Photocopied Poor Roll of Tiree dated 14/7/1863 (Bundle 1541).
The Poor Roll of Tiree at 14th July 1863 giving residence, number, name, age, weekly allowance and notes about each person, e.g. sickness, information about relatives.
Audio cassette recording of Hugh MacKinnon, Baugh and Angus MacLean, Scarinish talking to Maggie Campbell in 2000.
Hugh MacKinnon of Baugh and Angus MacLean (Aonghas Dhòmhnuill Eòghainn Mhòr) of Scarinish talk to Maggie Campbell in 2000 about the people who used to live in Baugh, the ceilidhs they had at Christmas and New Year, the decline in population, emigration to Canada, the poorhouse, Drs Hunter and Buchanan, farms, horses, other livestock and crops, furniture and house cleaning, the quarry in Baugh, the airport and World War II, the Taeping, sea captains and the changes they’ve seen. Tha Eòghann ’Ic Fhiongain as a’ Bhàgh agus Aonghas Dhòmhnuill Eòghainn Mhòr a Sgairinis a’ bruidhinn ri Magaidh Chaimbeul ann an 2000 mu na daoine a b’ àbhaist a bhi a’ fuireach anns a’ Bàgh, na ceilidhean a bha aca aig àm na Nollaige ’s a’ Bhliadhna Ùr, an dol sìos air àireamh nan daoine, daoine fàgail an dùthaich a’ dhol do Canada, taigh nam bochd, dotairean ’Ic an t-Sealgair agus Bochanan, bailtean-fearainn, eich, beathaichean eile agus bàrr, àirneis agus glanadh taighe, an gairbheal anns a’ Bhàgh, am port-adhair agus an darna cogadh, an Taeping, sgiobairean agus an t-atharrachadh a tha iad air fhaicinn.
Cases visited in Tiree during the Poor Law Inquiry of 1843
Transcription of an extract from the Minutes of Evidence of the Poor Law Inquiry in 1843 with notes of cases visited on Tiree.
Two Commissioners from the Poor Law Inquiry visited Tiree in 1843, one of whom was shown round a sample of thirty poor families across the island by a Mr MacLean of Hynish. Half of the cases visited were on the Poor Roll and received four to six shillings a year from the Parish.
By 1841 the population of Tiree had swelled to 4,961, double what it had been fifty years previously and more than the island could comfortably support. Nearly half the inhabitants were estimated to be living in deep poverty.
Widows with children and elderly spinsters were particularly vulnerable as were landless cottars without a trade. The able-bodied poor had no legal right to assistance and were expected to find employment on the mainland.
Letter of 1847 from the Secretary of the Board of Fisheries
Transcription of a letter of 1847 from the Secretary of the Board of Fisheries to the Marquis of Lorne.
Courtesy of His Grace the Duke of Argyll
The failure of the potato crop in 1846 led to widespread food shortages in the Highlands and Islands. In an attempt to provide work for people suffering from destitution, the government decided to improve ‘certain creeks on the west coast of Scotland’.
The Board of Fisheries sent an inspection team to Tiree and neighbouring islands to examine the state of the fishing boats, lines and piers. They concluded a total of £2,199 was needed to develop the fishing industry on Tiree, Mull and Iona and that the Duke of Argyll should pay half the costs.
The Marquis of Lorne argued against this proposal with some justification as the estate had tried for many years to encourage islanders to combine crofting and fishing with little success. However, in 1847 the Duke agreed to pay £690 towards building four new piers at Balemartine, Hynish, Milton and at the Green in Kilmoluaig.
Photocopied letter dated 18/1/1847 to the Marquis of Lorne from Mr Dick Lander, Secretary of the Board of Fisheries.
Letter dated 18/1/1847 to the Marquis of Lorne from Mr Dick Lander, Secretary of the Board of Fisheries, acknowledging receipt of £690 10/- being half the sum required to improve certain creeks on Tiree.
Photocopied letter dated 28/3/1847 from the Rev. Dr. Norman MacLeod of Glasgow to Lord Lorne.
Letter dated 28/3/1847 from the Rev. Dr. Norman MacLeod of Glasgow to Lord Lorne about the dreadful state of destitution and expressing disapproval of the channelling of relief funds through members of the Free Church.
Photocopied letter dated 30/11/1847 from Rev MacLean to the Duke of Argyll.
Letter dated 30/11/1847 from Rev Neil MacLean to the Duke of Argyll about the destitution on Tiree resulting from the potato blight.
Photocopied letter to Sir Edward Coffin dated 26/1/1847 from Royal Navy Commander Baynton.
Letter to Sir Edward Coffin dated 26/1/1847 from Royal Navy Commander Baynton about the severe shortage of food and the appearance of typhus and cholera on Tiree.
Click here to view 1998.151.12
Township history for Baugh researched and written by Hector MacPhail.
Information about prominent people in Baugh – Dr Buchanan and the MacFarlane family – and about Port a` Mhulinn and the Poor House.
Photocopied list of families in Tiree who received articles of clothing from Inverary, January 1847 (bundle 2528).
List of families in Tiree who received articles of clothing sent from Inverary, January 1847, giving township, heads of family, status (crofter, cottar, widow, etc), number in tack and description of articles received.
