-
Recent Posts
- 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
Recent Comments
Tag Cloud
Airidhantuim Primary School archives Barra Berneray Bord na Gaidhlig cataloguing Christmas Comainn Eachdraidh Comunn Eachdraidh Nis Eriskay fishing Friday Photo Harris Harris Tweed Harris Tweed Authority Islands Book Trust Islands Book Trust James Shaw Grant lewis Lewis Society of Detroit Lews Castle Lochmaddy Lord Leverhulme Mingulay music Ness North Tolsta Historical Society North Uist Pairc photographs poor law Radio nan Gàidheal religion school memories schools Sgoil Airidhantuim South Uist St Kilda Stornoway Stornoway Historical Society Stornoway Town Hall Tolsta Training weather WWIArchives
- October 2020
- September 2020
- August 2020
- July 2020
- June 2020
- May 2020
- April 2020
- August 2017
- July 2017
- June 2017
- May 2017
- April 2017
- March 2017
- February 2017
- December 2016
- November 2016
- October 2016
- September 2016
- October 2014
- September 2014
- August 2014
- July 2014
- June 2014
- May 2014
- April 2014
- March 2014
- February 2014
- August 2013
- July 2013
- June 2013
- May 2013
- April 2013
- March 2013
- February 2013
- January 2013
- December 2012
- November 2012
- October 2012
- September 2012
- August 2012
- July 2012
- June 2012
- May 2012
- April 2012
- March 2012
- February 2012
- January 2012
- December 2011
- November 2011
- October 2011
- September 2011
- August 2011
- July 2011
- June 2011
- May 2011
- April 2011
- March 2011
- February 2011
- January 2011
- December 2010
- November 2010
- October 2010
- September 2010
Related Links
Tools
Monthly Archives: February 2012
Sandwickhill School Log Books and School Memories Event
To mark Sandwickhill School’s 132 year history , the school pupils are keeping a school log book recording the weekly activities of the school. We have created a blog that presents a selection of their weekly comments and intersperses these with comments … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged Sandwickhill school, school memories
Comments Off on Sandwickhill School Log Books and School Memories Event
A’ cuimhneachadh air Detroit
Bidh cothrom eile èisteachd ri turas Anna Nic an Lèigh à Siadar air Taobh Siar Leòdhais nuair a chaidh i air ais gu Detroit, far an do rugadh i. Thàinig Anna a-steach a chèilidh orn ann a oifis an Tasglann … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged Annie Macleay, eist a-rithist, Lewis Society of Detroit, Radio nan Gàidheal
Comments Off on A’ cuimhneachadh air Detroit
Friday Photo; Leap Year Dance
This poster from 1944 is from Stornoway Historical Society’s collection, and is currently stored in Stornoway Library. The hand drawn poster advertises a dance to be held by Sandwick Badminton Club for a Leap Year Dance, and features some interesting … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged Friday Photo, Leap Year, Sandwick Badminton Club, Stornoway Historical Society, WWII
3 Comments
Friday photo; Creag Hastin
The three of us are away down to North Uist, Benbecula and South Uist next week to do some survey work of businesses and also provide catalogue training to Comann Eachdraidh Uibhist a Tuath. Hopefully the weather will hold out for … Continue reading
Another successful evening for Airidhantuim School memories
Another successful evening was held at Airidhantuim School for past and present pupils and staff to come together and remember their time in the school. Two past pupils having a look at familiar faces! Photograph albums and folders of donated … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged Airidhantuim School Memories, Airidhantuim School open week
Comments Off on Another successful evening for Airidhantuim School memories
Cothrom cruinneachaidh aig Sgoil Airidhantuim
Bidh cothrom eile ann cruinneachadh aig Sgoil Airidhantuim oidhche Chiadain airson a thighinn còmhla airson sgeulachdan agus cuimheachan a chluinntinn mu laithean na sgoile. Tha an sgoil a’ dùnadh aig àm a’ chàisg agus tha luchd-obrach agus sgoilearan air a … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged Coffee evening, eachdraidh na sgoile, Sgoil Airidhantuim
Comments Off on Cothrom cruinneachaidh aig Sgoil Airidhantuim
Friday Photo; Glen Tolsta
Opening in An Lanntair tomorrow is a new exhibition by Anne Campbell, Mairi Morrison and Ishbel Murray called ASTAR Glen Tolsta. The three artists collaborated on project about Glen Tolsta, a now almost abandoned settlement in between Tolsta and Gress, where … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged Friday Photo, Glen Tolsta, Lochs, North Tolsta Historical Society, Pairc
1 Comment
Friday photo; Heisker
This week we had an enquiry from someone who had recently visited the Monach Isles and had come across a plaque dedicated to a German sailor, Otto Schatt, whose U-boat was sunk in 1918. His body washed up on Heisker, along … Continue reading
An Archive Tour of Stornoway
On Monday night I presented a paper entitled An Archive Tour of Stornoway to Stornoway Historical Society in the Council Chambers at Sandwick Road to around 50 people. The talk took the form of a wander around the streets of Stornoway, stopping off … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged James Shaw Grant, Lews Castle, Lord Leverhulme, Stornoway, Stornoway Historical Society, Stornoway Town Hall
Comments Off on An Archive Tour of Stornoway
Urras Leabhraichean nan Eilean
Ma tha ùidh agaibh ann a Hiort (agus ma tha sibh ann an Uibhist a Tuath a-nochd) bidh Iain Parker a’ bruidhinn ann an Claddach Kirkibost air “Mapping on the Edge – Recent Discoveries from St Kilda.” Tha seo ann am … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged Hiorst, Urras Leabhraichean nan Eilean
Comments Off on Urras Leabhraichean nan Eilean
