Transcription of an extract from ‘Tirey’ in ‘The Rev. Dr. John Walker’s Report on the Hebrides of 1764 and 1771’ edited by Margaret M. MacKay.
Courtesy of John Donald Publishers
The Rev Dr John Walker, minister of Moffat and a pioneer of scientific botany and geology, was sent to the Hebrides in 1764 and 1771 by the Commission for Annexed Estates to report on the social conditions, population and the state of manufacture, agriculture and fisheries.
He found the waters round Tiree teeming with fish but no fishing equipment on the island. In 1792, Rev Archibald McColl lamented that the local fishermen seemed unable to compete with those from other islands or the east coast who were taking full advantage of the nearby fishing banks.
The reasons for this he attributed to the daily involvement of crofters with their land and animals and to their poverty which disinclined them to risk what little savings they had purchasing equipment easily lost in bad weather.
Local news and events including a wind turbine for the new hall, letter from the factor A. Montgomery to MSP George Lyon re community buyout of Tiree, the cattle sale on 14/2/2004, relocation of civil service jobs to Tiree and news from the Tiree Heritage Society and the school.
Three newspaper cuttings about Ian MacLeod, Chief Executive Officer of Celtic F.C., 2001
Newspaper articles about Ian MacLeod, son of Morag MacLeod, Tiree. (1) The appointment of Ian MacLeod as Chief Executive of Celtic F. C., (2) Sunday Mail article of 4/3/2001 about his appointment, (3) Sport Times article about his appointment.
Audio cassette recording of Bernie Smith, Hynish talking to Maggie Campbell in October 2001.
Bernie Smith of Hynish talks to Maggie Campbell in October 2001 about coming to Tiree aged four or five, his schooling at Balemartine, the Balephuil tragedy, his teachers and learning Gaelic, going to Glasgow at 16 to become a joiner, working with a plumber on Tiree, his boyhood, Sabbath observance, dances, changes at the airport, people in Balephuil, competing in the Mod, fishing and the Tiree bards; Bernie sings two Gaelic songs.
Audio cassette recording of Alasdair MacInnes of Ruaig talking to Maggie Campbell in September 2001.
Alasdair MacInnes of Ruaig talks to Maggie Campbell in September 2001 about his work at the airport, CAA standards and training, daily runway inspections, the paperwork involved, the staff required, checks on the fire engines and equipment, the weather, the runways, emergencies, training simulations and the importance of the air link to islanders.
Photocopied note of teachers` salaries on the Mull and Tiree Estates 1860-3 (Bundle 1539).
Note of teachers` salaries 1860-3 for the Parochial School at Heylipol, the Society Schools at Balevullin and Sandaig and the Female Industrial School at Cornaig.
Audio cassette recording of Donald Kennedy, Balevullin talking to Maggie Campebll in 2000.
Donald Kennedy (Dòmhnall Eachainn) of Balevullin talks to Maggie Campbell in 2000 about the people who used to live in Balevullin, the mill and sawmill, shipwrecks, carrageen, the shops, the roads in the area, where they went and who lived there, sea captains, his own time at sea and the changes he’s seen.
Audio cassette recording of Ethel MacCallum of Tiree and Inverary talking to Maggie Campbell in 2000.
Ethel MacCallum of Tiree and Inverary talks to Maggie Campbell in 2000 about arriving in Tiree in 1943 aged six, the Post Office where she stayed, her schooling, working on the croft and in the Post Office and later at Inverary Castle, finding her brother and meeting her husband; Ethel sings a psalm and three Gaelic songs – Catriona Og, Tir a’ mhurainn, Tilleadh an t-eilean as boidhche fon ghrein – giving details of who wrote them and why.
