-
Recent Posts
- This afternoon Angus Macphail has been in to see us. He was asking for you all. He is still busy “coelum servans”. They send up little balloons and measure the direction and strength of the wind at different heights. This is done hourly and the results are passed on to the airmen. He thinks he may soon be sent out to Italy… Stornoway, 26th May. 1918
- Today Rudland and some of the school-boys brought the “Naughty Lass” up to the back garden, opposite the kitchen window. Papa proposes getting her painted and ready for sea. We want to try the fishing and in any case it will be nice to be able to get afloat now and again. In the evenings I am too tired to go walking and this would be better. So you will get a chance of developing your muscle when you come home. Also Maud – tell her… Stornoway, 16th May. 1918
- Did I tell you last week that Neil Macdonald (Fifth of 1914) the lad from Balallan who got the Mil. Cross about a year ago, was rumoured as having been killed. I am sorry to say it is officially confirmed. This morning also news came that Ian Macdonald, the younger of the C. E.’s sons, has been killed. People whose sons are out are having a time of great anxiety… Stornoway, 12th May. 1918
- W. J. Clarke came in and we then got away and went in to Miss Fraser’s. We had heard that she had been at our door one day when you were at home… Since then she has been seriously ill with a very bad heart attack, and Dr. Mackenzie in attendance… She is now up and about again but does not seem as far as we could judge to be much better than when she went to the country. Poor Miss Fraser! it is very sad to see her so unlike herself. Write her a nice letter one of these days when you are at leisure, and be watching the shops to see if there is any little thing you could send her… Stornoway, 9th May. 1918
- I don’t know whether you heard that they had prizes in Story. in connection with the War Savings Certifs., and among the 16,000 numbers from which they drew one of the successful one is one of your certificates. This will entitle you to one £1 certif., which I shall duly claim one of these days for you… Stornoway, 5th May. 1918.
Recent Comments
Tag Cloud
Airidhantuim Primary School archives Barra Berneray Bord na Gaidhlig British Museum cataloguing Christmas Comainn Eachdraidh Comunn Eachdraidh Nis Eriskay First World War fishing Friday Photo Harris Harris Tweed Harris Tweed Authority Islands Book Trust Islands Book Trust James Shaw Grant Leabharlannan nan Eilean Siar Lewis Society of Detroit Lews Castle Lochmaddy Lord Leverhulme Mingulay music Ness North Uist photographs Poor Law professional development Radio nan Gàidheal religion school memories schools Sgoil Airidhantuim South Uist St Kilda Stornoway Stornoway Historical Society Stornoway Town Hall Tolsta training weatherArchives
- June 2022
- May 2022
- April 2022
- March 2022
- February 2022
- January 2022
- December 2021
- November 2021
- October 2021
- September 2021
- August 2021
- July 2021
- June 2021
- May 2021
- April 2021
- March 2021
- February 2021
- January 2021
- December 2020
- November 2020
- 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: October 2020
Mr. and Mrs. Rook and Mr. Harper left on Thursday night. They go straight through to Plymouth and stay there with Elsie for a short time to do shopping for their new home and then on to Penzance…Mr. Murray is still all right – has been three weeks at a signalling course in France and has now re-joined his battalion… Stornoway, 4th March. 1917
In Mrs Gibson’s letter this week, she sends words of encouragement to Jean concerning her upcoming exams, she confirms that some of the teachers from the Nicolson have been called up to serve, and she also reports on a local … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
Comments Off on Mr. and Mrs. Rook and Mr. Harper left on Thursday night. They go straight through to Plymouth and stay there with Elsie for a short time to do shopping for their new home and then on to Penzance…Mr. Murray is still all right – has been three weeks at a signalling course in France and has now re-joined his battalion… Stornoway, 4th March. 1917
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
This week, Mr Gibson reports on the hotly debated topic at the Literary Society: “Has emigration been beneficial to the Highlands?”. He also notes his concern for the school at the possibility of losing more teachers to the war effort, … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
Comments Off on 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
In this week’s letter Mr Gibson remarks on the unusually calm spell of weather they have had with hardly any wind or rain in January and February. He also mentions some fine catches of herring, but a shortage of oatmeal. … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
Comments Off on 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.
Nicolson Institute, Stornoway, Feb 18th 1917 Dear Sheann, Your letter was up to time this week and Papa read it to me at breakfast yesterday. Sorry the Roman History was so horrid but we cannot always be in good exam. … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
Comments Off on 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
In his letter this week, Mr Gibson is full of praise for the Dramatic Evening at the Literary meeting, he reports on a large, local funeral, and gives Jean the latest news from two local boys serving in France and … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
Comments Off on 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