Envelope addressed to Captain Heddle of the Skerryvore steamer
Photograph of an envelope addressed to Captain Heddle of the Skerryvore steamer and date-stamped 1841.
Courtesy of Mr Alistair Morrison
Captain James Heddle was the master of the paddle steamer Skerryvore built by Menzies and Sons of Leith for the purpose of towing lighters loaded with granite blocks and other materials from the harbour at Hynish to the Skerryvore rocks during the building of the lighthouse.
The 150 ton wooden steamer was fitted with two engines of 30 horse power each at a total cost of over £6,350. Initially reluctant to embark on such an expense, the Northern Lighthouse Board eventually agreed when a suitable vessel for purchase could not be found. £1616 was recouped from the sale of the steamer in 1847.
In his Account of the Skerryvore Lighthouse Alan Stevenson highly commended Captain Heddle for ‘his unwearied exertion in the discharge of his harassing duty at Skerryvore’ which no doubt contributed to his sudden death in 1841 from tuberculosis of the lungs.
Local news and events including An Talla opening events, the Crofters Commisssion board meeting, the Scarecrow Day at the Rural Centre, Skipinnish Records` third CD, sea tours to Skerryvore and news from the RSPB, Tiree Community Business, the Football Club and the school.
Audio cassette recording of BBC Reidio nan Gaidheal programme about a ceilidh in the Scarinish Hotel in 2001.
Recording of BBC Rèidio nan Gàidheal programme about a ceilidh in the Scarinish Hotel with (side A) Morven MacInnes singing Ribeanan Riamhach, Donald Archie MacPhail singing An teid thu leam gu tir a’ mhurainn, Joy Dunlop singing A’ fhleasgach òg is ceanalta, John and Sarah Holliday playing the flute and fiddle, Neil Oliver on the fiddle, Keneth MacIver talking to Dolina MacDonald, Flora MacLean, Nancy Kennedy, John MacKinnon, Lachie Brown, Ishbel MacArthur and Catriona MacLean, (side B) Alasair MacInnes talking about Tiree airport, Roddy MacKay talking CalMac services and Iain MacKinnon talking about Social Work. Program BBC Rèidio nan Gaidheal mun cèilidh ann an Taigh Òsda Sgairinis ann an 2001 le (taobh A) Morven Nic Aonghais a’ seinn Ribeanan Riamhach, Dòmhnall Eàirdsidh MacPhàil a’ seinn An teid thu leam gu tìr a’ mhurainn, Joy Dunlop a’ seinn A fhleasgach òg is ceanalta, Iain agus Sarah Holliday a’ cluich duiseal agus fidheall, Coinneach MhicIomhair a’ bruidhinn ri Doileag NicDhòmhnaill, Fionnghal NicIllEathain, Nansaidh Nic Ulraig, Iain MhicFhioghain, Lachlan MhicIlleDhuinn, Iseabail NicArtair agus Catriona NicIllEathain, (Taobh B) Alasdair MhicAonghais a’ bruidhinn mu Phort-Adhair Thiriodh, Ruairidh MhicAoidh a’ bruidhinn mu sheirbheisean CalMac agus Iain MhicFhionghain a’ bruidhinn mu Sheirbheisean Sòisealta.
Audio cassette recording of BBC Reidio nan Gaidheal programme recorded in 2001.
Recording of BBC Rèidio nan Gàidheal programme about (side A) with Kenneth MacIver and Morag MacDonald touring with Ailig MacArthur to Heylipol, the radar station at West Hynish where they talk to Roddy Campbell, Tiree High School where they talk to pupils John Angus MacKinnon, Iona Brown and Karen MacKinnon and teacher Flora MacPhail, to Gott and Donald MacIntyre, crofter, horse-breeder, blacksmith and boat-builder; (side B) Kenneth and Morag talk to crofters Archie Brown and Jean MacCallum, to Dr John Holliday about An Iodhlann, to Maggie Campbell about her fieldwork, to Josie Brown and John MacKinnon about the Hynish Centre. Clàr BBC Rèidio nan Gàidheal program (taobh A) le Coinneach ’ic Iomhair agus Mòrag Dhòmhnallach air chuairt le Ailig ’ic Artair as a’ Chruairtean gu Stèisean an Reudar anns na Cuiltean far an robh iad a’ còmhradh ri Ruairidh Caimbeul, gu Ard Sgoil Thiriodh far an do bhruidhinn iad ri sgoilearan agus an tidsear Fionnghal Nic Phàil, gu Gott agus Dòmhnall Mac an t-Saoir, croitear, fear àrach eich, gobha agus fear togail sgòthan; (taobh B) tha Coinneach agus Mòrag a’ bruidhinn ris na croitearan Èairdsidh Mhic’IlleDhuinn agus Sìne Nic Chaluim, ris an Dotair Holliday mun Iodhlann, ri Magaidh Chaimbeul mun obair aice agus ri Josie Nic’IlleDhuinn agus Iain ’ic Fhionghain mu thogalaichean Haoidhnis.
Photocopied book `Account of the Skerryvore Lighthouse` by Alan Stevenson.
Photocopied account of the building of Skerryvore lighthouse with notes on the illumination of lighthouses by Alan Stevenson, plus a chart of the position of the Skerryvore rocks and plans of the rocks themselves at high and low water and the complex at Hynish (in two folders).
Audio cassette recording of David MacClounnan of Balephuil talking to John Donald MacLean in June 1998.
David MacClounnan (Dàibhidh na Croige) of Balephuil talks to John Donald MacLean (Teòn Dòmhnall a’ Mhuilinn) of Crossapol about himself and Flòraidh Bhàird going home by bicycle, fishing, the caves around ‘cowrie shell beach’, the hanging island, a mermaid found at Diobadal in Hynish, Hynish pier and Skerryvore lighthouse, a well in Balephuil, beach-combing, forts, second sight, the first tractor in Tiree, a fairy woman, old funerals and funeral costs.
