Paperback book `The Great Highland Famine` by T. M. Devine.
A detailed account of the clearances of the 19th century, landlordism, crofting life, emigration and migration.
2000.50.9
Leave a Reply
Tag Archives: napier commission
1998.278.1
Audio cassette recording of a BBC programme with Alasdair MacNeill interviewed by Kenneth MacQuarrie.
Kenneth MacQuarrie interviews Alasdair MacNeill of Balevullin who sings a song about the Crofters’ War, talks about his early days as a farm-hand in Ayrshire, his sea-faring days and transporting the first 3000 American soldiers to join World War I from New York to Liverpool, going to New Zealand in 1924 where he worked as a farm-hand, his experience aboard the sinking ship Ventura en route from New Zealand to America in 1931 and finally sings a song he remembers from his childhood. Tha Coinneach Mhic Guaire a’ còmhdhail ri Alasdair Mhic Nèill a Bail’ a’ Mhuilinn a tha a’ seinn òran mu Chogadh nan Croitearan agus a’ bruidhinn air mar a thòisich e air obair na fhear-oibre-fearainn ann an Àir, a làithean aig fairge agus a’ giùlain trì mìle saighdear a bha dol gun Cheud Chogadh bho New York gu Liverpool, dol don Seallainn Nuadh ann an 1924 far an robh e ag obair na fhear-oibre-fearainn a’ buain meuran nan cailleach marbh, mar a chaidh am bàta Ventura fodha air an rathad as an Seallainn Nuadh gu Ameireaga ann an 1931; tha e sin a’ seinn òran air an robh cuimhne aige bho làithean leanabais.
1999.295.11
Map drawn by the Napier Commission in 1892.
Map drawn by the Napier Commission in 1892 showing land in Tiree suitable for crofting and farming.
1999.17.1
Two photocopied extracts from Volume III of the evidence taken by the Napier Commission, pp 2128-82.
One bound and one unbound transcript of the evidence given by the crofters and cottars in Tiree.
1997.72.1
Photocopied extract from `Oighreachd agus Gabhaltas`: `Aimhreit an Fhearainn an Tiriodh, 1886` by Prof. Donald Meek.
Paper about the land agitation on Tiree in the 1880s, in particular the disturbances centring on Greenhill, the arrival of the marines and the subsequent court case.
Includes unofficial translation ‘Land Agitation in Tiree in 1886’ by Donald Meek.
1997.49.1
Petition from Poor Persons in Tyree for Aid to Emigrate
Transcription of a petition for assistance to emigrate appended to ‘Crofts and Farms in the Hebrides’ by the 8th Duke of Argyll.
This petition was sent in 1851 to Sir John MacNeill, Chairman of the Board of Supervisors for the Relief of the Poor in Scotland. Sir John was married to a daughter of the 8th Duke of Argyll, who appended the petition to his ‘Crofts and Farms in Hebrides’ addressed to the Napier Commission of 1883.
A hundred and thirty-six islanders signed the petition. Ninety-nine of them were landless cottars; the remainder were small tenants, of whom only four paid rent over £10 a year. They represented the class of islanders that the Duke was anxious to clear from his estate.
Around a third of the petitioners were given assistance to emigrate with their families on board the ‘Conrad’, ‘Birman’ and ‘Onyx’ in July 1851. Another twenty-seven families from the island left with them.