Our known Scottish ancestors lived in just two counties, Banffshire and Orkney, although it is possible that John Flaws came to Orkney from the Shetland mainland.
The northern edge of Banffshire lies on the Moray Forth, and the county which is long and thin, stretches south west. The northern end of the county is a lowland area and the southern end a highland one.
The three villages in which our ancestors lived, Sandend, Cullen and Keith, are all in the north of the county and the first two are coastal villages.
Our ancestors lived on the island of South Ronaldsay in an area called Brandyquoy, about a mile east of the main town, St Margaret's Hope. Peter Flaws worked for a time at Smiddybanks, about a mile north of St Margaret's Hope.