46818: Margaret Isabelle Gerrie

Margaret Isabelle Gerrie (1876-1922) was the daughter of Robert Gerrie and Julia Pringle, of Stoneyfield Farm.

At some point the family obtained Tolsta Farm from the Newall family.

She was living at Goathill Farm, Stornoway when she met Donald Martin, formerly of 21b Balallan, but by then residing at Holm Farm. On the 27th of July 1889, the couple married in Edinburgh, they settled at Holm Farm. Margaret was widowed on the 12th of March 1904 when Donald drowned in Stornoway Harbour.

In Edinburgh on the 16th of August 1906 she married Frederick Newall; the couple settled at Holm Farm. They had three children at Holm Farm: two girls and a boy.

In 1910 they emigrated to Alberta, Canada; they travelled on the SS Megantic from Liverpool to Montreal and then by train to Strathmore, Alberta. Frederick was extremely unimpressed by the C.P.R Ready- Made Farms in the British Colony and described the house as “like a chicken coop”. In June they settled at “Eastview Farm”.

In 1911 their second son was born.

In 1912 their third daughter was born.

In 1922 Margaret Isabelle died of cancer. Her gravestone can be viewed here.