Newsletter `An Tirisdeach`, No. 27, 28/8/1991.
Local news including the plummeting sales prices for stock, the closure of the petrol pumps at Balemartine and the pierhead, the loss of the senior teacher of the Gaelic unit at the school, report from the Tiree Working Group on fishing, tourism and leisure, crofting and farming, the new waiting room at the surgery, obituary for Dolly Cameron and Balevullin – part 8 by Sandy MacKinnon.
Hardback book `Behold the Hebrides` by Alasdair Alpin MacGregor.
An account of wayfaring in the Hebrides by Alasdair Alpin MacGregor.
De-accessioned 1.3.2026.
Transporting lobster creels at Caoles in 1936
Photograph of Calum MacDonald and Alex MacIntosh transporting lobster creels at Caoles in 1936.
Courtesy of Mrs Janet MacIntosh
Calum MacDonald and Alex MacIntosh are shown in this photograph of 1936 transporting lobster creels by horse and cart at Caoles. In the 1930s the men would go out lobster fishing every day rowing or sailing their skiffs around the island to their preferred fishing sites.
The creels were baited with salted fish. A line, around 9 fathoms long, was tied to the bottom frame of the creel and at the other end a number of small herring net corks attached every six feet to keep the rope on the surface at low tide. The top cork was marked to identify the owner.
The lobsters were packed with seaweed in wooden boxes and sent by ferry and rail to Billingsgate market in London. If they survived the journey, the fisherman would eventually receive a postal order, paying one shilling and sixpence per lobster.
Black and white photograph of Calum MacDonald and Alex MacIntosh in 1936.
Collecting creels by horse and cart at Caoles in August 1936. L-R: Calum MacDonald and Alex MacIntosh.
Audio cassette recording of Hector MacPhail talking at Vaul Golf Club on 31/1/1997
Hector MacPhail talking at Vaul Golf Club on 31st January 1997 about Clydesdale horses on Tiree, Tom Barr, the Scottish Horse Regiment, his great-uncle Archie MacDougall, Tiree blacksmiths, shoes and clothes made on Tiree, weaving and carpentry, graveyards and tacksmen, Sir Donald MacLean, Tiree place-names, UK boxing championship Donald Lamont, shebeens and whisky distilling, peat and seaweed, emigration, fishing and Hynish pier, local boat-building.
Laser print of a black and white photograph of herring packers at Oban pier in the 1920s.
`Packing herring at Oban pier.` (From Myra Lamont`s photograph album of the 1920s.)
Brochure for Loch Bhasapol, Cornaig, with colour photographs of windsurfing on the loch, a corncrake, and Bill Campbell of Balephetrish fishing from a boat.
Click here to view 2003.130.5
Audio recording of Angus Munn interviewed by Dr John Holliday in Heanish on 23/6/2003.
Audio cassette recording of Angus Munn interviewed by Dr John Holliday in Heanish on 23/6/2003. (awaiting further info.)
Audio cassette recording of Angus MacFarlane and Willie Robertson interviewed by Maggie Campbell in Coll Hotel on 10/7/2003.
Angus MacFarlane and Willie Robertson of Coll talk to Maggie Campbell in July 2003: Angus talks about the village of Sorisdale, the shipwreck of the Nevada, the transportation of passengers and cargo by small boat to and from the ferry The Loch Earn and his work in Canada in the 1960s and 70s, mostly on ice-breakers; Willie talks about his holidays on Coll as a young boy and a typical day’s work, where people fished and the sort of fish caught, moving sheep to Eilean Mòr in the summer and back again in September. (continues on AC235). Mairead Chaimbeul air Colla anns an t- Iuchair 2003, a’ bruidhinn ri Aonghas MacPhàrlain agus Uilleam MacDhonnchaidh. Tha Aonghas a’ bruidhinn mu dheidhinn Sorasdal, briseadh a Nevada agus mar a bha luchd-siubhal agus luchd air a ghiùlan air bata beag fon bàta aiseag The Loch Earn gu Eilean Cholla. Tha Uilleam a’ bruidhinn mu dheidhinn làithean saor nuair bha e na bhalach, ag iasgach agus a falbh le caoraich gu Eilean Mòr. (A leantainn air AC235)
Audio cassette recording of Bunty Kennedy interviewed by Maggie Campbell in Coll on 8/7/2003.
Maggie Campbell talks to Bunty Kennedy of Coll in July 2003 about her early childhood and schooldays on Tiree in the 1940s, her life on Coll from the 1950s to the present day, the water and electricity supply, the postal services, fishing, past and present New Years on Coll. She sings a verse of a song by Iain MacDonald and her son, Cailean, plays a few tunes on the accordion. Bunty Ceannaideach o Colla a’ bruidhinn ri Mairead Caimbeul anns an t-Iuchair 2003 mu dheidhinn làithean sgoile ann a Tiriodh anns na ceathradan, fuireachd ann a Colla anns na coigeadan, nuair a thàinig dealan agus uisge gu Colla, am post, iasgach agus mar a bha am Bliadhna Ur air a thoirt a steach fo chionn fhada taca ris mar a tha e air a’ dhèanamh air an latha an diugh. Tha Bunty a seinn rann fo òrain Iain MacDhòmhnaill agus tha Cailean, a mac aice, a cluich am bogsa ciùil.
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.
