Record Type: review

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2000.26.7

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Cutting hay at Cornaig in the 1920s

Photograph of hay-makers at Cornaig in 1920s.

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Courtesy of Mrs Doris MacLean

Archibald MacLean, the last miller at Cornaig (on the extreme left), is pictured here with his family and neighbours cutting hay with a horse-drawn reaper in the 1920s. The reaper worked non-stop round the field until the patch of growing hay was all cut.

Alasdair MacLean from Kilmoluaig is sitting holding a scythe which was used to deal with problem patches. It was also used when work commenced to open up a pathway inside the gate for the reaper to begin.

The woman is the miller’s sister, Flora, who is using a three-pronged fork made in the local smiddy. She followed the reaper to keep the pathway clear for the next time it came round.

Black and white photograph of haycutters at Cornaig in the 1920s or 1930s.

Cutting hay at Cornaig in the 1920s or 30s. L-R: Archibald MacLean, the miller at Cornaig; the miller`s sister Flora (Floraidh Ruadh) who had a shop in Cornaig; (seated on the ground) Alasdair MacLean from Lochside; unknown; Donald MacLean, son of the miller. This is a reaper cutting hay. It worked non-stop round the field until the patch of growing hay disappeared. The seated worker is holding a scythe which was used to deal with problem patches. It was also used when work commenced to open up a pathway for the reaper to begin. The female used a three-pronged fork made in the smiddy. She followed the reaper to keep the pathway clear for the next time it came round.

1999.117.24

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The stackyard at Whitehouse

Photograph of Donald MacLean with his sons Donald and Tom in the stackyard at Whitehouse.

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Courtesy of Mr Reg Knapman

Donald MacLean and his sons, Donald on the right and Tom on the left, are finishing off a ‘mulan’ (corn stack) at Whitehouse. Once the stack was about seven feet high, a small eave or ‘calpa’ was made by putting two layers of sheaves back to back.

The stack was thatched with ‘sealasdair’ (iris) or ‘cuilc’ (reeds) or very occasionally hay. The point or ‘toman’ was often finished off with a cockscomb of bound iris or a small sheaf whose seed had been neatly removed. This was called ‘am boideanan’.

When the ‘mulan’ was finished, it was weighted down by three heavy ropes and stones for a few days to allow it to settle. Then ‘sìoman ruadh’ (sisal rope) was criss-crossed over the top and weighted with six stones.

Black and white photograph of Donald MacLean and his sons at Whitehouse.

Donald MacLean, with his sons Donald on the right and Tom on the left, building stacks at Whitehouse.

1999.117.21

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Christina Kennedy née MacLean and her children

Photograph of Christina Kennedy née MacLean and her children in the early 20th century.

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Courtesy of Mr Reg Knapman

Crofter Lachlan MacLean of Cornaigbeg and Euphemia MacFadyen of Caoles were married in 1867. The couple had five children: Christina born in 1868, Hugh in 1870, Flora in 1871, Mary in 1873 and John in 1874.

Hugh and Flora died within their first years of life and in 1879 the family emigrated to Canada. The eldest daughter Christina married Alex Kennedy in 1886 and had nine children. In this photograph taken around 1910, she is shown surrounded by eight of them.

The children are: in the back row Hugh (b. 1895), Marybel (b. 1888), Lachie (b. 1886) and Effie (b. 1891); in the middle Ann (b. 1889) and Flora (year of birth unknown); and at the front Jessie (b. 1904) and Jack (b. 1900).

Black and white photograph of Christina Kennedy nee Maclean and her family.

Christina Kennedy nee MacLean and her family. Christina, the eldest child of Lachlan and Euphemia MacLean of Cornaigbeg, was born in Tiree in 1868 and emigrated with her family to Canada in 1879. She married Alex Kennedy in 1886 and had nine children. L-R: (back row) Hugh (b. 1895), Marybel (b. 1888), Lachie (b. 1886), Effie (b. 1891); (middle row) Ann (b. 1889), Christina herself, Flora (DOB unknown); (front row) Jessie (b. 1904) and Jack (b. 1900).

1999.117.27

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Rev. Archibald Farquharson

Photograph of the Rev. Archibald Farquharson, Congregational minister in Tiree 1832-1878

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Courtesy of Mr Reg Knapman

Archibald Farquharson was born in 1800 at Moulin in Perthshire. He underwent a religious conversion in 1818, influenced by his older brother who later became a Church of Scotland minister. After working some years as a gamekeeper, he left for Glasgow to study at the University and Theological College.

In 1831 he was sent to Tiree as an Independent missionary and the following year moved there with his wife Mary MacDonald and their two young daughters, Eliza and Isabella. Seven weeks later his wife died. Despite this, he determined to stay in Tiree for the rest of his life.

The Independent Church in Tiree was established in 1832 and over the next three years chapels were erected at Cornaig and Ruaig. On average 100 to 200 worshippers would attend his services although in 1840 only 54 were true Congregationalists.

Black and white photograph of Rev. Archibald Farquharson, Congregational minister in Tiree 1832-1878.

Rev. Archibald Farquharson, Congregational minister in Tiree 1832-1878.

1999.117.38

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Archie MacLean of Cornaigmore

Photograph of Archie MacLean of Cornaigmore.

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Courtesy of Mr Reg Knapman

Born in 1848, Archie MacLean was the son of Charles MacLean and his wife Christina MacDonald, the sister-in-law of Rev. Archibald Farquharson. The youngest of the family, Archie was brought up with his brother Donald and sister Mary on the family croft on Cornaigmore sliabh.

As well farming up to twenty acres, his father Charles was a master wheelwright and turner, skills that he passed on to his younger son. A spinning wheel made by Archie can be seen in the background of the photograph.

Archie, known as Èairdsidh Tuairneir (Archie the Turner), never married and died in 1942 aged ninety-three. A number of his spinning wheels survive in good working condition today; there is at least one in Scarinish, as well as one in Sussex and another in Germany.

Black and white photograph of Archie MacLean, Cornaigmore sliabh.

Archie MacLean known as Archie the Turner (1849-1942) of Cornaigmore sliabh, brother of Donald MacLean (see photo C68)

2000.22.2

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Gott Bay pier

Postcard of Gott Bay pier.

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Courtesy of Mrs Maggie Campbell

The original pier at Gott Bay, built between 1909 and 1913, extended nearly 240 metres into the bay. Several aspects of the first design were altered. The planned iron and timber viaduct was abandoned and substituted with reinforced concrete construction.

Access to the low-water slip was moved from the centre of the pier-head to the back. This led under the pier to the main deck of the boat and was used for loading animals. The pier-head itself was built on timber piles.

The piles arrived on the island with square ends and were sharpened to a point by a Swedish carpenter using an axe. When the axe broke, Lachie MacKinnon (Lachlan Mac Eòghainn Ruaidh), a boat-builder in Vaul, took over the job using an adze until a new axe was available.

Black and white postcard of Gott Bay pier.

Gott Bay pier.

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