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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: North Uist
Friday photo: Barpa Langass
The Barpa Langass site in North Uist is a must see place for anyone visiting the island. I’m not sure the additional cairns atop of it as depicted in this postcard are still there, but do let us know if … Continue reading
Friday photo: Bak 2 skool
I suspect there were many very excited and very many grumpy young folk this morning in the Western Isles as the new school year started. I’m sure we all remember our first (and last) day at school and can empathise … Continue reading
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Tagged Lochmaddy, North Uist, schools
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Poor Law records: Financial scandal in North Uist!
An enquirer once contacted us about an ancestor who had been the Poor Law Inspector for North Uist. She asked if we could help tell her some more. As you may have guessed from previous posts we went to check … Continue reading
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Friday photo: Sponish House
As we move into May and the weather improves (hopefully) and the grass becomes greener this scene seemed quite appropriate (although maybe it needs some gambolling lambs?) The view take in the suspension bridge at Lochmaddy with Sponish House just … Continue reading
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Friday photo: A view of Lochmaddy
Lochmaddy, situated on the beautiful island of North Uist, is many a tourists first experience of the Western Isles when travelling over from Skye. Many of the postcards in the collection were actually sent rather than just being collectable momentos … Continue reading
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Friday photo: A new teacher starts
Today’s image comes from the island of Grimsay and relates to Kallin School. On 7 April 1910, Isabella Christie took up her post there as teacher. As you can see from the log book extract above, her first week was … Continue reading
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Tagged Claddach Kirkibost, Grimsay, Kallin School, North Uist, schols, teachers
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Friday photo; Lochmaddy
This week’s Friday Photo is of a very picturesque Lochmaddy. Taigh Chearsabhagh in Lochmaddy currently have an exhibition entitled ‘Cuan Uibhist -The Secret Sea’, which features the work of artists whose residences have focused on ‘three different sea journeys to locations … Continue reading
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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
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
