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).