Tag Archives: harvesting

2021.53.87

Digital copy of Description of Tiree from a book published in 1808. Consists of a handwritten transcription from a book, and includes mentions of: Island House, crops, livestock, caves at Ceanm-harra [Kenavara], the Reef, duns [brochs], St Patrick’s Chapel, the discovery of coins in ‘small earthen vessels’, and the discovery of human and horse skeletons in Cornaigbeg. The document also mentions that the ancient name of Tiree was Riog-Hachd-bar-Fathuim, ‘the Kingdom whose summits are lower than the waves’.

Click to view a transcript of this item.

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.

2021.53.55

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Digitised copy of Instructions for the chamberlain of Tiree, 1771. These instructions were sent from the Duke of Argyll and include: rents; over population of Tiree; establishing a fishing village; present system of husbandry including runrigs, introducing wheeled carriages, sand blowing, cutting bent, pulling barley, gredden, distilleries, introducing flax and hemp; mills; the minister’s Glebe; taking bear [barley] in payments of rent; draining lochs; roads in Tiree; selling of wood. There is no transcript available for this item.

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.

2021.53.33

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Digitised copy of Observations on Tiree by Dr Walker, 1765. Dr Walker’s observations are arranged under the following headings: situation, extent, hills, harbour, tides, springs, sea, soil, rieve [reef], climate, crops, inhabitants, longevity, diseases, antiquities, agriculture, inclosures, cattle, grain, change of seed, hay, manures, turneps [turnips], price of commodities, price of labour, exports and imports, manufacture, fishery, hemp, natural productions, marble, copper, porphyry. There is no transcript for this item but see 1997.273.1.

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.

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.

2021.54.83

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Transcript of a Police Report submitted to Tobermory Procurator Fiscal by John MacDougall (Constable) concerning the cutting and carrying of bent grass on the Island of Gunna in December 1873.

Statements are provided by: Lachlan MacDougall (shepherd) and Hugh MacLean Senior (crofter, Coalis [Caolas], Tiree).

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From the liveArgyll Archives in Lochgilphead, made available through the Written in the Landscape project.

2020.16.1

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Black and white photograph of John Lachie MacInnes and his sister Chrissie hand-winching a small haystack onto a trailer at Salum in the 1950s.

2020.14.2

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‘The Countryman’ magazine (Aug 2019) containing an article ‘Not the Last Straw’ on the traditional making of corn-dollies and harvest knots in Staffordshire, pages 24-31. The tradition was also part of Tiree’s harvest culture – see A’ Chailleach and harvest knots.

2019.57.1

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Colour-printed scans of documents from the Argyll Papers, Inveraray Castle, displayed in An Iodhlann during the ‘Written in the Landscape’ exhibtion, 2019:

1. Sketch of the set of Tiree attempting to show where tenancies of 4 Mail Lands are practicable, 22 March 1803. (Ref: Argyll Papers PFV 65/75)

2. Statement showing the number of tenants and cottars and the livestock held by them on the Island of Tiree in 1848. (Ref: Argyll Papers NRAS 1209/3035)

3. Plan of the farm of Kenavay in the island of Tirii now divided into thirteen farms nearly to four male lands each, surveyed and divided by George Langlands, 1802. (Ref: Argyll Papers PV19/04)

4. List of men levied in the Island of Tiree for the Regiment of Fencibles of Argyllshire, 1759. (Ref: Argyll Papers NRAS 1209/324)

5. Plan of encroachments made upon the Reef by the taxman of the farm of Balephetrish… [by George Langlands, ca 1802]. (Ref: Argyll Papers PV 19/08)

6. Roll of arrears for tenants in Tiree in 1764. (Ref: Argyll Papers PFV 65/32)

7. Account of cash expended by the Bailie of Tiree on recruiting for the West Fencibles, summer and harvest 1778. (Ref: Argyll Papers NRAS 1209/324)

8. Sales brochure for Tiree, 1904. (Ref: Argyll Papers NRAS 1209/2766)

9. Letter from MacDiarmid to the Duke dated 1884 regarding shebeening women. (Ref: Argyll Papers NRAS 1209/906/10)

10. Letter from MacQuarrie to Wylie dated 1876 regarding Flora Lamont of Balephuil selling whisky. (Ref: Argyll Papers NRAS 1209/907)

11. Letter dated 1847 from Lord Lorne to Lord Grey about those Tiree inhabitants who can and cannot afford to emigrate. (Ref: Argyll Papers NRAS 1209/1531)

12. Postcard showing Kenavara Point from Dun Hiader, undated. (Ref: Argyll Papers Acc 2016/01)

13. Letter dated 1806 from Malcolm McLaurine, Tiree, describing the progress of Langland’s survey of the island. (Ref: Argyll Papers NRAS 1209/401)