Three Turners of Stornoway

Pigot's 1837 Directory lists three Turners in the town:

Donald McRae, Bayhead St

John McRae, Bayhead St

James Young, Keith St

I couldn't find James Young again in Stornoway, but Donald & John McRae each appear in the 1871 census where they describe their occupation as 'Turner' and from those two entries I was able to compile the following information about them and their families:

Notes:

Entries in bold indicate a man who appears at least once as a 'Turner' in the census records.

The figures in brackets are there as an aid to tracking individuals down to the third generation.

1841

Donald McRae, 35, Joiner, Bayhead St, b. Ross & Cromarty (1)

Margaret McRae, 25

Jane McRae, 5

Mary McRae, 3

Catherine McRae, 6 months

John McRae, 25, Joiner (2)

1851

Donald McRae, 50, Joiner, Bayhead St, b. Barvas (1)

Peggy McRae, 38, Wife, b. Stornoway

Jane McRae, 14, Scholar, Daughter, b. Bayhead, Stornoway

Mary McRae, 13. Scholar, Daughter, b. Bayhead, Stornoway

Catherine McRae, 10, Scholar, Daughter, b. Bayhead, Stornoway

John McRae, 8, Scholar, Son, b. Bayhead, Stornoway

Helen McRae, 6, Scholar Daughter, b. Bayhead, Stornoway

Margaret McRae, Daughter, b. Bayhead, Stornoway

Kenneth Cameron, 30, Joiner (Journeyman), Boarder, b. Fodderty, Ross

John McRae, 54, Wheelwright, Keith St, b. Stornoway (2)

Archibald McRae, 20, Wheelwright, Son, b. Stornoway (2a)

Mary McRae, 18, Daughter, b. Stornoway

Donald McRae, 16, Son, b. Stornoway

Roderick McRae , 14, Son, b. Stornoway

Jane McRae, 12, Daughter, b. Stornoway

John McRae, 10, Son, b. Stornoway

James McRae, 6, Son, b. Stornoway (2b)

Hector McRae, 2, Son, b. Stornoway (2c)

1861

John McRae, 60, Wheelwright, 51 Keith St, b. Stornoway (2)

Ann McRae, 55, Wife, b. Stornoway

Donald McRae, 26, Baker, Son, b. Stornoway

Roderick McRae, 23, Joiner, Son, b. Stornoway

John McRae, 29, Baker, Son, b. Stornoway

Jane McRae, 21, Dressmaker, Daughter, b. Stornoway

James McRae, 16, Scholar, Son, b. Stornoway (2b)

Hector McRae, 13, Scholar, Son, b. Stornoway (2c)

Ann Morrison, 82, Crofter's Widow, Mother-in-Law, b. Stornoway

Isabella Finlayson, 82, Seaman's Widow, Lodger, b. Stornoway

1871

Donald McRae, 70, Joiner, 38 Bayhead St, b. Barvas (1)

Margaret McRae, 57, Wife, b. Stornoway

Catherine McRae, Daughter, b. Stornoway

Margaret McRae, 22, Daughter, b. Stornoway

Isabella McRae, 14, Daughter, b. Stornoway

Donald McRae, 17, Joiner, Son

Isabella MacKinnon, 2, Grand-daughter

John McRae, 71, Turner, 51 Keith St, b. Stornoway (2)

Ann McRae, 67, Wife, b. Stornoway

John McRae, 28, Baker, Son, b. Stornoway

James McRae, 27, Joiner, Son, b. Stornoway (2b)

Hector McRae, 22, Turner, Son, b. Stornoway (2c)

Christina Smith, Domestic Servant, 23, b. Uig, Ross-shire

John McLean, 78, Visitor, b. Lochs, Ross-shire

Archibald McRae, 40, 51 Keith St, Turner & Blockmaker, b. Stornoway (2a)

Annabella McRae, 27, Wife, b. Stornoway

Mary Ann McRae, 4, Daughter, b. Stornoway

Mary McRae, 2, Daughter, b. Stornoway

Annabella McRae, 4 months, Daughter, b. Stornoway

1881

Archibald McRae, 50, Joiner & Blockmaker, 51 Keith St, b. Stornoway (2a)

Annabella McRae, 37, General Servant, Wife, b. Stornoway

Mary McRae, 12, Scholar, Daughter, b. Stornoway

Annabella McRae, 8, Scholar, Daughter, b. Stornoway

Hector McRae, 6, Scholar, Son, b. Stornoway

Ann McRae, 4, Scholar, Daughter, b. Stornoway

Alexander McRae, 3, Son, b. Stornoway

Christina McRae, 10 months, Daughter, b. Stornoway

Christina Murray, 16, General Servant, b. Stornoway

James McRae, 36, Joiner, 51 ½ Keith St, b. Stornoway (2b)

Mary Jane McRae, 29, Dressmaker, Wife, b. Stornoway

John McRae, 6, Scholar, Son, b. Stornoway

Jessie Ann McRae, 4, Scholar, Daughter, b. Stornoway

Hector McRae, 3, Son, b. Stornoway

William McRae, 1, Son, b. Stornoway

1891

Archibald McRae, 60, Joiner & Turner, 65 Keith St, b. Stornoway (2a)

Annabella McRae, 47, Wife, b. Stornoway

Annie McRae, 14, Monitor, Daughter, b. Stornoway

Alexander McRae, 13, Scholar, Son, b. Stornoway

Linna McRae, 10, Scholar, Daughter, b. Stornoway

Archibald McRae, 9, Scholar, Son, b. Stornoway

Jeanie McRae, 7, Scholar, Daughter, b. Stornoway

James McRae, 43, Turner, Keith St, b. Stornoway (2b)

Mary McRae, 39, Wife, b. Stornoway

John McRae, 16, Scholar, Son, b. Stornoway

Jessie A McRae, 14, Scholar, Daughter, b. Stornoway

Hector McRae, 13, Scholar, Son, b. Stornoway

William McRae, 12, Scholar, Son, b. Stornoway

Roderick McRae, 10, Scholar, Son, b. Stornoway

Kenneth D McRae, 9, Scholar, Son, B. Stornoway

Ann J McRae, 4, Scholar, Daughter, b. Stornoway

James McRae, 3, Scholar, Son, b. Stornoway

1901

Archibald McRae, 70, Joiner & Turner, 65 Keith St, b. Stornoway (2a)

Annabella McRae, 57, Wife, b. Stornoway

Annie McRae, 24, daughter, b. Stornoway

Lina McRae, 20, Daughter, b. Stornoway

Archibald McRae, 18, Son, Apprentice Joiner & Turner, b. Stornoway (2a1)

Jeanie McRae, 17, Daughter, b. Stornoway

James McRae, 54, Spinning Wheel Maker, 62 Kenneth St, b. Stornoway (2b)

Mary I McRae, 48, Wife, b. Stornoway

Hector McRae, 23, House Carpenter, Son, b. Stornoway

William McRae, 21, Carter, Son, b. Stornoway

Kenneth McRae, 19, Butcher, Son, b. Stornoway

Annie I McRae, 14, Scholar, Daughter, b. Stornoway

It is not too surprising that a 'Turner' of 1837 would, at various times, describe themselves as a 'Joiner' or a 'Wheelwright' but James McRae's move into specialising as a 'Spinning Wheel Maker' (he is one of only two such people that I have discovered) came as a pleasant surprise!