	Nessmuir	Samuel Swanney	15	20
	Claypows	William Swanney	30	30
	North Ness	Thomas Tulloch	20	25
	South Ness	Martin Tulloch	24	25
	Stenabreck	John Cutt	12	25
	Bridesness	James Cutt	12	25
	Viggay	William Swanney	15	25
	Millhouse	John Thomson	80	15
Bustatoun	Howatoft	Thomas Thomson	30	30
	Cursetter	Mrs Sarah Tulloch	12	20
	Cavan	Stewart Swanney	8	20
	Greenwall	Hugh Tulloch	50	50
	Greenwall (2)	Mrs Mary Tulloch	10	20
	Breckan	Robert Cutt	10	20
	Cruesbreck	William Tulloch	70	60
	Kirbest	John Tulloch	70	60
	Howar	Mrs Seatter	118	60
Hollandtoun	Holland	James Angus	300	60
TOTAL			2151	2122

Sources

1. ↑ A window on North Ronaldsay, Peter Tulloch, p98
2. ↑ Sheep in North Ronaldsay, Orkney, Alexander Fenton, published in Studies in Folk Life, Geraint Jenkins, 1969, p211