Letters: Looking for the Spence Family of Birsay

I was wondering if anybody knew or was related to my Spence ancestors that could help me with some information on my ancestors and their life in Birsay Orkney.

theorkneynews

June 13, 2019

1–2 minutes

Birsay, Birsay Heritage Trust, History, Orkney Family History, Spence, Views

envelope Dear Orkney News,

My Spence ancestors were born in Birsay Orkney and have been able to track my ancestors to 1575 in Birsay.

My g-g-g grandparents were John Spence and Jean Spence and they owned a farm in Quethacloth Birsay in 1841 and in 1851 it was called Whitclat or Whiclatt according the census taken back then.

My g-g grandfather was called Jacob Spence was Born: 1826 Birsay Died: 1871 Melbourne and he travelled to Melbourne Australia in 1854.

I was wondering if anybody knew or was related to my Spence ancestors that could help me with some information on my ancestors and their life in Birsay Orkney.

Regards
Malcolm Spence

Birsay old map — Buckquoy Earls Palace Brough_of Birsay Ordinance survey one inch 1912 By OS [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

6 responses to “Letters: Looking for the Spence Family of Birsay”

Cathleen Spence

June 13, 2019 at 6:38 pm

My husband is distantly related. Email me for more info.

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1. malcolm spence
  
  June 13, 2019 at 10:53 pm
  
  Dear Cathleen ,
  I am happy you got in touch as I have read your article about my Spence ancestors form Whitclatt./Quoythacloth Birsay in the Orkney family history newsletter and have been wanting to get in touch with you for a while now.Any info you have will be greatly appreciated.
  regards
  malcolm
  
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  1. malcolm spence
    
    June 13, 2019 at 11:23 pm
    
    Catleen
    My e-mail address is: malmar20@hotmail.com
    If you need to contact me.
    
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2. murrayjpence
  
  July 1, 2026 at 10:51 am
  
  Good Evening
  Im a spence from otago new zealand
  My grandfather came from Birsay in the early 1920s james David Spence and settled in milton in otago
  He had 3 daughters and a son David Mowat spence and had 3 sons who are all still alive
  Douglas Graeme and me
  
  Regs Murray Spence Dunedin Otago
  
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Meredee Freedom Cropper

June 18, 2026 at 2:54 am

My Spence family was part of the Red River Settlent in Canada. They came from the Orkney Islands and Im still researching family info and I can let you know what ingo I find(might be a while)

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Randall Spence

June 23, 2026 at 4:43 pm

We are Spences from the USA. We were only able to trace back to Theodore P Spence in Sumpter Alabama. Then we discovered a professional genealogist, Dr. Jeremiah Spence. He is the Sennachie of the Clan Spens Worldwide. He takes the family back to 1280 in Fife. There are 18 huge books, I believe that he has published on probably every Spence ever born. He is also on Ancestry.com. now we know how we connect with the Red River Settlement in Canada, and are taking a trip to Scotland to touch the same soil our forefathers touched.

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