Scarinish Post Office in 1919
Photograph of the postmistress and postmen at Scarinish Post Office in 1919.
Courtesy of Mr Angus MacLean
The postmistress, Margaret Robertson (centre right), is pictured seated beside veterinary surgeon, John MacDougall, outside the old Post Office in Scarinish which was originally established in 1802
The postal service was extremely irregular and uncertain until 1863 when mail packets were conveyed to and from Tiree at public expense. Telegraphy arrived in Tiree two years too late for reporters covering the Crofters’ War in 1886. They had to resort to carrier pigeon to send urgent despatches.
The first telephones were installed in Tiree in the mid-1920s but were restricted to official use for the transmission of telegrams. In 1941 the first public call box was installed at Crossapol for the benefit of the airfield construction workers.
Black and white photograph of the postmistress and postmen at Scarinish Post Office in 1919.
The postmistress and postmen at Scarinish Post Office in 1919. L-R: (standing) Archibald MacLean, `Bayview`, Scarinish; Donald MacDougall, Kilmoluaig; (in carriages) Hugh Lamont, Ruaig; Mary MacNeill; Jack Munn, Heanish; John MacDougall, vet; Margaret Robertson, Scarinish (postmistres); unknown; unknown. (Original photograph – 1997.178.1)