Watt of Breckness and Skaill
- Reference:GB 241 D3
- Dates of Creation:1588-1862
- Name of Creator:
- Language of Material:English
- Physical Description:6.30 Linear Metres
Scope and Content
Records relating to the family of Watt of Breckness and Skaill, the majority of the records relate to the firm of William Watt Junior and Co but there are also records relating to the business interests and affairs of other member of the family and records relating to the estate of Breckness and Skaill. Includes:Business records:Records reflecting the business interests of the Watt family, 1756-c1837. They were involved in a number of business interests but their main business was as merchants and they shipped goods including kelp, hides, meal and butter from Orkney to countries such as Holland, Denmark, Norway, France and England and imported goods including timber, slates and coal. They also imported luxury items such as tea, wines and spirits, and tobacco, some of which was smuggled into Orkney with the collusion of many of the Orkney landowners. Includes records for other firms either associated with William Watt Junior and Company or the Watt family. Includes:Shop ledgers for William Watt and Co, 1756-1762; Shop ledgers, letter books and day books for William Watt Junior and Co, Kirkwall, 1769-1791; Business correspondence and legal agreements, including the contract of copartnery of William Watt Junior and Company, Papers relating to the Seatter Tanworks, including letters and papers relating to James Baikie and to Robert Watt whilst managing the enterprise, 1802-1826; Account book, Alexander Mowat, writer in Kirkwall, 1761-1768; other records relating to Alexander Mowat, including cash book relating to his duties as collector of cess and stent of Kirkwall burgh, 1763-1798; Account book, Andrew Young of Castleyards as surveyor of the customs, 1742-1774; Papers relating to the Orkney Tanning Company and the Seatter Tannery including vouchers, correspondence, legal agreements, 1792-1826; Family and estate records:William Watt acquired the estate of Breckness in 1787 from his former brother-in-law, Robert Graham, the records relating to the estate include legal titles, deeds and other papers concerning the ownership of the estate, factors records and records relating to the management of the estate. Letter book, William Watt of Breckness and later William Graham Watt, 1804-1824; Letters written to William Watt and his descendants, including William Graham Watt relating to estate and business concerns, 1763-1845; Records relating to the Watts' duties as heritors in the upkeep of the church, manse and school of the parishes Stromness and Sandwick, 1800-1860. Family correspondence relating to personal and family concerns from various members of the Watt and related families, 1758-Family day book for the House of Skaill, 1813-1814; Papers relating to the William G Watt and William Watt junior’s roles in county affairs including as commissioners of supply, 1784-1851. Papers relating to the family of Graham of Breckness, including bonds, discharges and other legal papers, correspondence, papers relating to the estate of Breckness including discharges for the payment of cess, Papers relating to planking of lands, 1765-1794, Papers relating to the improvement of lands on the estate, 1594-1862.
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