My gggg grandfather was James Simpson. He was listed on his daughters death certificate as being a fisherman. His daughter Elizabeth was born on South Ronaldshay (probably in St Margarets Hope) in 1828. Her mother was listed as Elizabeth Walls or Wallace.
I have had someone check the 1821 & 1851 censuses for me and there are 2 James Simpsons mentioned.
In 1821 there is a 19 year old farm servant named James Simpson on Widewall farm on SouthRonaldshay/Burray. He could be a possibility as by 1828 he would have been 25/26 years old.
In the 1851 census on Walls & Flotta there is a James Simpson mentioned as being 56 years old, from Hillhead, who was a fisherman & a farmer. This person also may be a possibility as he would have been born around 1795, and thus be 33 in 1828, and he was a fisherman. He may have been on South Ronaldshay 23 years earlier as well.
Can anyone tell me how easy it was to travel between the islands back then? Can anyone tell me anything about either of these two James Simpsons? Who were they married to & who were their children? I need to rule them both out definitely before looking elsewhere.
If anyone has any information, I'd be very grateful.

Cheers
Cesca.