In 1821, the census enumerator for South Ronaldsay and Burra went further than the required head acount and compiled a a more detailed census return.
The census information has been transcribed by Lisa Goddard in the South Ronaldsay and Burray 1821 Census Project, which is a sub-section of southronaldsay.net
The information collected by the enumerator is -
District
Household Number
Sub-District / Household Name (if there was one)
Person's Name
Person's Actual Age (not rounded)
Included in the return are two entries for our ancestors -
Firstly - In Brandyquoy, Garth is the family of my 3rd great grandparents, John Flaws and Isabella Laughton. In the family, at just a few months old, is my 2nd great grandfather Peter Nicholson McLaren Flaws. Michael Brown is Isabella's daughter by a previous relationship. I have not been able to place Bell Laughton See the census page here
Secondly - In Merrybraes, Grimness is Isabella's mother, Elizabeth Lesk and two of her children. See the census page here
More detailed information about South Ronaldsay is available in the Places > South Ronaldsay Section of this site.
The name of the enumerator, who was the school master at the North School just two households from John Flaws's family, was Peter Nicholson McLaren. I have been unable to find any more information about Mr McLaren, let alone why our ancestor was given all of his names. Mr McLaren was probably one of the witnesses at Peter's baptism. Intriguing, eh?
The history of the census itself, how it was copied into a shopkeeper's account book and then narrowly avoided the bonfire, is very interesting and can be found here
I can't help wondering why the enumerator decided to exceed his brief and what the inhabitants thought of it all.
