Foveran
St. Ola
Kirkwall Orkney
10/4/60
Dear John,
Seeing that we have a common ancestor in the dim?
past, I'll risk a familiar approach in answer to your letter in our local
paper, referring to the Laughton family.
As far as we know, the Laughton's settled in a small
island called Lambs Holm, or more frequently remembered by the Laughton's as
"Lamman", or just "The Isles". It lies opposite the parish
(or area) of Holm (pronounced Ham, I suspect by the Norseman who settled in
Orkney some eight or nine hundred years ago and it means good land). I hope to
be able to send you a map of Orkney later on so that you may have a better
idea where your ancesters lived.
My father, who is now 91
years of age was the last Laughton to live in Lamman. He had to leave it when
his father died as he was considered too young to follow on in the farm after
his father's death.
As his memory is still fairly good for his years, I
read your letter to him, and he could remember Tom
and Dave mentioned in your letter. (My father was
born in 1869).
Now Tom, Dave and Jerome,
or Jerry as he was called, and your great-grandfather John
lived on a farm called Vigga. It was situated on the larger island, or what we
call the mainland of Orkney, almost opposite Lamman. The "boys" as
they called them, used to visit the Isle by boat, there being a stretch of
water with a 6 to 8 knot tide running between, so you may be sure that the
Laughton's of a former generation were famous boat-men.
Now, there is a cousin of my fathers called Willie
o' the Park living in Holm who is descended from the Laughton's of Vigga.
We used to visit them in the summer months but have not seen them for some
time now, as my father is unable to travel. I hope that he will contact you as
he must be descended from Tom or Dave.
I recollect my Auntie Jessie (my father's
sister) speaking about the "boys" who went to "America"
some years ago. She is hard on 90, so you may be sure that the Laughton's have
been a hardy race.
I am enclosing a rough sketch of some of the Orkney
Islands showing where we live and also giving the position of the ancestral
home. (insert map)
The snapshot enclosed was taken about two summers ago
and it shows a field of oats growing on Lamman. A spot of sunlight leaked into
the picture and somewhat spoiled it, but it will give you a fair idea of the
likeness of some of you to 2nd cousins at this side.
My father has been a farmer all his days, I am a
mason by trade, and my boy is still at school. We looked up your place
on the map and believe it to be near the south end of B.C.
Now although WIlie o' the Park (people are usually
named after the farm or house) is closer related than we are we still hope
that you may find time to drop us a line.
My father would be delighted to hear from a
descendant of the "boys" of Vigga.
Hoping these few lines, map and sketch of islands
will interest you.
Yours sincerely,
Archie (Laughton)
