Brass letter-opener commemorating the Battle of the Somme, made from bullet casings and inscribed “1918 Somme” on the blade, although the original inscription appears to have been “so eronne”, which could be a person’s name or meaning ‘so wrong’. The handle is inscribed with “Villers Brettoneaux”, with the digits 3, 16, S67 and a symbol on the base.
A’ Chailleach Bhuain / The Old Woman of the Harvest made by Hector J. C. Campbell in around 1990.
Courtesy of Mrs Flora MacPhail
On Tiree the last sheaf of corn to be harvested was called A’ Chailleach Bhuain, a tradition that was found all over northern Europe and likely to date from the dawn of farming in Neolithic times. The Corn-spirit was believed to live in the corn, giving it the strength to grow vigorously. As the harvest proceeded, this spirit became concentrated in the remaining crop. The final sheaf to be cut was then regarded as containing its essence. On Tiree, the ‘cailleach’ was fed to the horses before they started the spring ploughing in the belief that the power of the Corn-spirit would be transmitted to the soil for the new year’s growth. This four thousand year old harvest tradition died out before 1910 in Sandaig, in the 1920s in Balinoe and into the 1950s in Heylipol and Balephuil.
Four Iron Age pottery shards.
Four Iron Age pottery shards found on the surface of a sand dune in Balephuil towards Ceann a` Bharra on 9/4/2003 by Malcolm MacNeill of Glasgow who assisted in the excavation of Dun Mor Bhalla in the 1960s.
Pottery memento of Tiree.
Horseshoe-shaped painted pottery memento of Tiree bought from Mona MacLean`s shop in Scarinish.
Metal tray with 25 metal cups used to count coins in the Royal Bank in Scarinish.
Two weights (£5 and £10) for counting silver coins used by the Royal Bank in Scarinish.
Old biscuit tin (without lid) used by the Royal Bank in Scarinish to store notes.
Hessian sack printed with `National Commercial Bank` used by the Royal Bank in Scarinish.
Lockable night safe bag with key. Stamped `National Bank of Scotalnd Limited No. 114`.
Three wooden coin bowls: two 115 mm x 150 mm (height x diameter) and one 86 mm x 122mm. Used in the Royal Bank in Scarinish during the 1950s.
