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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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Tag Archives: Eriskay
Trip to Eriskay, Uist and York
As you can probably tell, I’m just catching up on all that has happened recently. We recently took a trip to Eriskay to continue our mapping of archives throughout the Western Isles. Eriskay Historical Society were gearing up for their … Continue reading
Posted in Trainee Archivist
Tagged Eriskay, Fr Allan MacDonald, South Uist, Training, York
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Friday photo: Photo-bombing chicken
Another trip to Eriskay for today’s Friday photo and an early example of a photobombing from August 1911. This rather lovely looking blackhouse and family group is a great shot in itself but the hen obviously wanting in on the … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged blackhouses, chickens, Eriskay, photobombing
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Friday photo: Eriskay in colour
I was going through some of the postcards held by Stornoway library and came across this duplicate set of images for Prince Charlie’s beach on Eriskay where he landed prior to the ’45 rebellion. The postcard in black and white is … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged Bonnie Prince Charlie, Eriskay, Friday Photo, South Uist
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Friday photo; Werner Kissling exhibition
Comunn Eachdraidh Uibhist a Deas will next week launch an exhibition of photographs of Werner Kissling. The exhibition will open on July 2nd in the Kildonan Museum and features photographs which were on display in an exhibition last year in … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged Comunn Eachdraidh Uibhist a Deas, Eriskay, Friday Photo, South Uist, Werner Kissling
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Friday photo; St Michael’s RC Church, Eriskay
This week’s Friday Photo shows St Michaels RC Church in Eriskay, which next year will celebrate 110 years since it was completed. It was built under the office of Father Allan Macdonald, who became well known for his work collecting … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged Church, Eriskay, Father Allan Macdonald, folklore, religion, South Uist
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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
Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged blackhouse, Eriskay, Friday Photo, South Uist
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