Digitised copy of Copy memorial by Malcolm McLaurine, chamberlain of Tiree, to the Duke of Argyll, 1 Nov 1803, with subsequent correspondence with James Ferrier, the 5th Duke of Argyll’s lawyer (2 sets).
The main topic of the correspondence is the prospect of McLaurin being provided a farm at Balephuil. The correspondence also mentions: the farm occupied by McLaurin at Crossapol; the prospect of farms at Balephuil and Crossapol being divided into crofts; the prospect of converting the Chamberlain’s house at Crossapol into a church or inn and granary; the purchase of cattle and the distemper which can affect them; the subject of McLaurin ‘grasping’ at a farm in Balemartine; the Post Office; Mr McLean of Coll; value of land in Coll; mail lands; rent; Hector MacLean’s lease at ‘Haynish’; Balephuil March Dykes; planned improvements to the island.
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From the archives of the Dukes of Argyll at Inveraray Castle, made available through the Written in the Landscape project.
Digitised copy of Petition by the tenants of Ballinoe [sic], Tiree, Jul 1803.
The petition is submitted by Alexander McLean, Duncan Campbell, John Macdonald, John Brown, John Macphaill, Alexander Campbell, John Campbell, John Bell, Neil Campbell, Hector Campbell ,and John McFarlane – all tenants in Balinoe. The petition mentions that the tenants feel ‘harassed and oppressed’; being prevented from cutting peat; the Factor and surveyor taking advantage of the petitioners by purchasing cattle at an ‘under value’; proclamations at the church door; being bound to provide services to the Factor and his servants; the lack of a miller to grind their grain.
Digitised copy of Petition by Alexander Campbell and other tenants in Tiree, 1803. The petition is submitted by Alexander Campbell, Donald Campbell, Murdoch Campbell, Donald Campbell junior, Angus Campbell, Farquhard Campbell, Hector Campbell, Angus Sinclair, Malcolm Sinclair, John MacInnish, John Carmichael, Donald MacInnish, Donald Campbell, Allan MacLean and Neil McDonald – all tenants of Barrapol and Kenovar.
The petition mentions increase in rents; the division of land into crofts; a penalty of £10; difficulty in disposing of cattle due to distemper; being ‘burtherned and oppressed” by needing to perform services to the Factor and his servants; request to reduce the rent.
Digitised copy of Letter from Malcolm McLaurine, chamberlain of Tiree, to the Duke of Argyll, 10 Mar 1802. In this letter McLaurine discusses: timber claimed but not proved; sending a sample of wine from a cask lying in a barn; rents due; distilling; barley and coals; Clyde Packet; the island being cut off due to stormy weather; opening a weekly communication with the post office at Tobermory; the ground officer; methods to find a good school master; model of a wind miln [windmill]; poor enclosure on McLaurine’s farm.
Digitised copy of Letter from Malcolm McLaurine, chamberlain of Tiree, to the Duke of Argyll, 14 Jan 1802. In this letter McLaurine discusses: sending specimens of barley, pottery, clay and fossil sand; an analysis of sand by Dr Gardner; corresponding with Captain Campbell; writing to Greenock; difficulty in finding boys willing to go to Inveraray to learn to be Quarriers, and the reasons for their reluctance; illegal distilling of whisky; removals from the island, including the schoolmaster and the miller at Crossapol; the Bailie; the farm at Crossapol; replacing the ground officer, Angus Munn, with Neil McLean (previously a sergeant in Lord Lorne’s fencibles), and remarks on their characters; using wood cast ashore to repair the byre and stable at the Factor’s house; a model of the windmill; problems with sending post in the winter.
Digitised copy of Letter from Malcolm McLaurine, chamberlain of Tiree, to the Duke of Argyll, 15 Dec 1801. In this letter McLaurine expresses gratitude to the Duke of Argyll for giving him the farm at Balephuil and agreeing to build a house on it; the factor; the division of the farm at Crossapoll into crofts; instructing the people of Tiree in farming; enclosing and subdividing the farm at Balephuil; plans to develop a large garden and nursery; using the Volunteer Company to maintain the social order of the island and to supress smuggling and distilling; the Argyllshire Companies.
Digitised copy of Remarks on the island of Tiree, 1771. The remarks made by the document fall under the following headings: The island over-peopled; the propriety of establishing a fishing village in Tiry [Tiree]; plan of executing the design of building a village in Tiry; method of tillage and cultivation; runrig abusive; too many horses and servants employed in plowing and other works of a farm; Tiry a fit country for wheel carriages; division of large runrig farms into smaller ones proper; the small tenants occupy too little land; remedy proposed; by seting the thirdes of the island to gentlemen farmers; and the other two thirds to small tenants; common pastures prejudicial; they should be divided on the adjacent farms; land: blowing of the reef and encroachment on it should be prevented; sand blowing; Tiry over stocked with sheep; which causes sand blowing; cutting bent encourages sand blowing; flax and hemp little cultivated in Tiry should be encouraged; pulling barley from the root hurtful; milns [mills] of Tiry on a bad footing; a new miln necessary; a wind miln might be of use; greddan a most barbarous custom; minister’s Glebe too large; distilling should be discouraged in the most effectual manner; bad consequences of it; a method of collection the rents of Tiry without much arrears; fresh water lochs easily drained; roads and landing places should be more attended to in Tiry; factors should be restricted from demanding services as a duty prestaball [prestable] to them by the tenants.
There is no transcript available for this item.
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From the archives of the Dukes of Argyll at Inveraray Castle, made available through the Written in the Landscape project.
Digitised copy of Comprised estimate of the office houses built in Tiree by Donald Campbell, late factor, 1769. Contains an ‘estimate of the values of the office houses which were built, contiguous, to His Grace the Duke of Argyll’s house in Tiree’.
Digitised copy of the Cash paid by the factor of Tiree to Asknish, 1769. The document is headed ‘Cash from the Factor of Tiree’. There is no transcript available for this item.
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From the archives of the Dukes of Argyll at Inveraray Castle, made available through the Written in the Landscape project.
Digitised copy of the Inventory of papers left by Donald Campbell, late factor of Tiree, 1768, showing an inventory of papers sent by the factor, Donald Campbell. There is no transcript available for this item.
Click to view a record for this item on Inveraray’s online catalogue.
From the archives of the Dukes of Argyll at Inveraray Castle, made available through the Written in the Landscape project.
