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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: March 2012
Friday photo; survivors of the SS Norge
On Monday 2nd April at 2.05pm BBC Radio Scotland will broadcast the story of the shipwreck of the SS Norge in June 1904. The SS Norge sank off Rockall with a loss of over 635 people, mostly European and Russian … Continue reading
Sgoil Airidhantuim air Aileag
Bidh dithis sgoilear à Sgoil Airidhantuim, Samuel agus Matthew, a’ bruidhinn air Aileag air Radio nan Gàidheal an-diugh aig 4.00f agus iad a’ cur ceistean air Dòmhnall Moireasdan, sgoilear an latha an-dè a chaidh tro foghlam ann an Airidhantuim cuideachd. Tha Dòmhnall … Continue reading
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Tagged Aileag, Radio nan Gàidheal, Sgoil Airidhantuim
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Friday photo; nice day for a boat ride
With some weather reports stating that today the Western Isles will be the warmest part of the UK, it would indeed be a lovely day for a boat ride. This image is from c1906 and is taken at the mouth of … Continue reading
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Tagged boat, Castle Grounds, Friday Photo, Stornoway
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“If you can spell Airidhantuim, you’ve been there.”
Today, Monday 19th March, is the first day of Airidhantuim School’s three open days and evenings which are being held at the school to remember its 135 year history and to mark its closing. Everyone with an interest and with memories … Continue reading
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Friday menu: Stornoway Literary and Debating Society
Today’s archive treat comes from the minutes of the Stornoway Literary and Debating Society, who held their first annual dinner 109 years ago. Lots of Stornoway figures attended the dinner, and apparently had to sit through a long evening of … Continue reading
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Friday Photo; Northton Temple
This week’s Friday Photo is of Northton Temple in Harris, which has recently had some renovations made to its stonework. Rudh’ an Teampaill, the headland that the chapel sits on, is thought to have at one point being enclosed by … Continue reading
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Tagged Harris, Linn gu Linn, Northton, Northton Chapel, Northton Temple, Rudh' an Teampaill
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Uibhist a Tuath air Radio nan Gàidheal
Bidh caraid an Tasglann, Isa NicGlip, a bhios ag obair le Comunn Eachdraidh Uibhist a Tuath, air Radio nan Gàidheal an-diugh a’ bruidhinn air an obair a bh’ aice mar tidsear ann an Uibhist a Tuath. Bidh còmhradh ann air … Continue reading
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Tagged ceol, Comunn Eachdraidh Uibhist a Tuath, croitearachd, Radio nan Gàidheal
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Friday photo; Clachan, North Uist
A shop has operated from the same site in Clachan, North Uist for over 100 years. The photo of the store shown above is from 1947, and the shop seems to have quite a few customers, including some of the ovine … Continue reading
