Transcript of a Police Report submitted to Tobermory Procurator Fiscal regarding the death of Niel McCallum from an accidental shotgun wound in January 1861. McCallum (aged 31, blacksmith, Balinoe) was injured by Alexander MacDonald (fisherman, Balemartin) at Loch-an-Duine (Loch an Dùin) on Kenovay Farm. Statements are provided from:
Mary McIntyre or McCallum (widow of Niel McCallum, Balinoe) Alexander Macdonald (fisherman, Balemartine) Donald MacLean (crofter, Heanish) James Black (shoemaker, Kenovay) Donald MacEachern (son of John MacEachern, Kenovay) Donald MacLean (merchant, Kenovay) Alexander Buchanan (surgeon, Tiree)
Transcript of a Police Report and Precognition of Witnesses regarding the sudden deaths of John Mcdonald, Lachlan Macdonald, Donald McDonald, John Orr and John McLean in April 1860.
The men left Manal on 27 April 1860 to fish ‘Relstay fishing bank’ near Stevenson’s Rock (described as four miles south west of the Skerryvore Lighthouse) on the fishing skiff ‘Father & Sons’. They were likely capsized whilst attempting to return home the following morning.
Statements are provided by: Marion Macdonald (widow, Balemartine. Mother of John Macdonald) Mary McInnes or McDonald (wife of Lachlan MacDonald, Mannal. Aunt of John Orr, who resided with her) Janet Kennedy (wife of Lachlan Macdonald, Balemartine) Ann Macquarie or Macdonald (widow, Balemartine. Mother of Lachlan Macdonald) Flora Macdonald (widow, Balemartine. Mother of Donald Macdonald) Donald McLean (Manal. Father of John McLean) Charles Maclean (fisherman, Balephuil) Archibald McLean (Balephuil. Brother of Charles Maclean) John Black (Balephuil) Nile (or Niel) Maclean (fisherman, Balephuil) Finlay Fraser (Detective Constable, Tiree) Lachlan McDonald (shoemaker, Manal) John McLean (crofter, Balephuil)
Transcript of a Police Report against Effy McKinnon or McDonald on the charges of theft in June 1860. Effy McKinnon or McDonald (wife of John McDonald, Erabus, Ardtun) is charged with stealing peats from a peat stack belonging to belonging to Gilbert McDonald (crofter, Balemartine, Tiree) situated near the moss in Ardtun, Isle of Mull.
Statements are provided from Gilbert McDonald (crofter, Balemartine) and James McLean (crofter, Balemartine).
Digitised copy of Copy memorial by Malcolm McLaurine, chamberlain of Tiree, to the Duke of Argyll, 1 Nov 1803, with subsequent correspondence with James Ferrier, the 5th Duke of Argyll’s lawyer (2 sets).
The main topic of the correspondence is the prospect of McLaurin being provided a farm at Balephuil. The correspondence also mentions: the farm occupied by McLaurin at Crossapol; the prospect of farms at Balephuil and Crossapol being divided into crofts; the prospect of converting the Chamberlain’s house at Crossapol into a church or inn and granary; the purchase of cattle and the distemper which can affect them; the subject of McLaurin ‘grasping’ at a farm in Balemartine; the Post Office; Mr McLean of Coll; value of land in Coll; mail lands; rent; Hector MacLean’s lease at ‘Haynish’; Balephuil March Dykes; planned improvements to the island.
Click to view a record for this item on Inveraray’s online catalogue.
From the archives of the Dukes of Argyll at Inveraray Castle, made available through the Written in the Landscape project.
Digitised copy of Letter from Malcolm McLaurine, chamberlain of Tiree, to James Ferrier, 22 Mar 1803. James Ferrier was one of the Principal Clerks of Session. Also included is an incomplete copy of this letter.
In this letter McLaurine discusses cutting down the farms of Scarinish, Hianish [Heanish] and Balemartine and opposition to the plans to establish four mail lands from tenants of Barapoll [Barrapol] and Kenovar. McLaurine names Archibald McLean as being the most active protester and mentions that the inhabitants do not wish to ‘adopt any improvements inconsistent with their old customs & habits’ and that ‘their old hereditary customs and practices must be sacrificed’. McLaurine ascribes the inhabitants aversion to crofts and fishing as being due to ‘the idleness and laziness of their habits’. McLaurine also mentions the removal of ‘whisky delinquents’ to ‘upper Canada’.
Digitised copy of Letter from Malcolm McLaurine, chamberlain of Tiree, to the Duke of Argyll, 14 Jan 1802. In this letter McLaurine discusses: sending specimens of barley, pottery, clay and fossil sand; an analysis of sand by Dr Gardner; corresponding with Captain Campbell; writing to Greenock; difficulty in finding boys willing to go to Inveraray to learn to be Quarriers, and the reasons for their reluctance; illegal distilling of whisky; removals from the island, including the schoolmaster and the miller at Crossapol; the Bailie; the farm at Crossapol; replacing the ground officer, Angus Munn, with Neil McLean (previously a sergeant in Lord Lorne’s fencibles), and remarks on their characters; using wood cast ashore to repair the byre and stable at the Factor’s house; a model of the windmill; problems with sending post in the winter.
St John’s Ambulance medal and two British Red Cross badges of honour belonging to Dr Neil Hugh Alan MacKinnon, Balemartine (1900-1976), who served as a medic overseas during WWII and after in the Red Cross Hospital for Officers at Percival Terrace, Brighton.
Row of miniature medals – stars and rosettes, belonging to Dr Neil Hugh Alan MacKinnon, Balemartine (1900-1976), who served as an Army medic during WWII. L-R: 1939-1945, North Atlantic, France-Germany (rosette), Africa, Burma, Pacific (rosette), Italy. Few served in as many campaigns.
