Family roots spanning back more than a century explored in Hillswick
A MAN from Edinburgh tracing his family history has visited the house in Hillswick where his father was born in the early 1900s – and which his grandfather had built more than 130 years ago.
lan Anderson’s family links in the area are not just limited to Findlins House, though, with connections to other nearby buildings including Hillswick House – which he also visited – and Laarsund.
He made the trip north to Shetland last month to visit Hillswick and delve further into the Anderson family history.
lan said Findlins House was built for his grandfather Gilbert Anderson, and his own dad and siblings were born in the house too.
On his recent visit, lan – who was accompanied by a cousin from Australia and her partner – were invited into the home for a tour by current owners Nick and Fiona Cope, who have lived there for 43 years.
It was not his first time in Shetland, however, with Ian visiting two years ago but only getting to see the various Hillswick properties from the outside.
He also took his father to Shetland in 1988 for his 80th birthday.
Ian has responsibility for his family tree, and has used services such as the Tangwick Haa in Eshaness, the Shetland archives, the Shetland Family History Society and Scotland’s People to research his roots.
Ian said the Andersons had a business in Hillswick which involved fishing and crofting, at one point employing more than 100 people.
He believes that the Andersons were involved in the building of Hillswick House (located next to the Booth) and Laarsund, located up the hill from the St Magnus Bay Hotel, as well as Findlins House.
Ian said he understood that the Andersons’ business was sold in 1922, with an apparent decline in herring catches blamed on pollution from whaling activities.
He said that Thomas Anderson’s daughter Dolla was the only Anderson to remain in Shetland, and she ended up marrying Ted Adie of Voe.
Ian said the Hillswick Andersons were a “large family, but for one reason or another all moved away leaving only distant cousins living in Shetland”.
“Their descendants are spread around the world in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Europe and of course around the United Kingdom.”
And with other relatives also interested in delving into their family history, it looks like Anderson has certainly not made his last visit to Shetland.
“I suspect there will be a few more coming over maybe next year,” he said, “so I’ll definitely be back in Shetland again to do the Anderson tour, as it were.”
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