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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: July 2020
The snow has lain (the hens have not!) thick… with frequent renewals. Mamma has been down the town only once during the week to hunt for meat, and, as I told you, she got none. Butter is all done, margarine unobtainable, and for two days we have had no milk. If ‘lil Lizzie’ had not obtained half a dozen herring for 10d. on Saturday there is no knowing what state of lowness we wd. now be reduced to… Stornoway, 14 Jan. 1917
Mr Gibson’s letter to Jean gives an insight into the difficulties of obtaining food supplies during the War. A combination of the German submarine blockade and an unusually heavy and prolonged snowfall was making life very difficult for Stornoway residents … Continue reading
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Comments Off on The snow has lain (the hens have not!) thick… with frequent renewals. Mamma has been down the town only once during the week to hunt for meat, and, as I told you, she got none. Butter is all done, margarine unobtainable, and for two days we have had no milk. If ‘lil Lizzie’ had not obtained half a dozen herring for 10d. on Saturday there is no knowing what state of lowness we wd. now be reduced to… Stornoway, 14 Jan. 1917
‘Every year on the first Tuesday of July, the town of Stornoway presents a very busy appearance, the bright coloured dresses of the girls and the more sober colours of the boys ‘bests’ help to give a gay festive air to the scene.’ Market Day, c.1905
This week’s gem from the Gibson Collection is a beautifully evocative essay by Doldina MacLeod of Secondary Class III. The collection contains not just family correspondence, but also examples of Nicolson Institute pupils’ work. The account is so well written … Continue reading
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Meet the team!
During the Coronavirus lockdown, Museum and Archive staff have been busy transcribing hundreds of letters and documents from the Gibson Collection, which we have been sharing on this blog. The valuable work of the project team will be incorporated into … Continue reading
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I was speaking the other day to Mrs Macgregor’s daughter who has the shop near Mr Murdo Macrae’s. I asked her about her nurse sister in Salonika. She said she was well and liked it fine. She had written to her mother when she first arrived that she wouldn’t be home-sick as “Salonika is just like Bragar” … Stornoway 17th Dec. 1916
This week’s letter includes reference to a new newspaper being started in Stornoway and Mrs Gibson wonders, in the course of her 8-page letter, if there will be enough news. She also advises Jean how to prepare for winter travel … Continue reading
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Comments Off on I was speaking the other day to Mrs Macgregor’s daughter who has the shop near Mr Murdo Macrae’s. I asked her about her nurse sister in Salonika. She said she was well and liked it fine. She had written to her mother when she first arrived that she wouldn’t be home-sick as “Salonika is just like Bragar” … Stornoway 17th Dec. 1916
