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I've typed up an interesting article regarding
the Inkster family and Clan Sinclair. I had no idea we went back this far and I
hope everyone who's interested will learn something like I have. Be proud! I
certainly am... ;-)
Taken from the Winnipeg Free Press - June
18/98
Long Tradition of
Inksters
Re: Kim Guttormson's article on the Orkney
Islands: Thank goodness there is still a staff reporter who cares enough about
Canadian history to write about the earliest settlers in Canada. The Scots, from
100, yes 100 to 1900.
She mentions the Inksters
among others, in her article. Viking/Norse Chieftain Inkstar and his three
brothers who sailed the East Coast of Canada from around the late 800's to
around 940. They were Viking sea rovers or raiders who sailed along this
coastline before Erik the Red and Lief Eriksson.
Chieftain Inkstar, (Ingster;
Ingsetter; Ingstad; and many other types) settled on the Holy Isle of Eynhallow,
(Eyin Helga) in 888, another brother in Orphir, Orkney and the other two in
Shetland, thus beginning the Inkster Lineage.
The Inksters are the oldest
recorded families in Scotland, due to the log books of the ships' captains. The
other two families on the Holy Isle at the time were the Loutitts and the
Mainlands, followed by the Sinclairs and the Fletts.
Around 1000 to 1100, the
Cistercian Monks built a monastery on the Holy Isle and lived there until 1295.
In 1296 the Inksters, Mainlands and Loutitts were given permission by Archbishop
Halcro to move into the church until 1851 when they were moved off the island by
Lord Balfour to an island of their choice.
In 1961, Helge Ingstad, and
his archaeologist wife Anne Stine discovered a Viking Village at L'Anse Aux
Meadows in northern Newfoundland, built around 985 by these rugged Viking
seamen. This national historic park was designated in 1978 as the first on
Unesco's World Cultural Sites, of outstanding universal value.
The second patronymic origin
of the Inksters is derived from Inge, son of King Harold the God of Norway.
Inge, like his father, preferred the nicer weather of Kinkwall to Norway. Inge
adopted the name Inkster and settled down in Orkney as his home. As Kim says,
the Orkneys belonged to Norway at the time.
Another Scot who discovered
America 150 years before Columbus was Henry "The Holy" Sinclair, Baron
of Roslin, Earl of Orkney, and Premier Noble of Norway, as a fighting Scot of
Viking descent. Sinclair, along with Nicolo Zeno, brother of Carlo, the Lion of
Venice, sailed along the east coast of Canada in 1397, again well recorded by
Nicolo and was made public in Europe by his descendants in 1995 to clean up a
lot of misunderstanding of just who discovered America first.
George Inkster
Winnipeg
This article was sent to me via my Grandparents,
Donna and Kip (William) Inkster in British Columbia as part of my birthday
present (Mother's Day!! Happy birthday to me!). There was another article that
they gave me and I'm hoping someone can help me with it....
I'm not sure which paper it's from, but it's a
50th Wedding Anniversary paper clipping of Spence and Dot (Inkster) Tatchell
celebrating their 50th anniversary. According to the clipping,
"Mr. George Inkster piped in full Highland dress at the reception and
introduced the official registered Scottish Inkster Hunting Red and Dress Green
tartans..."
Does anyone have a clue what this looks like or
have a picture of this tartan? I'd be forever grateful!
(BTW: Dot Inkster is William's sister...I guess
that makes her my....Great-Aunt?)
Hope everyone enjoyed this e-mail and I hope someone out there
has some more information for me!
Take care,
Jeff Inkster
Toronto, ON, CAN
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