Maps | Murray.famly | clanmurray.family

MAPS

The Scottish sea coasts contain inlets called Firths. These are similar to Scandinavian fjords and exist at the outlet of a river into the sea. Moray Firth is shown below.

Moray

As legend has it, an early king of Pictland named Cruithne (who was a son of Cinq) divided his land amongst his 7 sons, as illustrated on the map, Seven Sons of Cruithne, below. (On this map, just look at the names, because the geographic boundaries refer to a later division of lands.)

Seven Sons of Cruithne

One of those sons was named Fortriu, who received land including what would later be considered Moray. While this is difficult to date, another son, Fib, is said to have ruled between 715 and 691BC. Some variation exists because the timing for Picts is variously reported as a period starting between the Mid to Late Iron Age (400BC to 250AD) and ending in the Early Medieval period (approximately 900AD).

Kenneth MacAlpin united the Scottish kingdoms in 843AD, and over time, areas of land were re-divided, combined, and re-divided again.

Mormaers were rulers of areas smaller than all of Scotland. Moray remained a mormaerdom until 1130 or 1147, when it was annexed to Scotland, under

King David I.

Malcolm III (reigned 1058 to 1093) appears to have introduced the idea of shires, governed by shire-reeves (sheriffs) as part of a policy of replacing previous forms of government with Norman feudal structures. This policy was continued by Edgar (reigned 1097 to 1107), Alexander I (reigned 1107 to 1124), and in particular David I (reigned 1124 to 1153). For example, Stirlingshire appears in a charter of 1150 under the name Striuelinschire.

Map of Mormaerdoms

-Moray around the Moray Firth

In 1305 Edward I of England, who had deposed King of Scots John Balliol, issued an Ordinance for the Government of Scotland. This document listed the 23 shires then existing and either appointed new sheriffs or continued heritable sheriffs in office.

Counties Until 1890

18. Stirlingshire 26. Roxburghshire

19. Clackmannanshire 27. Dumfriesshire

20. Kinross-shire 28. Kirkcudbrightshire

21. Fife 29. Wigtownshire

22. Linlithgowshire 30. Lanarkshire

23. County of Edinburgh 31. Selkirkshire

24. Haddingtonshire 32. Peeblesshire

25. Berwickshire

Key to Counties Until 1890

Not Shown

In 1889, counties were created by the Local Government (Scotland) Act which replaced the ancient provinces by new Counties (shires), aligned to sheriffdom boundaries, shown on the map SHIRES from 1890 to 1975.

SHIRES from 1890 to 1975

The 1947 map below includes

-Counties and Districts,

-Cities,

-Large and Small Burghs

For more clarity: Try your View tab and Zoom 150%

In 1975, shires ceased to be used for local government purposes, and local government regions were developed. The area which took in Aberdeenshire, Moray, and the City of Aberdeen was called the Grampian Region. Today, local government is based upon Council Areas. The Council Areas have adopted some shire names but the boundaries are not necessarily the same as the shires were.

Present Day

Council Areas and their Capitals

Present Day Moray

Present Day

Aberdeenshire

North East Scotland: showing:

-New Pitsligo

-Strichen

-Rathen

-Old Deer and Mintlaw (bottom)

-Fraserburgh (top)

Reference Distance:

Fraserburgh to Mintlaw

is 12 miles (20.1 Km)

Location of Tullibardine, including:

-Scone

-Blair Atholl (location of Blair Castle)

-Stracathro

-Aberdeen

Reference Distance:

Tullibardine to Aberdeen

is 105 miles (169 Km)

Rathenmap

Rathen and surroundings.

Note Redhouse and Stonehouse at southwest and southeast of townsite.

More close-up view is below.

South end of Rathen Parish.

Redhouse and Stonehouse are at southwest and southeast of townsite.

Saskatchewanmaps

Straight north to Tonkin

MAPS of SASKATCHEWAN

The dark blue quarter section was George Murray's homestead

(SE 1/4 20 TP24 Rge 2 W of 2nd), between Saltcoats and Rokeby.

SASKATCHEWAN

Showing, Saltcoats, Rokeby and Yorkton.

George Murray's homestead was between Saltcoats and Rokeby.

NW TERRITORIES

Before Saskatchewan became a province in 1905, Saltcoats was in the district of Assiniboia, in the NW Territories.

Walesmaps

SIMMONS and RICHARDS

The Simmons family was from Monmouth, in Monmouthshire, Wales. Thornton was born there. The Richards family was from St Briavels, which is just across the Welsh border in Gloucestershire, England. Louisa was born there.

The red outline is Monmouthshire.

ABOVE:

These places are part of the Simmons family story.

Pin shown on St Briavels, and north to Raglan, Monmouth, Symonds Yat, and Hereford.

Aylburton, not shown is 5 miles east of St Briavels.