Harris Hotel

“Harris Hotel was built in 1865 by the 7th Earl of Dunmore, and was originally called the Tarbert Hotel. At the time, he owned the North Harris Estate and built the hotel as a “sporting retreat” for anglers.”

Source: http://www.harrishotel.com/history.asp

1871 2nd/3rd April
HOTEL KEEPER'S FAMILY
William Grant, 37, Hotel Keeper, Hotel Tarbert, b. Stirlingshire
Henrietta Grant, 30, Wife, b. Stornoway
John, 2, Son, b. Harris
STAFF
Catherine Macdonald, 24, House Maid, b. Stornoway
Barbara Macleod, 24, House Maid, b. Stornoway
Christina Martin, 19, Cook, b. Harris
Henry Hannan, 19, Groom, b. Stornoway
Donald John Shaw, 14, Servant, b. Harris
GUESTS
Robert Macleod, 35, House Carpenter, Visitor, b. Harris
John Morrison, 26, Fisherman, Visitor, b. Harris
Alexander Macleod, 23, Fisherman, Visitor, b. Harris
Ewan Kennedy, 45, Police Man, Visitor, b. Inverness-shire
Alexander Kennedy, 26, Clerk, Visitor, b. South West Inverness-shire

1881 3rd/4th April
HOTEL KEEPER'S FAMILY
Robert Hornsby, 37, Hotel Keeper, Tarbert Hotel 37, b. Gatehouse, Kirkcudbrightshire
Maggie Hornsby, 32, Wife, b. Ballantrae, Ayrshire
James M Hornsby, 1, b. Gairloch, Ross
Agnes Ferguson, 37, Sister-in-Law, b. Ballantrae, Ayrshire
Annie S Thompson, 5 months, Niece, b. Harris
STAFF
Christina Fraser, 24, House Maid, b. Gairloch, Ross
Isabella Bain, 18, Cook, Domestic Servant, b. Gairloch, Ross
Kate McCaskill, 15, Nurse, Domestic Servant, b. Harris
Alexandra Maclean, 22, Shepherd, Servant, b. Gairloch, Ross
John Murray, 17, Coachman, Domestic Servant, b. Stornoway
William MacKinnon, 14, Cow-Herd, Servant, b. Harris

1891 5th/6th April
HOTEL KEEPER'S FAMILY
Daniel McKellar, 53, Hotel Keeper, No 2 East Tarbert, b. Inverary, Argyllshire
Margaret, 23, Daughter, b. England
Dugald, 18, Son, b. Glasgow
Archie, 16, Son, b. Glasgow
Henrietta, 12, Scholar, Daughter, b. Glasgow
Margaret Eadie, 68, Housekeeper, Cousin, b. Inverary, Argyll
STAFF
Kenneth Macleod, 21, Coachman, b. Barvas, Ross
Betsy Macdonald, 20, Housemaid, b. Stratherrick, Inverness-shire
Mary Morrison, 26, General Servant, b. Lochs, Ross
GUESTS
Alexander Macgregor, 42, Commercial Traveller, Boarder, b. Glasgow

(Donald Campbell, 37, Temperance Hotel Keeper, No 20 East Tarbert)

1901 31st March/1st April
HOTEL KEEPER'S FAMILY
Daniel McKellar, 63, Hotel Keeper, No 24 North Harris, b. Inverary, Argyllshire
Matilda McKellar, 58, Housekeeper (Dom), Sister, b. Inverary
Dugaldl McKellar, 28, Bookkeeper, Son, b. Glasgow
Archie McKellar, 25, Hotel Assistant, Son, b. Glasgow
Henrietta McKellar, 21, Hotel Assistant, Daughter, b. Glasgow
STAFF
David Mackenzie, 25, Coachman, b. Inverpool, Ross
Christina Macleod, 19, General Servant (Dom), b. Harris
Mary Mackenzie, 19, General Servant (Dom), b. Harris

The small number of guests appearing in the censuses is a little disappointing.

All three Hotel Keeper's were 'incomers', the last two apparently bringing their staff over to Harris so that from 1881 to 1901 there appear to have been relatively few islanders employed at the hotel.

In 1903 the hotel's name was changed to 'Harris Hotel' by a new leaseholder, William Cameron, and it is his descendants, the Morrison family, who own and run the hotel today.