Lady Frances Balfour, Lord Archibald Campbell and Malcolm MacIntyre at Gott Bay pier

Photograph of Lady Frances Balfour, Lord Archibald Campbell and Malcolm MacIntyre at the top of Gott Bay pier in 1911.

Courtesy of Mrs Jean Lindsay

Lady Frances Balfour and her brother Lord Archibald Campbell, son of the 8th Duke of Argyll, are pictured talking to Malcolm MacIntyre in 1911 at the top of Gott Bay pier during its construction. Lord Archibald cut the first sod at the site on 2nd September 1909.

For many years prior to this, the islanders had been calling out for a new pier. Landings from the steamers calling at the island were made by lighter from the tiny harbour at Scarinish. This was often a most hazardous adventure.

Goods, mail, livestock and passengers were packed together in the boat, which had to be rowed in all weathers to the old tidal pier. When a strong south-easterly prevailed, as it often did for days, there could be no landings at all.

Black and white photograph of Lady Balfour, Archie Campbell and Malcolm MacIntyre taken in 1911.

L-R: Lady Frances Balfour, Lord Archie Campbell and Malcolm MacIntyre (Rosie MacIntyre`s father), taken at the pierhead by Annie Balfour, Lady Frances`s daughter and wife of Arthur Milne, in 1911.