Transcript of a Police Report written by Finlay Fraser (D.C., Tiree) submitted to Tobermory Procurator Fiscal regarding the character of Flora McDonald, dated 28 April 1860. The report contains a statement from John McLean (farmer, Caoles) and Archibald McDougald (fisherman, Caoles). Both men employed Flora McDonald (daughter of Donald McDonald [‘Dhomil na Crog’] of Coll) for a short period. MacDonald was accused of murder in Dumbarton.
From the liveArgyll Archives in Lochgilphead, made available through the Written in the Landscape project. Please contact liveArgyll if you would like a copy of the transcript.
Transcript of Police Report and Precognition of Witnesses regarding the sudden death of Archibald MacInnes and Charles MacLean in February 1860. MacInnes and MacLean drowned when a wave hit their boat while fishing for lobsters on an open skiff near Bealach na Ciste on the Isle of Soay. Duncan MacInnes (brother of Archibald MacInnes, Ruaig) survived the accident. The report contains descriptions of clothing on the bodies of the sailors. Copies of the registrations of the deaths are also included.
Statements are provided from:
Duncan McInnes (fisherman, Ruaig) Alexander MacLean (shoemaker, Ruaig) John McInnes (tailor, Ruaig. Father of the deceased) Niel McLeod (fisherman, Ruaig) John Lamont (fisherman, Ruaig) Donald McInnes (fisherman, Ruaig) Archibald McInnes (fisherman, Ruaig) Finlay Fraser (Detective Constable, Tiree) Malcolm Livingstone (Registrar, Tiree) Flora McKinnon or McLean (wife of John McLean, Ruaig) Hugh McKinnon (fisherman, Ruaig)
Transcript of a letter sent to Henry Nisbet, Tobermory Procurator Fiscal, from William Wilson (Registrar, Tiree) dated 11 March 1857. Wilson writes to report the deaths of three Tiree men – Lachlan MacDonald (crofter, Caolas), John MacDonald (farm servant, Caolas) and Hector MacDonald (fisherman, Caolas) – when a fishing skiff capsized two miles off the south coast of Coll on 3 March 1857.
A transcript of the Inventory of Precognition regarding the deaths of nine fishermen in the Balephuil fishing diaster. This document provides statements from witnesses to a great storm in July of 1856 which claimed the lives of nine men from Balephuil: Archibald McLean (age 50), Donald McLean (aged 29), Colin McDonald (aged 40), Alexander McDonald (aged 42), Neil Kennedy (aged 18), Hugh Kennedy (aged 14) and Hugh McKinnon (aged 14), John Campbell (aged 29) and Malcom McArthur (aged 55).
Statements are given by witnesses to the tragedy as well as by relatives of the deceased, including: Malcolm McDougall (Fisherman, Balephuil); John MacPhail (aged 23, Fisherman, Balephuil); Isabella Black or MacLean (aged 40, widow of Archibald MacLean); George MacLean Esq (Tenant, Hynish); William Wilson (aged 28, Surgeon, Scarinish).
Transcript of a Police Report submitted to Tobermory Procurator Fiscal by John MacDougall (Constable) charging John MacDougall and Malcolm MacKinnon with Breach of Peace on 5 December 1873. MacDougall (fisherman, Vaul) and MacKinnon (cottar, Vaul) are accused of fighting upon sea shore in Vaul. Hugh MacKinnon is accused of striking Ann MacFadyen or MacDougall.
Donald Brown (fisherman, Mannal) and Donald MacDougall (crofter, Vaul) are named as witnesses and provide statements.
Colour photograph of (L-R) Duncan MacPhee, Scarinish, and John MacDonald, in Scarinish before/after a fishing trip in around 1980. The photograph was framed as a Christmas Card from Joan and Norman Burden.
Information about Archibald MacKinnon, Balephuil & Mull (1824-1886) and Colin MacDonald, Balephuil & Glasgow (1856-1927). Colin MacDonald’s father (also Colin) died in the Balephuil fishing disaster of 1856, just before he was born. Colin Jnr trained as a doctor then returned to Tiree to start a practice at Balemartine in 1909. Colin’s wife Jessie Maggie MacKinnon was Archibald MacKinnon’s daughter. Archibald MacKinnon survived the Balephuil fishing disaster of 1856.
“Around 1909, a second doctor had come to the island, Dr Colin MacDonald (an Dotair Domhnallach), whose first wife was related to Helen Kennedy (Eilidh bheag, Balevullin), set up a rival practice in Balemartine … but it is unlikely the island could support two doctors and left after a few years to go to Bunessan” [on Mull]. Extract from ‘Water from the Seventh Wave – a history of Tiree’s healers’ by John Holliday.
Coloured photograph of two men from Clachan, Cornaig, creel-fishing off the north coast of Tiree, near the Ringing Stone. The photo was found in ‘The Captain’s House’ in Cornaigbeg, and is printed from a hand-painted glass slide.
Black & white photograph of a group of six young men, including Neil Sinclair of Balephuil (4th from left) on the sea, around 1955. The identities of the other men are unknown.
Black & white photograph of a Supermarine Southampton seaplane or `flying boat` at Arinagour, Coll, in 1932. Four of these planes were used to help the Scottish fishing fleet locate herring, and occasionally for emergency medical aid in the islands (see 2015.5.2).
