The Co-op van at Vaul in the 1940s
Photograph of the Co-op van at Vaul in the 1940s.
Courtesy of Mrs Nan MacClounnan
This photograph, taken at Vaul in the mid-1940s, shows Catriona MacKinnon of Vaul with Margaret Doig, deputy Co-op manager Archie Robertson from Tobermory, a visitor, and van driver Neil MacNeill of Scarinish standing in front of one of the Co-op vans. A second van driven by Rob MacMaster served the west end of the island.
The vans carried a selection of basic groceries which at Christmastime included extras such as cakes and shortbread and small presents like socks and handkerchiefs. They made their rounds of the island every day of the week except Sunday and Monday.
Sometime in the 1960s the Co-op reduced their service to a single van driven by Rob MacMaster who would call at each township once a week. This ceased altogether in the early 1970s.
Black and white photograph of the Co-op van at Vaul in the 1940s.
The co-op van at Vaul in the 1940s. L-R: Catriona MacKinnon; Margaret Doig; Lorna and Morag Lee; Neil MacNeill (Cathy MacNeill`s husband).
Photocopied newspaper article about Malcolm Campbell, Balemartine, who survived four sinkings in the two World Wars.
Newspaper article ‘Survived Four Sinkings in Two Wars’ published in the Campeltown Courier, 8th May, 1943. The story of Malcolm Campbell, a ship`s carpenter from Tiree, whose ship was sunk twice in World War I and who was torpedoed twice in four months during World War II.
Click here to view 1999.172.1
Black and white photograph of Colin MacDonald of Balephuil with twins Neil and Duncan MacKinnon.
Colin MacDonald (Cailean Fhearchair) of Balephuil with twins Neil and Duncan MacKinnon (b. 1938) in the early 1940s.
David MacClounnan, Katina and Kate MacDonald
Photograph of David MacClounnan, Katina and Kate MacDonald of Balephuil in 1946.
Courtesy of Ms Katina MacDonald
David MacClounnan, Katina and her mother Kate MacDonald are pictured outside Kate’s thatched house at Balephuil in 1946. The thatch is tied down with coir rope known as ‘sìoman-ruadh’ (red rope).
Old herring nets and more recently chicken wire have also been used to secure the thatch, the rolls being joined at the ridge. A rope is then threaded through the bottom of the net and weighted with beach stones which fray the rope least.
Although thatching is considered a skilled craft nowadays, most men would expect to thatch their own roofs with the help of other men from the township.
Black and white photograph of David MacClounnan, Katina and Kate MacDonald of Balephuil in 1946.
David MacClounnan, Katina and her mother Kate MacDonald, all of Balephuil, taken in 1946. Note the thatch tied with `sioman ruadh` (red rope).
Kate MacDonald of Balephuil
Photograph of Kate MacDonald standing on the ‘tobhta’ of her house in Balephuil in the 1940s.
Courtesy of Ms Katina MacDonald
Tiree’s thatched houses are built with double walls, between five feet thick and six or seven feet high, filled with sand and rubble known as the hearting. Since the roof rests on the inner wall, the top of the hearting and outer wall form a wide ledge known as ‘an tobhta’.
When the walls are un-mortared this can be left open and grass and sometimes flowers grow there. In summer the dogs would often lie there in the sun and sometimes sheep would climb up to graze.
Nowadays the spaces between the stones are usually filled with mortar so that the walls can no longer ‘breathe’ and the tobhta is sealed with concrete.
Black and white photograph of Kate MacDonald of Balephuil taken in the 1940s.
Kate MacDonald of Balephuil standing on the tobhta of her house, taken in the 1940s.
Black and white photograph of Morag Campbell of Balemartine and Katina MacDonald of Balephuil during WWII.
L-R: Morag Campbell of Balemartine, unknown airman and Katina MacDonald of Balephuil in 1941.
Black and white photograph of Balemartine School in 1948-49.
Balemartine School in 1948-49.
Jean Fletcher (3rd L),Alasdair MacDonald (4th L), Jannette Hendry (5th L), Hughie Ferguson MacDonald (6th L), Jenny Penman (next L at front), Joan Kennedy (next L at front), Ellen Penman (next L at front), Margaret Sinclair (next L at front), Helen Montgomery (next L at front), Jean Whitelaw (next L at front), teacher Mrs Mary MacArthur, Jemima Montgomery (6th R), Donald J. Kennedy (5th R), Margo MacKinnon (4th R), Archie MacArthur (3rd R), Kenny Stewart (2nd R front), Isabella MacArthur (1st R back).
Black and white group photograph taken in Hough in the 1940s.
Hough in the 1940s. L-R: (back row) demolition worker; Terry Gardiner, son of (6); demolition worker; (middle row) Effie MacDonald née MacKinnon; holiday maker Mrs Gardiner; unknown holiday maker; unknown holiday maker; Mary Ann MacKinnon of Hough with her son Neil MacKinnon of Balevullin,; (front) Grace MacDonald.
Black and white photograph of Hough NAAFI in the snow in 1941.
Hough NAAFI in the snow in 1941.
Copy of letter dated 2/2/1944 from Lloyd`s of London to Captain Neil MacFadyen.
Letter dated 2/2/1944 from Lloyd`s of London to Captain Neil MacFadyen of Kenovay forwarding him the Lloyd`s Medal for Bravey at Sea.
