I’ve always been a bit of an explorer/adventurer. Ever since I was a little girl growing up in the wilds of Canada I could be found out exploring new areas, always keen for a new adventure. I’d pick a spot in the distance, a tree, a hill, a clearing, and head towards it, always wondering what was waiting around the corner. I was never disappointed; slightly lost, on occasion, but never disappointed. Perhaps that’s how I ended up on Shetland; curiosity, adventure, what’s over that hill or across 3000 miles of open sea. Shetland is on the edge of the world (my postcode begins with Z!) and it is here I’ve set down my roots.
Speaking of roots – when the great-great-great-grandson of John Clunies-Ross asked me, via Twitter, if I could go visit his old homestead and take some photographs I jumped at the chance. I’ve never been to that area, in Sound, Weisdale, Shetland, but my father had pointed out the graveyard last summer when he was visiting, and I filed it away in my brain as a site of interest to explore at a later date.
John Clunies-Ross was a bit of an adventurer/explorer himself, a sea-captain born in Shetland who ultimately ended up as ‘King of the Cocos’ on the Cocos Islands in the Indian Ocean back in the mid-1800s. There’s nothing left of the old area he was born in (in 1786) but ruins, sheep, an old graveyard and a plaque, but we thoroughly enjoyed exploring. There were plenty of things to look at and admire, especially the beautiful old trees.
So, to Richard, great-great-great grandson of John Clunies-Ross, these photographs are for you, and for anyone else who is interested in them. I’ve deliberately not marked them with my blog address, so feel free to use them as you will. If you want higher quality images just send me a message and I can email them to you.
This was the first graveyard our youngest children have ever visited, so we used the opportunity to explain what a graveyard was, and since there’s been a spate of vandalism by some children in another local graveyard recently, we made sure we taught ours about respecting the area and not to damage anything. I may have spent a considerable length of time reading all the tombstones while the children were eager to get home out of the wind. We popped in to the shop on the way home, covered in mud, and a woman asked my daughter where we’d been. In all seriousness she replied, “Mum went to see the dead people.” Ack! From the mouths of babes! But thank you, Richard, for spurring us on to visit this place. We’re glad we did.
Chocolate Cupcakes with Avocado Frosting (Vegan)
Hello Elizabeth
Very interesting photos of the original homestead of John Clunies Ross, thank you.
I am the granddaughter of Gustave Cawson and Marjorie Clunies Ross. Marjorie was the daughter of John Sydney Clunies Ross and Uliana Jacobson. Marjorie was a half sibling of John Cecil Clunies Ross.
Hi Pamela this is a long shot but I’ve come into possession of a photo album that I believe contains family photos of your grandmother Marjorie and her siblings Ivy and Edith. It’s from c. 1912 and photos are labelled Anerley and Singapore. Please reply if you see this and I’ll try and find a way to share the photos with you – would love to get them back to you.
Hello Rachael,
It’s very kind of you to make contact with me. I would love to see the photos of my grandmother, Marjorie. My Aunt Jose, the youngest of Marjorie’s children, who I was in close contact with, died c 2020. I have some photos from Jose’s estate but nothing much about Marjorie’s life before her marriage to my grandfather, Gustave Cawson.
Best wishes
Pamela Byrne
Hi Elizabeth,
My brother, Richard, contacted you about the Clunies Ross homestead and you were brilliant to go and take such lovely photos. My sister, Rachel and I are heading up to Shetland at Easter and will be revisiting the house. Your photos will no doubt help us find it more easily!
Can’t wait to be there after 50 years!
Hilary Porteous May
Just came across your photos if Shetland on line and was fascinated…I am Elisabeth Clunies-Ross , Granddaughter of Edwin Roland Clunies-Ross who was brother to John Sidney C-R, Cocos ‘King 4’ so John who came from Shetland was my Great Great Great Grandfather!
Do you have the address where his cottage would have been, I’d love to locate it on a map, and your post has also made me want to go and visit and see for myself.
I went to stay in Tobermory , where my Grandfather lived and from where he emigrated to NewZealand, but was unable to find then exact address where he had lived!
Thanks again for the photos
Lis
Oh wow, pleased to ‘meet’ you! 😀 I’ve had a look on Google maps and his cottage would have been at 60°14’00.8″N 1°18’32.8″W – hope that helps? It’s on the other side of the Whiteness Voe. You take the first left at the end of the voe, past the turn off to Kergord and keep going down the track until you see trees down by the waterfront. The house ruins/graveyard are there.
Elizabeth,
It has been wonderful reading your blog on the Shetland Islands, specifically following the Clunies-Ross family. My mother and I are trying to find our family history and have found that we are related to Gustav Cawson, and the Clunies-Ross family.
As early days in our investigation, we are trying to piece together some information. What led you into pursuing this historical trail and what have you found so far?
I would be very interested in hearing from you and I hope that you are able to fill in some missing information.
Regards,
James
Your photographs really made me feel as though I had hiked down the trail to the ruins along with you! I loved them!
I am interested in any photos that you may have taken of the cemetery. I have Williamson ancestors were from the area near the cemetery, especially Gardie and Hoove, and I believe that I have family members who were buried at this cemetery. So I’m interested in any photos of the cemetery that you may have taken, in addition to the one that you posted here.
I’m also curious if this cemetery has a name? I’ve seen it referred to as Church Yard of Sound or Burial Ground Sound, but those are from records from the 1860s and I wonder what it might be called now….
Thanks again for posting your wonderful photos and your description of what you found!
Oh wow, I’m glad you liked my post 🙂 I don’t have any photos of the cemetery itself, but I could go back when the weather returns and take some for you, if you’d like? I’ve learned how to video edit so I could do a walk-through of the whole area!
I am a direct descendant of John Clunies Ross, Amelia Davidina Johnston Rowe Clunies Ross is my Great Grandmother and I am thoroughly enamored of our Ancestry in the Shetlands to Cocos Keeling Islands and also Princess S’pia of Malay (Great Great not sure how many greats! Grandmother) who I believe was married to John Clunies Ross Cocos K. Islands. Such beautiful pictures thanks for sharing with us.
Loved seeing these photographs and thoroughly enjoyed your blog! Yes, I would very much appreciate a few higher quality images as I am helping a good friend in South Africa with her family history and although we have just started, I find a connection!
Elizabeth, thankyou for the pictures, my ancestor was Robert, John’s younger brother who went to sea at age 10, hard to believe in 2015. He and John met up on Cocos in the early 1820’s but only stayed together for less than 2 years. Robert established himself as a merchant trading between Van Diemen’s Land (Tasmania) and Britain. Cheers, Rob.
Hello from John Davie, an Australian fortunate enough to have worked on Co os(Keeling) spent time roaming the Clunies- Ross homestead and property on many occasions, and,most importantly, salvaged hundreds of Kilmarnock made Bricks in the lapping waters around the front garden. I was and remain amazed by this, as I am originally from Glasgow but left as a very young boy. Always had a close association with the Clunies Ross history, and have earnestly researched it. At this very moment I am in Aith on Shetland and today, before I went on this site, discovered the old Clunies Ross home. I will be venturing down there tomorrow morning……
Beautiful, emotive photographs and all so interesting, especially for me living in a big city.What a different life it all is and I could embrace it at the drop of a hat.
Best wishes, Jo
Thank you, I really appreciate your lovely comment xx 🙂
Thank you for such a touching, wonderful blog Elizabeth. I haven’t been to the area for many years, but your lovely photos brought it all back in an instant. A big hug to you and your family and my warmest good wishes, Richard.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Richard, and thank you again for encouraging us to visit the location. We loved it – we felt like we were transported away somewhere magical into the past.
Fantastic photos Elizabeth. It’s really good to see a bit more of Shetland – from the photos I’ve seen (and the television programme), it looks quite magnificent.
I can’t stop giggling at the thought of a cocoa king from Shetland. I know that’s not quite what he was, but it sounds like it.
I know what you mean! A Shetland chocolate king, hee hee! Thanks for your lovely comment, it’s comments like yours that help me feel I’m not wasting my time blogging and that I’m doing something people find interesting. 🙂