Orkney Image Library

Correction as Bill Annal died in August 1960 this picture must have been in the 1950’s.

Its lovely to see a picture of the lady whom i was named after.

Sandy told me about 25 year ago that he was related to the Reverend Ewing Traill who worked somewhere down about Carnoustie; now that begins to make sense. I miss him every damn day.

I contacted Dave Annal and asked him if there was a connection with the Rev Ewen Traill from Carnoustie and he has no record of this in his Annal research. His best guess is that Bill’s father had a friend called Traill who he called him after. I have traced this family back to 1761 and have not found any Traill links. I have just read a book by William Traill of Woodwick which is Genealogy Account of the Traills of Orkney which was published in 1883 which I downloaded from Kobo.

Sandy told me that when the Stone of Destiny was kidnapped from Westminster Abbey, in London, it spent some time buried in the Reverend Ewing Traill's tatty patch at Carnoustie; and that the Stone that was returned was hollowed out and that he, and Winnie Ewing among others had wee brooches with fragments from inside the stone. He did show me something of the sort; but whether it was real, or Sandy was just pulling my leg, I just do not know.

When the Stone of Destiny was handed back by its 'kidnappers' at Arbroath Abbey, it was brought there in the boot of a car belonging to Councillor Bertie Gray of Glasgow. Cllr Gray was by profession a monumental mason, in whose yard had lain for some 20 years a full-sized, accurate replica of the Stone. There are those who maintain it was the replica that was handed over while the original was kept hidden in Scotland. If so (Ian Hamilton himself, the leader in the escapade, stoutly denied it) there'd be enough raw material for a minor industry in 'genuine Scone brooches'.
I wonder if there's a stone equivalent of DNA?

I think there is some truth in your story John. Rev Ewan Traill was close tae us when they stayed here in Hoy and Walls and he was indeed a bit o a renegade as a student and was involved wae the stone o destiny not to sure o the facts but I mind him telling of his time they tried tae blow up the Duke o Sutherland Memorial near Golspie, they had all the explosive material and put it at the base but did not know how to pack it and all that happened was a small bit blew out and they ran like hell.
Later the same Ewen Trail was to see carnage among his regiment in fighting in WW II and won the MC for his service to our Country