Digitised copy of a Report of Enquiries made regarding Donald Sinclair, 20 August 1886.
Donald Sinclair was a joiner and Chairman of the Land Law Reform Association and one of the six arrested crofters who were taken to Inveraray. The report details how Sinclair was convicted on charges of theft in October 1877 and was sentenced to 30 days in jail, after breaking into a spirit shop at 55 London Street, Glasgow, and stealing beer or porter, champagne and gin.
Enclosed is a copy of a statement made by Neil MacKinnon (24 Raglan Street, Glasgow), a childhood friend of Sinclair. MacKinnon provides details of Sinclair’s good character, particularly following his time in prison, and claims that Sinclair is now an evangelist, teaches Sunday School and preaches, and that he is a fluent speaker in Gaelic on religious and political subjects. MacKinnon also provides details of Sinclair’s marriage to the daughter of ‘the largest merchant in Tiree’. The following people gave evidence on behalf of Sinclair: Mr McIntyre (publican), Mr McKechnie (the contractor), John McDonald (watchman), Donald McKechnie (contractor’s foreman). Apart from the publican, these were all natives of Tiree.
From the archives of the Dukes of Argyll at Inveraray Castle, made available through the Written in the Landscape project.
Compact, leather-covered, Gaelic ‘Biobull / Bible’, produced by Comunn-Bhiobull Duthchail na h-Alba. On the inside front cover is written ‘Cornaig Sunday School. For Mary Ishbel MacDonald [Kenovay], with every good wish for the future, J Gillies, 28/8/46. John Gillies was the Church of Scotland Missionary on Tiree for 17 years (1937-1954), teaching Sunday School in Gaelic and English.
Hardback book ‘The Scottish Anthem Book’, 1922, revised from the original ‘Book of Anthems’, which was published in 1875 as and aid to singing hymns and psalms in the Church of Scotland. Belonging to Effie MacDonald (nee MacCorquodale), Kenovay, it is signed ‘Euphemia Cameron MacCorquodale, No. 8’.
Two colour photographs of the front and back of a crude wooden cross, hand-carved from a driftwood branch, probably pine. The back has been fashioned to hang flat on a wall. Found in the dunes at Salum Bay in 1998, it hung in ‘The Wee Church’ at Ruaig.
As there are no pine trees on Tiree, it is likely to have drifted there from Coll or Mull.
Digitised copy of Petition by the tenants of Ballinoe [sic], Tiree, Jul 1803.
The petition is submitted by Alexander McLean, Duncan Campbell, John Macdonald, John Brown, John Macphaill, Alexander Campbell, John Campbell, John Bell, Neil Campbell, Hector Campbell ,and John McFarlane – all tenants in Balinoe. The petition mentions that the tenants feel ‘harassed and oppressed’; being prevented from cutting peat; the Factor and surveyor taking advantage of the petitioners by purchasing cattle at an ‘under value’; proclamations at the church door; being bound to provide services to the Factor and his servants; the lack of a miller to grind their grain.
Digitised copy of Receipts for salaries, stipends etc, 1765. Contains receipts for sums paid and received by various individuals including: Ferqd McIlmun (ground officer, Tiree), Donald Campbell (bailie), Mr Thomas Kerr (schoolmaster, Tiree), Archibald Campbell (Heylipol), Hector McLean (minister, Coll), Donald Campbell (factor), Cha[rles] Campbell (minister, Tiree), Hugh McDonald (under officer, Tiree), Walter Nicoll (collector [of] tax), Jo[hn] Campbell (factor for the Synod of Argyll), Donald Campbell (Chamberlain, Tiree), Mr Campbell (Succoch), Murich McVurrich (Tiergan, Ross of Mull). One receipt references window tax for the Duke’s house in Tiree.
Digitised Copy instructions for the chamberlain of Tiree, 1752. These instructions were sent from the Duke of Argyll and include: land erosion, the windmill in Scarinish, rents, the industriousness of the inhabitants, paying the minister’s (Alexander McTavish) salary, applying to the Synod of Argyll for the payment of the Bishop’s rent, establishing a flax raiser and spinning school on Tiree. There is no transcript 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.
Large Gaelic ‘Biobull / Bible’ with black hard cover, and “Christmas 1946” and “Annie Maclean d. 24th Feb. 1947” handwritten on the inside front cover. Published in Glasgow in 1945.
Pages photocopied from the ‘Scottish Baptist Magazine’, ca 1910-1930, with obituaries for two Baptist ministers who were born and raised on Tiree: Rev. Duncan MacFarlane (1822-1908), and Rev. Alexander MacArthur (1900-1930).
