Dates: 1910s

1997.159.11

John MacKinnon outside the Lodge at Kirkapol

Photograph of John MacKinnon outside the Lodge at Kirkapol.

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Courtesy of Mrs Jean Lindsay

John MacKinnon of Lodge Farm, Kirkapol is pictured here outside the Lodge with Lady Victoria Campbell’s buckboard. The daughter of the 8th Duke of Argyll, Lady Victoria contracted polio in 1859 when she was five years old and was lame for the rest of her life.

When rough seas or low tides made it impossible for passengers to board the lighter for the mail-boat at either of the small piers at Scarinish harbour, the boat was run in as far as possible on the beach at Gott Bay.

‘Faithful John’, as he was dubbed by Lady Victoria, would drive the horse and buckboard through the surf to transfer her to the stranded lighter, fortunately always without accident.

Black and white photograph of the Lodge during World War I.

Lady Victoria`s buckboard outside the Lodge during World War I.
John MacKinnon of Lodge Farm, Kirkapol is pictured here outside the Lodge with Lady Victoria Campbell’s buckboard. The daughter of the 8th Duke of Argyll, Lady Victoria contracted polio in 1859 when 5 years old and was lame for the rest of her life.
When rough seas or low tides made it impossible for passengers to board the lighter for the mail-boat at either of the small piers at Scarinish harbour, the boat was run in as far as possible on the beach at Gott Bay.
‘Faithful John’ would drive the horse and buckboard through the water to the stranded lighter to transfer Lady Victoria, fortunately always without accident.

1997.159.22

Minesweepers off Tiree during World War I

Photograph of minesweepers off the coast of Tiree during World War I.

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Courtesy of Mrs Jean Lindsay

World War I had a devastating impact on Tiree. The Roll of Honour lists two hundred and ninety men who served in the conflict and the Scarinish War Memorial records the names of sixty-six who died.

Apart from the occasional fighting ship seen on the skyline, and the attack by a U-boat on the ‘Plover’ north of Coll, the Great War was predominantly a distant conflict, fought in the trenches of Europe and the oceans of the world.

The war was foretold by Tiree’s most famous seer, John MacLean (Iain MacEachainn Bhàin), who said, ‘There is a great war coming soon… On sea and land the losses will be heavy and in a land which is unknown to me, the ground will be soaked in blood. Millions will go to their eternal rest in the soil of this land and beautiful red flowers will grow over them.’

Black and white photograph of minesweepers off the coast of Tiree during WW1.

Five minesweepers off the coast of Tiree during WW1.

1997.159.34

Black and white photograph of Oliver Balfour taken on Gott Bay in 1912.

Oliver Balfour (Lady Frances Balfour`s son) lying on the sand on Gott Bay with Lady Frances` samoyed, Vaul, taken in 1912.

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1997.159.35

Black and white photograph of Oliver Balfour taken in the Lodge gardens in 1912.

Oliver Balfour, Lady Frances Balfour`s son, with the family dogs in the Lodge gardens, taken in 1912.

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