Pentland Road - 2

Lewismen serving in the Canadian Expeditionary Force 1914-1918 Total found: 678 112 do not feature in the Rolls of Honour 200 cannot be traced on Veteran Affairs Canada (with any degree of reliability), in spite of being quoted as serving with the Canadians 130 were killed Drafted 37 were called up under the Army Act from 1917 onwards, 3 were defaulters, and were arrested after not answering their summons 445 volunteered for service Marital status 53 were married 414 were single Religion 1 was a Seventh Day Adventist 1 was United Free Church 11 were Church of England 451 were Presbyterian 6 had no religion recorded Location of enlistment Calgary 21 Edmonton 21 Valcartier 41 Vancouver 38 Victoria 31 Winnipeg 96 amongst others Trades / occupations Carpenter 35 Farmer, farmworker 50 Labourer 110 Miner 22 Sailor 15 Stonemason, -cutter 16 Teamster 21 amongst others Complexion Dark 141 Fair 150 Fresh 40 Ruddy 45 Eyes ...

Boreray is a small island in the Sound of Harris (between Harris and North Uist), which was home to 150 people in the 1880s, as testified in this submission to the Napier Commission. Nowadays, only one person lives there – as a crofter. The complaint in 1883 was overcrowding. The below map shows how small the island is.

The estate factor in North Uist gave a good insight into why the Gaelic language continued on its long, slow decline in the latter years of the 19th century. I quote the relevant parts of his submission to the Napier Commission, sitting at Loch Eport on 30 May 1883. 12793. There was a statement made by some of the people here with respect to teaching the children Gaelic. Has the school board any educational views on that question? Other things being equal, would they consider that an advantage in the education of the children? —I do not think they would. 12794. The great object is to endeavour to get as much English as possible ? —As much English as possible. 12795. And the belief of the board is that anything done in the way of teaching the children Gaelic rather stands in the way of teaching English ? —Well, if the teacher had plenty of time it would not do the children any harm to be taught their native language. * and * 12854. You said something wh...

This summarises what the Clearances were all about – for those who were on the receiving end of them. I quote the Reverend Alexander Davidson, aged 70, at Leverburgh in Harris. It is most unnatural that man should be chased away to make room for sheep and deer ; that the land should lie uncultivated when men are perishing for lack of food. It is very unnatural that old or young should not be allowed to cast a hook into a standing lake or stream to catch a trout without being pursued by an officer of the law.

My transcription of the Napier Commission, which I have been doing over the past week or so, is slowly progressing and we are presently in North Uist. Once more the issue appears to be the size (or lack of it) of the land that each crofter holds. Malcolm Mcinnes, a crofter from the township of Tigharry, summarises it in his reply to question 12298. 12298. Then what I understand is that though you are not dissatisfied with your present holdings, you wish to have such large holdings as would enable you to live as farmers on a farm, and not be dependent upon labour to maintain your families? —That is it exactly—the very thing we want—that we could make a living out of our crofts by our own labour. We don't want to be gentlemen. In his perspective, gentlemen,  (I remind you of the date, 1883) were people who made a living out of other people's labours. It appears to have been a matter of pride to Malcolm that he be able to make a living by his own hard graft.