Pentland Road - 2

This gravestone, dedicated to the memory of a family of Macleods of Portnaguran, Point, stands in the Eye Cemetery. Although poorly legible nowadays, it relates the losses of four of the sons of Donald and Chirsty Macleod of 10 Portnaguran. Only one of their five sons, Donald, survived the First World War. Alex was the only soldier; the other four served in the RNR. Alex was killed in action in France or Flanders, after joining up at home in Stornoway. Although Norman survived the hostilities, he was lost in the Iolaire Disaster, when the ship that took him home sank within sight of Stornoway Harbour on New Year's morning 1919. He might well have seen the Tiumpan Head lighthouse, which stands not far from his home, just before the Iolaire sank. William too was lost close to shore, but this time off the sandy shores of Belgium, when his requisitioned trawler was sank by fire from a shore battery at Blankenberge, near Zeebrugge. Angus died at home, after being released from ...

What went on at 50 Lower Garrabost on the night of 31st March 1901? The night of the 1901 census sees a number of visitors was present in the house of Murdo and Mary Mackay, a couple in their early fifties. Apart from their children John (12), Malcolm (10), Murdo (8), Mary (27) and Annie (6), we also find these visitors, most from the village of Aird Tong, about 10 miles away on the other side of Stornoway. Annie Macleod (40) - crofter's wife, Aird Tong Isabella Ross (68) - crofter's wife, Aird Tong Mary Macdonald (43) - crofter's wife, Aird Tong Paggie Graham (68) - crofter's wife, Shader (Barvas) Cate Macritchie (68) - crofter's wife, Benside Paggie Dods (51) - watchmaker's wife, Aird Tong Census returns offer us a narrow glimpse into the past, and what happened at this abode to prompt this influx of female visitors will probably remain hidden in the past. If anyone does have information, please leave a note. 

This week, the Island Book Trust is commemorating the evacuation of Mingulay a hundred years ago, in 1912. As part of that commemoration, I am posting the census return from 1901 from Mingulay, being registration district 108 and enumeration district 4. Each household is shown in a block, starting with the head of the household, their name, age and occupation (if known). Last year, I briefly touched on the demographics of Mingulay between 1851 and 1901. Mingulay, 1 April 1901 Head: John Johnston, 23, Teacher Cousin: Annie Mckinnon, 39, Cook Head: John Macneil, 36, Fisherman Wife: Mary Macneil, 28, Daughter: Maggie Macneil, 5, Scholar Daughter: Catherine Macneil, 3, Son: Michael Macneil, 0, Head: Angus Macneil, 82, Crofter Wife: Maggie Macneil, 70, Granddaughter: Annie Macneil, 18, General servant domestic Head: Donald Macneil, 38, Fisherman Wife: Mary Macneil, 35, Son: Michael Macneil, 9, Scholar Son: Neil Macneil, 7, Scholar Son: James Macneil, 5, Scholar Son: J...

The Report from the Napier Commission in the Outer Hebrides contains a number of letters (contained in Appendix XXXII), sent by people who had been 'encouraged' to emigrate from Benbecula. When transcribing this section in 2010, I felt considerable cynicism over the veracity of the letters, if not the actual writing then certainly the spirit in which they were written. Lady Gordon-Cathcart has a very poor reputation in the Southern Isles, as the evidence, heard in Benbecula, South Uist and Barra bears out. Some landowners, as the Napier Report shows, actively felt that emigration was the only cure for the ill of the landless pauper in the Highlands and Islands. However, a comment on this Appendix XXXII testifies that some of the emigrants were actually quite satisfied with the resettlement programme, resettlement at (amongst other places) Wappella Station in modern-day Manitoba, Canada. And, objectively speaking, there is no doubt that many of the emigrants would find condi...

Today in 1944, an armada of ships brought an invasion force to the beaches of Normandy, spelling the beginning of the end for Nazi Germany. After some hard fighting, the march through France, Belgium and Holland did not falter until they reached the Rhine bridge at Arnhem in September that year. A list of those from the Isle of Lewis who fell at Normandy and the month following the invasion. Seaman NORMAN MACDONALD Last address in Lewis: 30 Knock, Carloway Service unit: Royal Navy HMMM 7 Date of death: 07/06/1944 at the age of 34 Killed in action in D-day Invasion of Normandy Chief Petty Officer ALEXANDER MORRISON Last address in Lewis: 8 North Tolsta Service unit: Naval Auxiliary Personnel (Merchant Navy) HMRT Sesame Date of death: 11/06/1944 at the age of 41 Lost off Normandy Private KENNETH JOHN MACDONALD Last address in Lewis: 2/4 Kershader Service unit: 7th Seaforth Highlanders Date of death: 28/06/1944 at the age of 24 Killed in action at Caen, France Fu...

Today, 100 years ago, Alexander Carmichael Watson passed away at the age of 80. In his time, Carmichael Watson travelled the length and breadth of the Hebrides, amassing a vast collection of folk-lore. The Carmichael Watson project have been working hard to digitise this collection, which you can access here . Anyone who is near one of Carmichael Watson's abodes is invited to take a picture and share it with the project on its Facebook page . Alexander Carmichael Watson was born and lies buried in the Isle of Lismore, a few miles northwest of Oban.

In the Royal Naval Cemetery at Lyness in Orkney you will find 21 gravestones dedicated to "Known unto God", for a man who served on HMS Hampshire . The warship foundered off Skaill Bay on the west coast of Orkney in a severe gale in June 1916, thought to have struck a mine. Three named stones associated with the sinking of that ship are present in that cemetery. HMS Hampshire also carried Lord Kitchener, the Secretary of State for War. He was among the dead, but his body was never recovered. Only 12 survived. Today is 96 years ago since the sinking of HMS Hampshire. This post is dedicated to the memory of those lost in her.