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- I am just in from the meeting of the school Literary Society. They had a Gaelic debate: “Has emigration been beneficial to the Highlands?” They went into it with great vim and seemed to enjoy it greatly. Several times it resolved itself into little duels in which there seemed to be excellent bits which brought down the house, and retort would follow retort to everybody’s delight… The affirmative won by 35 votes to 14; some did not vote… Stornoway, 28th Feb. 1917
- There have been some fine catches of herring this last week, one day 5000 crans. The Minch has been getting “swept” and the mail-boat is running regularly. Oatmeal scarce; we have had to fall back temporarily on Quaker oats… Stornoway 22nd Feb 1917
- This week’s letter highlights a difficult truth which is very pertinent, given that it is Black History Month. In the course of transcribing the letters we occasionally encounter racist language which is extremely offensive and considered abhorrent today. The fact that a highly educated woman like Mrs Gibson would use this particularly horrible word in such a context reflects the racist ideas prevalent in Britain at this time. We thought carefully about whether to publish this letter on the blog, but we feel it is important not to cover up the past and that we should bring it out into the open, as the attitudes of people in the past are an important part of the historical record. In another sentence of the letter there is a reference to insanity in a particular family. We have not revealed the family’s identity in case this causes distress to any descendants.
- I had letters this week from Wm. B. Macdonald, who is with a battery in France and has had one or two narrow escapes, from J. W. Matheson, in Salonika, and from Alick Thomson, in the training camp at Gailes. He is enjoying the change from the trench-mud. Did I mention that Simon Mackenzie, who has been on a minesweeper off the west coast of Ireland, is now home, discharged on account of his health?… Stornoway, 15th Feb. 1917
- He told us of a mule who had a spite against a man and waited patiently for an opportunity to pay him out [get revenge]. One day the man was grooming the third mule from his enemy. The watchful one saw his chance and laid the man out with a kick delivered below the bellies of the two intervening mules. What do you think of that? E. says they never forget anybody who has beaten them…Stornoway, 9th Feb. 1917
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Monthly Archives: September 2011
Friday photo; Heisker
The above photo shows three generations of the same family in 1911 on the islands of Heisker, found off the coast of North Uist. Also known as the Monach isles, Heisker is famous for being the isles Lady Grange was imprisoned on for … Continue reading
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Tagged Friday Photo, Heisker, Liniclate, Monach Isles, North Uist, school log books
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Isle of Harris Mountain Festival
The first Isle of Harris Mountain Festival kicked off on Saturday with a guided walk to Amhuinnsuidhe Castle and events carry on throughout this week with more guided walks, talks, film showings, sea kayaking and a ceilidh on Friday. Be … Continue reading
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Tagged Isle of Harris, Isle of Harris Mountain Festival, Source Lists
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Stornoway mention in The New York Post!
Ok, it was in 1937 but still! This clipping appeared in The New York Post on December 14th in a section of the paper called “Strange as it Seems” and it was found in James Shaw Grant’s collection. The … Continue reading
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Friday photo; Lewis War Memorial
On Friday 24th September 1924 more than two thousand people gathered to witness the opening of the Lewis War Memorial, dedicated to Lewismen and women who had lost their lives fighting for their country. The Memorial was paid for by the community, … Continue reading
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Tagged Friday Photo, Lewis War Memorial
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St Kilda and Mingulay school log books in the news!
This week saw the formal launch online of the school log books for the abandoned islands of Mingulay and St Kilda. Several newspapers, including the Scotsman, Herald, Sunday Express and other news websites such as the BBC have picked up … Continue reading
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Tagged log books, Mingulay, palaeography, schools, St Kilda, transcription
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Friday advert, K J Macdonald’s Chemist
Stornoway’s last locally owned chemist, K J Macdonald Ltd, is celebrating its 90th year in business this year and is now in its fourth generation of family ownership. The shop was established by Kenneth John Macdonald, the present owner Karen … Continue reading
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Tagged businesses, Friday Photo, K J Macdonald, Stornoway
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Ùidh ann a foghlam tro mheadhan na Gàidhlig?
Bidh feasgar spòrs ann a Ionad Spòrs Leòdhais air Disatharne 17mh den t-Sultain airson pàrantan (agus clann!) aig a bheil ùidh ann a foghlam tro mheadhan na Gàidhlig. Tha an fheasgar a toiseachadh aig dà uair agus bidh peantadh aodainn ann, òrain, … Continue reading
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Tagged Comunn na Gaidhlig, Foghlam tro mheadhan na Gaidhlig, fun ahead
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A researcher’s point of view
The Tasglann’s small searchroom at Stornoway Library recently played host to Monique Watt for a week who had already spent a number of weeks using the Angus Macleod Archive at Kershader. Monique was the recipient of the Gatliff Angus Macleod … Continue reading
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Tagged angus macleod archive, gatliff, Lochs, researcher
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Friday photo; Chapman’s map
The above map of Uig forms part of a larger map of Lewis and Harris created by James Chapman in 1817. The map is very detailed and currently hangs in the Comhairle building on Sandwick Road, Stornoway. There is a … Continue reading
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Tagged Doors Open Day, Friday Photo, Lewis Chessmen, Uig
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Friday photo; Eriskay folk
Heres another photo from Stornoway Library’s Southern Isles collection, this time of Eriskay. The two people here are sadly not named, though written on the back of the photograph it gives the date as 1911. Do you recognise the image … Continue reading
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Tagged blackhouse, Eriskay, Friday Photo, South Uist
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