The Burgar/Burgess families in Shetland
Click Arrow on browser to return back to previous page to bottom of page
George Burger/Burgar (Cripple) in Sandwick in 1755-1777
{son of unknown Burgar and Margaret Sinclair}
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 is referred to as Margaret Sinclair's boy. How old would he have been?
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.