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Descendents of Scottish settlers get family history lesson Andrew Buck Jim Monkman couldn't believe “Get the camera!” he exclaimed. I's my creek!” Monkman, like countless others, was visiting Lower Fort Garry for the first time when the name of a creek near the fort was pointed out to him. While it might not seem like a big deal” for the many Monkmans who live in Manitoba, it was for Jim — he and wife Maureen were visiting Canada from their native Scotland for the first time. ‘The Monkman name is a well known one in Manitoba and dates back to the nineteenth century, when two brothers from Scotland stowed away in a Hudson’s Bay Company ship headed for Canada. One Monkman brother — James — married an aboriginal woman and took up residence in the Red River Valley. He started a long line of Metis Monkmans around Loon Straits, 50 kilometres north of Maniogan. What was less known, however, was the fate of the other Monkman Brother, Andrew. That brother headed back to England, and many of the English Monkmans can trace their roots back to him. These days, there’s only one Monkman family feft in Scotland — Jim and Maureen Monkman, who live on the Orkney Islands in the country’s northern end. They were unaware of their Canadian connec tion until 30 years ago, when Angie Thomson (nee Monkman) and her husband Newton of Leon Straits found them in a telephone book while visiting England. “They called us up and visited us in 1979 Jim remembers. “The story goes that the two brothers ~ Andrew and James ~ stowed away in a ship bound for Canada that was ‘moored in Stronness.” Leaving the Scottish town for a faraway land ‘overseas, the brothers eventually parted paths and created two sepa rate families on two separate conti nents. Many Canadian Monkmans have Visited Scotland, but Jim and Maureen's tno marked the first time the Scottish side of the family set foot in Manitoba. “Basically, we are the first Monkmans from Britain to visit here,” Jim says. He and Maureen arrived in Canada May 9 and criss -crossed the country until their departure last week. One stop included meeting the Thomsons and Selkirk’s Ruth Christie, anoth er Monkman resident who just hap ens to work at Lower Fort Garry. Spotting a straw and timber Orkney chair at the Governor's House at the Fort was interesting, Miaiebsent + oma. “We have one in our house,” she said. “They didn’t know it was an ‘Orkney chi Experiencing the vastness that is ‘Canada was unbelievable, Jim says. “It wasn't really how I imagined it to be,” he says, “I didn’t realize Canada would be so vast and “It's mind boggling,” _adds Maureen. “Our island is only 30 miles long by 50 miles wide. Your roads are straight, ours are like this,” she says, drawing a squiggly line in the air with her hands. “It was even bigger than I thought it would be,” Jim says. “And I've got a big imagination. We thought the Scots were great hosts, but the Canadians have been amazing.” Having made the trip to Canada, Jim and Maureen hope their Canadian brethren will continue to visit Scotland. “We hope they don’t all turn up in the Orkneys at once,” he says, “because it will double the popula tion. We had a really, really good welcome.” Aunt Angie Thomson (left) joined Maureen and Jim Monkman from the Big House on a visit to Lower Fort Garry.
Newspaper Details
Selkirk Journal
Selkirk, Manitoba, CA
Sun, Jun 06, 2004
Page 8
Full Page
Clipped by
Clare S.
GB 21 Jun 2026
Other Publications Near Selkirk, Manitoba
Selkirk Record
Selkirk Weekly Record
Selkirk Record and Canadian Fishing Gazette
Selkirk Enterprise
Selkirk Journal
