Shetland

The following has been transcribed from the Sandwick and Cunningsburgh Kirk Session 1754 - 1842 (in ShRO - CH2/325/1 and in a document called Session.doc).⁴¹

George Burgar was a cripple and so will be referred to as George Burgar (cripple) to distinguish him from other George Burgar. He and his mother Margaret Sinclair are mentioned as receiving Poor Relief in the Accounts of the Parishes of Sandwick & Cunningsburgh.⁴¹ These accounts start in 1755. Usually the accounts were submitted from January to March of the following year. Thus 1755 accounts refer to the spending in 1754. In this year Margaret Sinclair was not receiving any poor relief, but by 1755 she was in receipt of it.

Actual Year	A/c. Year	Person receiving Poor Relief	Category	Amount £ Scots
1755	1756	Margt. Sinclair in Hoswick	Poors Roll	£0-12s
1756	1757	Margt. Sinclair in Hoswick	Poors Roll	£3-0s
1757	1758	Margaret Sinclair	Poors Roll -Sandwick	£1-10s
1758	1759	Margt. Sinclair's criple boy	Poors Roll	£1-4s
1759	1760	Mrgt. Sinclair's cripple boy	Poors Roll	£1-0s
1760	1761	Margt. Sinclair's criple boy Howland	Extraordinary Poor Roll	?
1761	1762	Margt. Sinclair's criple boy	Extraordinary Poor Roll	£1-10s
1762	1763	Margt. Sinclair's criple boy	Poor Roll Extraordinary	£1-4s
1763	1764	Margt. Sinclair's criple boy	Poors Roll Extra	£1-10s
1764	1765	Margaret Sinclair's criple boy	Poors Roll Extraordinary	£1-10s
1765	1766	Margt. Sinclair's criple boy	Extraordinary Poor	£2-8s
1766	1767	Margt. Sinclair's lame boy	Poors Roll Extraordinary	£1-4s

Margaret Sinclair received much more than the average poor persons in the register, who received about £0.12s. Margaret was receiving at least twice this amount.

An extract for the next year, 1767-8, shows that Margaret Sinclair is not present in the Poor Roll but George Burger is present. He is a cripple and lives in Howland. This strongly suggests that George is the son of Margaret Sinclair. Presumably she had died in 1767 and the money was given directly to her son George Burgar.

Actual Year	A/c. Year	Person receiving Poor Relief	Category	Amount Pounds Scots
1767	1768	George Burger 4s	Poors Roll Extraordinary	£1-4s
1768	1769	George Burgor Howland	Extraordinary Poor	£1-4s
1769	1770	George Burgess Hulland	Extraordinary Poor	£1-4s
1770	1771	George Burger Howland	Poors Roll Extraordinary	£1-4s
1771	1772	George Burgar Howland	Poors Roll Extraordinary	£1-10s
1772	1773	George Burgar Hulland	Poors Roll Extraordinary	£1-10s
1773	1774	Geo. Burger criple Sandwick	Poors Roll Extraordinary	£1-10s
1774	1775	Geo. Burger cripple	Poors Roll Extraordinary	£1-10s
1775	1776	George Burger Hullan	Poors Roll Extraordinary	£1-4s
1776	1777	George Burger Hullan	Poors Roll Extraordinary	£1-4s

George did not receive money in 1777 or thereafter, so it must be presumed that George must have died at this time.

George does not appear in the Communicants List of 1749. He was called 'Margaret Sinclair's boy' in 1758. The word boy suggests that he is youngish, say, less than 16. This suggests that he might have been born between 1740 and 1750. (This will be discussed further after dealing with Margaret Sinclair's other children.

It might also explain why Margaret Sinclair received Poor Relief in 1755. If she were his mother, she was probably living with her son John in 1749, and with his death she would also be destitute with no male in the house.