The Burgar/Burgess families in Shetland


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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.

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