Death on board

Let us remember little Jane Hymers. She was born on the 14th December 1856 in a remote under-keepers croft called Wag, in Latheron parish Caithness:

Ordnance Survey book, 1871:

That summer, her father and mother emigrated to Lyttleton, New Zealand and of course they took wee Jane with them. They travelled on the wool clipper ‘Glentanner‘. Sadly Jane died on board and was buried at sea.

The Lyttleton Post, 5th October 1857:

It would seem that Jane’s mother,  Barbara Oliver made it to New Zealand but died shortly thereafter. Andrew  Hymers, a widower, remarried in 1859 to Margaret Russell. Sadly, she too seems to have died young. A widower for the second time, Andrew Hymers returned to Scotland. He farmed Riskamain in Latheron. A remote farm. His housekeeper there was Elizabeth McLeod. He married her in Wick in May 1877.

Andrew Hymers died at Riskamain on the 12th October 1902: