Newspaper article – from the Newcastle Herald, Australia, Thursday Mar 2, 2000. John MacFadyen emigrated from Tiree to Australia. He is third from the left and has “Trea McFadyn” on his L arm. He was the treasurer of the miners’ union when he died of pneumonia at 67 years, 11 September 1900. He worked his way up from the pits to being a Checkwayman.
Dates: 1860s
2022.30.3
Digitised copy of a record showing dispossessed crofters in Mannal and Scarinish, 1865. Contains a list of crofters’ names and remarks on their situation.
Mannal: Donald McMillan (carpenter), Donald McLean S[enio]r (in Glasgow), Allan McDonald (assisting on his brother’s farm), Donald McLean J[unio]r (fisherman, occasionally employed on the lighthouse tender), John Lamont (works the Lightkeepers Lands), Alex[ande]r Henderson (crofter), Hugh McLean (keeps a small store), Alexander Shaw (‘deals occasionally’), Colin Campbell (shoemaker, occasionally employed at the lighthouse), John McDonald (dyke builder)
Scarinish: Mary MacLean (supported by son), Donald McDougall (dead, widow keeps a small store), Alex[ande]r McDonald (has a vessel, trading for the British Seaweed Company) Allan McFadyen (owns two smacks), Hugh McKinnon (shoemaker), Neil Macdonald (shoemaker), Neil McKinnon (unemployed), Neil McLean (carpenter), Hector McKinnon (employed in manuring potato ground).
From the archives of the Dukes of Argyll at Inveraray Castle, made available through the Written in the Landscape project.
2022.30.2
Digitised copy of a letter from John G Campbell to the Duke of Argyll, 8 May 1865. Campbell sends a report on the state of Tiree schools; the increasing number of scholars in Kirkapol; the need for a stand for children’s plaids and shawls in wet weather; bringing the school under government inspection; attendance at Balephuil; remarks on the teacher at Balephuil; remarks on Mr McCowan at Balevullin; declining attendance at Free Church schools; presentation of prizes by Mr Geekie; aversion to emigration and comments on the reasons for this.
Attached is a table entitled ‘Schools in the Island of Tiree Examined March 1865’ containing data for Kirkapol, Heylipol, Balevullin, Balephuil, and Cornaig. Contains figures for: the number attending; number present at examination; number on the roll studying reading, writing, arithmetic, English grammar, geography, Latin, Greek, geometry and mathematics, algebra, book-keeping.
From the archives of the Dukes of Argyll at Inveraray Castle, made available through the Written in the Landscape project.
2022.30.1
Digitised copy of Proposed Whitsunday Removals on Tyree Estate, 1865. Contains a list of farms, tenants names, rents, arrears and remarks. The document names: Marion MacPhail (widow, Balinoe), Don[al]d McLachlan (blacksmith from Mull, Balinoe), Murdoch McMillan (Balinoe), Neil Macdonald (Balemartine), John Macdonald (Balemartine), Donald MacLean (Balemartine), Wid(ow) Ann Campbell (Balemartine), James McLean (Balemartine), Hugh McLean (Balemartine), Arch[ibal]d McKinnon (Balephuil), Mal[col]m Macdonald (Balephuil), Lach[la]n McKinnon (Balephuil), Wid[ower] Neil Brown (Balephuil), Arch[ibal]d Brown (Balephuil), Mal[col]m McArthur (Balephuil), Hector McLean (Barrapol), Alex[ande]r MacNeill (Barrapol), Angus MacArthur (Barrapol), Hugh McLean (Caoles), John Macdonald (Gott), Alex[ande]r MacKinnon (Gott), Lach[la]n McPhaden (Heanish), John Munn (Heanish), Arch[ibal]d Brown (Kilkenneth), Hector McDonald (Kilkenneth), Arch[ibal]d Cameron (Kilmoluaig), A + H McLean (widow and unmarried son, Kilmoluaig), Donald McLean (Kilmmoluaig), Wid[ow] Marion Brown (Kilmoluaig), Neil McKinnon (Kilmoluaig), John McEachern (Kenovay)
From the archives of the Dukes of Argyll at Inveraray Castle, made available through the Written in the Landscape project.
2022.29.12
Hardback edition of A Pronouncing Gaelic-English Dictionary by celebrated lexiographer, Neil MacAlpine, of Islay.
Inside cover board inscribed, ‘A.R. MacDonald, Cornaigbeg, Tiree. Personal Property’.
Gaelic to English and English to Gaelic, with phonetic key.
Re-printed from 1845 first pressing several times.
549pp.
2022.20.4
Digitised copy of a letter from John G Campbell to the Duke of Argyll, dated 17 September 1864. Campbell discusses school prizes offered by the Duke, and the winners of the prizes; details of the examination held at Moss Church, attended by Mr Geekie, Dr Buchanan and Mr John McLean (Cornaig); problems with teachers, including those at Sandaig and Heylipol, and the difficulty in getting new teachers; the need to improve the school house at Heylipol; lack of schooling provision in the west end of the island; closure of the assembly school in Balevullin; difficulties with the Crois teacher (‘a mere boy & a teacher only in name’) and the lack of schooling over the winter in that part of the island; the achievements of John McLean (Cornaig) at College in Glasgow.
From the archives of the Dukes of Argyll at Inveraray Castle, made available through the Written in the Landscape project.
2022.20.3
Digitised copy of a letter from the factor John M M Geekie to the Duke of Argyll, dated 17 September 1864. The letter discusses the enclosure of a list of paupers, offers of the Poor House, Duncan Campbell (crofter, Balevullin), cattle, Falkirk Tryst, weather damage to crops, potato and turnip crops.
Enclosed is a list of ‘paupers’ on Tiree who had been offered a place at the Poor House in Tobermory, dated 1864. The list contains remarks on their age, place of residence and circumstances. The following are named: Mary Carmichael (returned to Strathaven), Christina McKinnon (residing in Glasgow), Catherine McLean (Tiree), Mary McLean (Jun[io]r) (Balemartine), Christina Sinclair (Balephuil), Mary McLean (Cornaigbeg), Mary Campbell and son (Tiree), Donald McKinnon (Kilmoluaig).
From the archives of the Dukes of Argyll at Inveraray Castle, made available through the Written in the Landscape project.
2022.20.2
Digitised copy of Return of Crofters in Arrears, Tyree Estate, Crop 1862, with Remarks, dated April 1864. Contains residence, name of crofter, annual rent, amount in arrears at Whitsunday 1863 and remarks. The return includes the following crofters: Neil Macdonald (Balemartine), Donald Macfarlane (Balemartine), Niel MacLean (Balemartine), Malcolm MacArthur (Balephuil), John Campbell (Balephuil), Archibald Brown (Balephuil), Hector Lamont (Balevullin); Ann MacLean (Barrapol), Angus MacArthur (Barrapol), Niel Clark (Caoles), Alexander McKinnon (Gott), John Macdonald (Gott), Lachlan Macphaden (Hianish); Alexander Kennedy (Kilkenneth), Niel Mackinnon (Kilkenneth), John MacInnes (Kilmoluaig), Donald McMillan (Mannal), Arch[ibal]d McNeill (Mannal), Murdoch Brown (Mannal), Donald MacLean Jun[io]r (Mannal), John Macdonald (Mannal), Archibald McArthur (Sandaig), Niel MacKinnon Jun[io]r (Kilmoluaig).
Click to read a transcript of this item.
From the archives of the Dukes of Argyll at Inveraray Castle, made available through the Written in the Landscape project.
2022.20.1
Digitised copy of a Memorandum on Poor Law Matters in Tyree, c1864. Sets out instructions and recommendations for improving the administration of the Poor Law in Tiree and Coll. Refers to ‘slovenly audits and slovenly records’; the use of the Poor House in Tobermory; administration of ‘outdoor relief’ which may ‘deteriorate the character and relax the Industry of the Population’; irregularities in application of Statute between Coll and Tiree, resulting in ‘antagonism’ between the two islands’; difficulties in communicating between the two islands; affairs of Parish in ‘great confusion’; mismanagement, borrowed funds and the need for better management and improved direction.
The Interim Inspector of Poor for the Island of Coll had previously been charged with fraud: see record 2021.54.25.
From the archives of the Dukes of Argyll at Inveraray Castle, made available through the Written in the Landscape project.
2021.54.32
Transcript of a Police Report submitted to Henry Nisbet, Tobermory Procurator Fiscal, by Finlay Fraser, Detective Constable, regarding the discovery of a human body on the shore at Sandaig on 26 January 1860. The deceased could be identified as George Murray, captain of the smack Swan of Belfast, by their appearance, the location of the body and by papers found in the deceased’s pockets. The Swan of Belfast was wrecked in January 1860.
Click to read a transcript of this item.
From the liveArgyll Archives in Lochgilphead, made available through the Written in the Landscape project.