Pentland Road - 2

On 9 June 1888, Annie Macleod, living in the village of Knock, Point (in Lewis), gave birth to another child, Donald. He was the sixth, and not the last child. Two more followed, and by the start of 1894, eight children, varying in ages from 1 to 15 years, crowded into the dwelling. It drove the father, Hector, to distraction, to such an extent that he ended his life in September that year. Three months later, Annie also passed away. The eight youngsters were taken into the care of the Quarrier Homes in Glasgow, and emigrated to Canada two years later. Donald signed up for the Canadian Expeditionary Force at Calgary in October 1914, and was injured during the Battle of the Somme. He was transferred to War Hospital at Napsbury, where he passed away on 4 August 1916, at 9.45pm. Due to an error in the paperwork, his remains were transferred to Benbecula, rather than Lewis, and the next-of-kin notified. The next of kin was thought to be Alex Macleod of Gramsdale, but when Alex came t...

Armistice Day is nearly upon us, and I feel it is appropriate to post a reminder of my links that commemorate the Fallen from the Outer Hebrides in both World Wars. Centenary of Sacrifice is an on-going project, which will post the names of all the Fallen from these islands on the date, 100 years later, on which they died. Isle of Lewis Faces from the Lewis War Memorial A listing of the casualties from Lewis from WW1. Lewismen lost in the Great War A listing of the casualties from Lewis from WW1, including all available information (e.g. images of war graves, transcript of Stornoway Gazette tributes etc). Roll of Honour, Isle of Lewis 1914-1919 A transcript of Loyal Lewis, Roll of Honour, listing all from the island who served during WW1 Tributes for the War Memorial A transcript of tributes from the Stornoway Gazette to WW1 casualties from Lewis Tributes for the War Memorial (WW2) A transcript of tributes from the Stornoway Gazette to WW2 casualties from Lewis...

The war memorial for North Uist at Clachan lists Thomas Coull, Fairfield Works as one of the casualties from the First World War. Although he is referred to as a private, it soon becomes clear that he was a civilian. The Fairfield Works was a shipyard in Govan, Glasgow. Thomas's death certificate says he was an iron driller at the yard, living at 1269 Govan Road. He was aged 23, the son of James and Sarah-Ann Coull. Thomas died at 11.55pm on 1 June 1915, having suffered from meningitis for eight days. His death was reported by his brother Duncan. Thomas also had a brother, Frank, who had joined the Royal Engineers. He died in military hospital at Etaples, on the northwestern coast of France, in 1919. Research into Frank Coull yielded the census return for 1901 from which the above information on Thomas was corroborated. Frank appears in the 1901 census aged 17, a game watcher, the son of James (48) and Sarah Ann (47) and brother of Rhoda (15), William James (13) and Duncan ...

During my recent visit to South Uist, I came across a house called Tipperton (Tobar Tiobairt), near the Polochar Inn on the extreme southwestern point of the island. Searching the Internet revealed the Gaelic name, and the story of human remains found in a crouching position nearby. The 2005 hurricane caused severe coastal erosion in the area. Tipperton was the home of James and Margaret Morrison, both now deceased. James died in 1979, aged 85, and is pictured with a bottle of "Politician" whisky in this tweet from Struileag. His wife Margaret followed him out of this world in 1996, aged 93. The Hallan Cemetery website gives further information on the two people that lived at Tipperton.

Completed the WW2 listings from the Southern Isles . Barra & Vatersay: 55 (51 served in the Merchant Navy). Benbecula: 6 Berneray: 4 Eriskay: 5 Grimsay: 3 Harris: 62 North Uist: 30 South Uist: 41 Total: 211 (there is a degree of cross-over between the islands) 1939: 4 1940: 44 1941: 36 1942: 25 1943: 19 1944: 20 1945: 11 and 4 died in 1946 and 1947 There are 48 casualties on whom I have very little information. Of the 211 casualties: 121 were in the Merchant Navy 55 were in the Army, of whom 28 in the Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders 13 in the RAF 19 in the Royal Navy or Royal Naval Reserves 4 were women

Crossposted from Atlantic Lines This evening, I found a comment, made on one of my local history sites by a Danish man who had visited the Outer Hebrides. Upon crossing North Uist, he visited the cemetery of Clachan Sands, about 6 miles west of Lochmaddy on the road to Berneray. I visited that graveyard in July 2009 and photographed the gravestone of Ewen Nicholson, who was lost during the First World War. An image of the actual gravestone in the Railway Dugouts Cemetery can be viewed on this link . My Danish correspondent researched the fate of Ewen, displaying some very graphic and gruesome images of conditions on the frontline. I have looked into Ewen Nicholson's information and came out with the following: Ewen Nicholson Born: Grimsay, North Uist Date of birth: 29 May 1892 Trade / calling: Labourer Married: No Volunteered at Valcartier on 23 September 1914 Age upon enlistment: 22 years 4 months Height: 5 ft 10¼ in Complexion: fresh Eyes: light brown Hair: brown...

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.

Boreray is a small island off the north coast of North Uist, which suffered a population decline during the 19th century. From 181 in 1841, down to 151 in 1851 it now has just 1 permanent inhabitant. More on the island's history on this page on the Boreray Island website . It features in the Napier Report , but Boreray is not distinguishable in any of the 19th century censuses, except for 1851. In that year, 29 families were recorded in Boreray. A number of visitors, mostly young children, as well as a Sheriff's Officer, are also on the listings. I give the breakdown below. All those mentioned were born in the parish of North Uist, except where indicated otherwise. (1) Evan Mcdagald junior (60) Head, Farmer of 8 acres Maron Mcdugald (47) Wife, Children: Euphemia (21), Christian (17), Catharine (12), Hector (10, Scholar), Maron (8) and Cein (6) Visitor: Archibald Mclean (37) Sheriff Officer (2) John Macdougald (64) Head, Farmer of 8 acres Children: Meron (28), ...

On 31 May 1883, two residents of the island of Berneray gave evidence to the Napier Commission at Obbe, now known as Leverburgh. The two men were Malcolm Mcleod and Lachlan Munro. At that time, Berneray (referred to as Bernera in the Napier report) was part of the parish of Harris. Nowadays, it is more closely associated with North Uist. Malcolm Mcleod , aged 42, was a fisherman, born in 1842 in Berneray. In the 1881 census, he is shown as married to Mary Mcleod, ten years his junior, with children Marion (8), Allan (6), Effy Kate (4), Roderick (2) and Malcolm (4 months). Malcolm senior is the son of Roderick and Chirsty Macleod of Ruishgarry, which is the farm at the northeastern end of Berneray. He is the second child, with Neil being the eldest brother (as shown in the 1871 census), and Allan (23), Mary Anne (17) and Peggy (14) the younger children. Peggy is shown as Margaret in the 1861 census. Roderick Mcleod can be traced (with some uncertainty) to a visit to Upper Sandwick ...

A new site is currently being compiled on the Fallen from World War I and World War II from the islands of Berneray, Boreray, North Uist, Grimsay, Benbecula, South Uist, Eriskay, Barra and Vatersay. All information welcome.

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...

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.

Napier Commission Report on South Uist. Due to sheer poverty, the people of that island were reduced to feeding their children tea, rather than milk in the 1880s. A translator, acting for the Gaelic speaking witnesses at the inquiry, had this to say on the subject. 11529. Do you find that the children are properly clothed generally 1 —Well, upon the whole they are. You meet with exceptions, but upon the whole, they are fairly well clad. Of course there are cases where clothing is pretty scanty. 11530. You don't think they are so badly clothed that it has any generally injurious effect upon their growth or health ? —I don't think so. It is insufficient feeding that has to do with their health, as I find, especially tea-drinking. 11531. A man to-day spoke about giving tea to the children. Is it common ? —Quite prevalent. 11532. I suppose you don't consider that good for children ? —I think it most injurious. 11533. In the absence of milk, what would you r...

These quotes from the Napier Commission's report from South Uist, describe the clearances there. It starts with an excerpt from a statement of complaint from the township of Kilpheder in the far south of South Uist. The Commission then proceeds to quiz John Mackay from question 11143 onwards on the actual events. John is 75 years old at the time of the Commission's visit in May 1883. [People were] compelled to emigrate to America; some of whom had been tied before our eyes, others hiding themselves in caves and crevices for fear of being caught by authorised officers. 11143. Will you relate what you heard and saw? —I saw a policeman chasing a man down the macher towards Askernish, with a view to catch him, in order to send him on board an emigrant ship lying in Loch Boisdale. I saw a man who lay down on his face and nose on a little island, hiding himself from the policeman, and the policeman getting a dog to search for this missing man in order to get him on b...

his year, it will be 80 years ago since the islanders of St Kilda (Hiort) were evacuated to the Scottish mainland at their own request. It was on 29th August 1930 that the culture of St Kilda died with the passing to other shores of its inhabitants. This evening, Monty Halls in his Hebridean Hideaway visited the islands. The scenery was absolutely stunning. But otherwise, there was nothing there. There are no permanent residents left, the houses are ruinous, with a few exceptions, and the storage huts (cleits) stand empty and derelict. In other words, St Kilda is dead. Monty Halls, who stayed in North Uist for six months from July 2009 onwards, got involved with the controversy surrounding the location of the St Kilda Centre. It will be a point where the culture and people of St Kilda will be celebrated and kept alive. The strife was bitter, and already reflected in Monty's programme. The other contestants were Mangersta (Lewis) and Leverburgh (Harris). Cleitraval (N...

Today is the 70th anniversary of the invasion of Poland, a military campaign that sparked off the Second World War. In the 6 years following, many thousands would lay down their lives in the defense of freedom. The Western Isles, once more, stood in the breach and supplied dozens of its young men to the services between 1939 and 1945. The death toll makes for sobering reading - having just transcribed the war memorials for all of the islands in the Western Isles (courtesy the S cottish War Memorials Project ). Lewis - 448 Harris - 58 North Uist & Berneray - 36 Benbecula - 6 South Uist & Eriskay - 51 Barra - 54 Total: 653 Lest we forget.