Tag Archives: dykes

2022.31.3

Digitised copy of Tiree Estate, Improvements &c done for Crofters, 1878-1885. The list is organised by year and contains details of improvements, repairs to buildings, charity and ‘miscellaneous’ works along with their costs. Works performed include fencing, drainage, ditches, dykes, and roofing. There are records of charitable works, such as supplying seed potatoes to crofters, and providing assistance for replacing a boat, the purchase of livestock, and animals, or for building repairs.

The following names appear in the record, and some names appear more than once:

Lachlan McLean (Cornaigbeg), Malcolm McDougall (removed from Heanish), John McLean (Caoles), Alexander, Neil and Donald McFadyen (Caoles), John McLean (Balephuil), Widow Murdoch Campbell (removed from Balinoe), Widow Catherine McKinnon (Kilmoluaig), Donald McCallum (smith and crofter, possibly Kilmoluaig), Donald McPhee (crofter, Balemartine), Captain William Sinclair (Mannal), Widow Murdoch Brown (Mannal), John McKinnon (Balephuil), Angus McArthur (crofter, Balemartine), John Brown (Mannal), Colin Henderson (Balemartine), Widow Alexander Henderson (Balemartine), Rev John McFarlane (Balinoe), Archibald, Donald and John Campbell (farmers, Balinoe), Neil McKinnon (Moss), John Morrison (son in law of Neil Morrison [deceased], Moss), Donald McDougall (Balephuil), Donald McFarlane (Balemartine), Angus McInnes (Kilmoluaig), Alexander Livingston (Heanish), Rev Duncan McFarlane (Heanish), Hugh McKinnon Junior (crofter and packet man, Heanish), G B Smith & Co (Glasgow), Alexander and John McFadyen (Barrapol), A & J McFadyen (Balemartine), James Brown (Balemartine), Hector McDonald (Caoles & Ardess), Archibald McDonald (Caoles & Ardess),  Widow Neil McKinnon (Heanish), John McDonald (Heanish), Angus Munn (Heanish), Neil Campbell (Balinoe), Archibald McLean (Balemartine), Donald Campbell (Balemartine), Donald McLean, (Balemartine), Widow Mary McLean (Crofter, Vaul), John McPhail (crofter, Cornaigmore), John McLean (crofter, Kilmoluaig), John Cameron (Moss), P & R Fleming & Co (Glasgow), Hector McPhail (Cornaigmore), Hugh McLean Junior (Caoles), Donald Kennedy (Balevulin).

From the archives of the Dukes of Argyll at Inveraray Castle, made available through the Written in the Landscape project.

2022.30.3

Digitised copy of a record showing dispossessed crofters in Mannal and Scarinish, 1865. Contains a list of crofters’ names and remarks on their situation.
Mannal: Donald McMillan (carpenter), Donald McLean S[enio]r (in Glasgow), Allan McDonald (assisting on his brother’s farm), Donald McLean J[unio]r (fisherman, occasionally employed on the lighthouse tender), John Lamont (works the Lightkeepers Lands), Alex[ande]r Henderson (crofter), Hugh McLean (keeps a small store), Alexander Shaw (‘deals occasionally’), Colin Campbell (shoemaker, occasionally employed at the lighthouse), John McDonald (dyke builder)
Scarinish: Mary MacLean (supported by son), Donald McDougall (dead, widow keeps a small store), Alex[ande]r McDonald (has a vessel, trading for the British Seaweed Company) Allan McFadyen (owns two smacks), Hugh McKinnon (shoemaker), Neil Macdonald (shoemaker), Neil McKinnon (unemployed), Neil McLean (carpenter), Hector McKinnon (employed in manuring potato ground).

From the archives of the Dukes of Argyll at Inveraray Castle, made available through the Written in the Landscape project.

2021.53.81

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.

1997.49.1

Petition from Poor Persons in Tyree for Aid to Emigrate

Transcription of a petition for assistance to emigrate appended to ‘Crofts and Farms in the Hebrides’ by the 8th Duke of Argyll.

This petition was sent in 1851 to Sir John MacNeill, Chairman of the Board of Supervisors for the Relief of the Poor in Scotland. Sir John was married to a daughter of the 8th Duke of Argyll, who appended the petition to his ‘Crofts and Farms in Hebrides’ addressed to the Napier Commission of 1883.

A hundred and thirty-six islanders signed the petition. Ninety-nine of them were landless cottars; the remainder were small tenants, of whom only four paid rent over £10 a year. They represented the class of islanders that the Duke was anxious to clear from his estate.

Around a third of the petitioners were given assistance to emigrate with their families on board the ‘Conrad’, ‘Birman’ and ‘Onyx’ in July 1851. Another twenty-seven families from the island left with them.

1997.48.1

Photocopy of book `Argyll Estates Instructions` 1771-1805 edited by Eric Cregeen.

The instructions given by John, the 5th Duke of Argyll to his Chamberlain in Mull and Morvern and his Chamberlain in Tiree with an introduction by Eric Cregeen.

Available to read online here: National Library of Scotland