Black and white photograph of John and Mairi MacEachern.
Blacksmith John MacEachern from Cornaigbeg and his wife Mairi MacLean from Kenovay (Mairi Brady`s grandparents) photographed outside the Brae, Cornaigbeg in the 1930s.
Black and white photograph of John MacEachern, Cornaigbeg, with an unknown woman.
Blacksmith John MacEachern of Cornaigbeg (Mairi Brady`s grandfather) with an unknown woman, taken during the 1910s or 1920s.
Letter dated 27/12/1956 addressed to Hugh MacEachern of Cornaigbeg.
Letter to Hugh MacEachern, Cornaigbeg which accompanied the present of `The Blacksmith`s Manual`.
Hardback book `The Blacksmith`s Manual`.
An illustrated manual for blacksmiths.
Township history for Cornaigbeg researched and written by Hector MacPhail.
Information about prominent people in Cornaigbeg – Rev Archibald Farquharson, Charles MacGregor Whyte, the MacLeans, MacEacherns, MacCallums and Campbells.
Click here to view 1998.44.3
Township history for Gott and Earnal researched and written by Hector MacPhail.
Information about prominent families in Gott and Earnal – MacLeans, MacKinnons, MacIntyres and MacDonalds.
Click here to view 1998.44.4
Township history for Soay, Brock, Ruaig and Salum researched and written by Hector MacPhail.
Information about Soay and about prominent families in Brock, Ruaig and Salum – the MacKinnons/Sinclairs, Lamonts, MacLeans, MacLeods and MacInneses.
Click here to view 1998.44.6
Township history for Vaul researched and written by Hector MacPhail.
Information about Dun Mor, the golf course, prominent families in Vaul (the MacKinnons and MacDougalls) and Tiree men who served with the Donaldson Line.
Click here to view 1998.44.2
Kilkenneth smiddy
Photograph of the smiddy at Kilkenneth in the early 20th century.
Courtesy of Mr Sandy MacKinnon
In the Highlands and Islands, horses were used for transport and agricultural work, unlike the Lowlands where oxen were used as draught animals. Of great value to the local people, native ponies fetched £3 to £9 at the end of the 18th century.
The numbers of horses on the island between 1870 and 1945 varied from 400 to 550, enough to support at least nine smiddies which were situated at Kilkenneth, Kilmoluaig, Balephetrish, Gott, Caoles, Balinoe, Hynish and Cornaigbeg, where there were two.
In addition to shoeing horses, blacksmiths repaired agricultural implements such as ploughs and harrows, made hinges and latches for wooden gates, hand tools like sickles and pitchforks, and other metal objects like swees for hanging cooking pots over a fire.
Black and white of the smiddy at Kilkenneth in the early 20th century,
The smiddy at Kilkenneth in the late 19th early 20th century. The blacksmith on the right is the father of Sandy MacKinnon (Sandaidh a` Ghobhainn).
Audio cassette recording of Archie MacKinnon interviewed by Maggie Campbell in Cornaigmore on 4/12/2002.
Archie MacKinnon of Cornaigmore talks to Maggie Campbell in December 2002 about the construction of the Cornaig to Scarinish road in 1934, the Ruaig to Caoles road in 1942, the Cornaigmore to Balevullin road in 1946, the Vaul road in 1948, quarrying, the mainland construction companies; a fatal accident on the Caoles road; laying stable floors; his work as a hammer man at the Croish and Vaul smiddies; the hospitality of the Vaul ladies. Èairdsidh ’Ic Fhionghain a Còrnaig Mhòr a bruidhinn ri Magaidh Chaimbeul anns an Dùbhlachd 2002 mun togail an rathaid Chòrnaig gu Sgairinis ann an 1934, rathad Ruiag gu ’n Chaolas ann an1942, rathad Chòrnaig Mhòr gu Baile Mhuilinn ann an 1946, luchd oibreach tìr mòr, tubaist bas mhòr air rathad Chaolais, a’ leagail ùrlar cloiche, obair na fear-bualaidh uird anns na Chrois agus Bhalla, caoimheachas boireannaich Bhalla.
