Digitised copy of a Report from Heylipol Public School for the winter months, February 1883. The report was written for the Duke of Argyll by J McFarlane and is divided into observations on ‘attendance’, ‘progress’, ‘general’ and ‘state of the island’ and contains remarks on: attendance for December 1882 to February 1883; the affect of weather on attendance; subjects taught and standards; appointment of compulsory officers; comments on parents and their attitudes to education; and teachers. McFarlane also discusses unrest in the island (the ‘wild & extravagant ideas that originally started in Ireland’ and the ‘circulation of pernicious & revolutionary literature’) and refers to a petition signed by crofters in the west end. He recounts a conversation with a man named Donald, a crofter in Balevullin, and also refers to the consequences of inadequate farming techniques.
Compact, leather-covered, Gaelic ‘Biobull / Bible’, produced by Comunn-Bhiobull Duthchail na h-Alba. On the inside front cover is written ‘Cornaig Sunday School. For Mary Ishbel MacDonald [Kenovay], with every good wish for the future, J Gillies, 28/8/46. John Gillies was the Church of Scotland Missionary on Tiree for 17 years (1937-1954), teaching Sunday School in Gaelic and English.
Hardback book ‘The Scottish Anthem Book’, 1922, revised from the original ‘Book of Anthems’, which was published in 1875 as and aid to singing hymns and psalms in the Church of Scotland. Belonging to Effie MacDonald (nee MacCorquodale), Kenovay, it is signed ‘Euphemia Cameron MacCorquodale, No. 8’.
Photograph and sample of gutta-percha from a bale found embedded in the machair shore at Sandaig (NL 936 436) by visitor Jennie Hynd in September 2022. The extent of the lichen and vegetation on the bale suggests that it had been there for some time.
Gutta-percha is a stretchy, rubbery material, derived from the latex of the Palaquium gutta tree in Malaysia. During the second half of the 19th century, gutta-percha was imported into Britain in vast quanities and used as insulation for underwater electrical cables, golf balls, chewing gum and root canal treatment. Synthetic materials have since largely replaced it.
Bales of gutta-percha have been washed up on the beaches of western Europe for over 100 years, with many likely to have come from ships wrecked during WWI such as the Japanese liner Miyazaki Maru, which was sunk by a German U-boat off the Scilly Isles in 1917.
Transcript of Precognition of Witnesses against Hugh MacDonald on charges of Malicious Mischief in 1885. The transcript provides details of how Hugh MacDonald (Moss) took possession of a house in Moss. Statements are provided by:
Donald McMillan (cottar, Moss) John McNeill (fisherman, Balevullin) Christy (or Cursty) McDonald of McNeill (wife of Donald McNeill, Balevullin) Peggy Beaton of Carmichael (widow, Ross of Mull) Hugh Macdiarmid (factor to the Duke of Argyll, Tiree) Angus Macdonald (shepherd, Moss) Alexander Buchanan (Medical Officer for the Parochial Board of Tiree)
Transcript of a Report submitted to Tobermory Procurator Fiscal regarding the deaths of Mathew Byrne Mate, Robert Mackay, Thomas Wedick, James Donley or Donelly, James Kehoe (all of Arklow) and Herman Hallander (of Sweden) in 1885.
The deceased were all serving on board the Brigantine ‘Nancy’ of Dublin, which sank on 8 February 1885 after striking ‘Dubhsker’ (Dugh Sgeir) an outlying rock about three miles to the North West of Craignish Point (Cràiginis or Rubha Chràiginis), Tiree. The Captain, Richard Kerrow (Arklow), was rescued.
Richard Kerrow (above), Alexander Cameron (Moss), William McNeil (fisherman, Balevullin), Murdoch MacLeod (Police Officer, Tiree) are named as witnesses.
Transcript of a Police Report submitted to Tobermory Procurator Fiscal by John McDougall (Constable) charging Flora McKinnon with assault on 23 July 1880. Flora McKinnon (daughter of Grace Campbell or McKinnon, Kilmoluaig) is accused of assaulting Ann McKinnon (outworker, Kilmoluaig).
Statements are provided by Ann McKinnon (above), Mary McKinnon (sister of Ann McKinnon, Kilmoluaig), and Grace Campbell or McKinnon (mother of accused). Ann McKinnon gives reasons for her reluctance to travel to Tobermory, and mentions that Mr McDiarmid (the factor) could resettle Flora McKinnon. Archibald Campbell (Inspector of Poor) makes remarks about Ann and Mary McKinnon.
Transcript of a Police Report submitted to Tobermory Procurator Fiscal by John McDougall (Constable) charging Ann McMillan or McDougall and Alice Bake or McMillan with Breach of the Peace in September 1880. Ann McMillan/McDougall (wife of John McDougall, Balevullin) and Alice Bake/McMillan (wife of Archibald McMillan, Balevullin) quarrelled about ducks and fought at the house of Sarah Cameron or McMillan (widow, Balevullin) on 28 September 1880.
Sarah Cameron/McMillan (above), John McMillan (son of Sarah Cameron, Balevullin) are named as witnesses and provide statements.
Transcript of a Police Report submitted to Tobermory Procurator Fiscal by John MacDougall (Constable) charging Hector Cameron with assault on 12 August 1880. Cameron (joiner, Cornaigbeg) is accused of assaulting Donald McKinnon (joiner, Balevullin) outside Cornaig Mill.
Statements are provided by Donald McKinnon (above), Donald McLean (tennant, Cornaigbeg), Archibald McLean (joiner, Cornaigmore), and Alexander McKinnon (tenant, Balevullin).
