Fàilte! (Welcome!)

Fàilte! (Welcome!)
This blog is the result of my ongoing research into the people, places and events that have shaped the Western Isles of Scotland and, in particular, the 'Siamese-twins' of Harris and Lewis.
My interest stems from the fact that my Grandfather was a Stornowegian and, until about four years ago, that was the sum total of my knowledge, both of him and of the land of his birth.
I cannot guarantee the accuracy of everything that I have written (not least because parts are, perhaps, pioneering) but I have done my best to check for any errors.
My family mainly lived along the shore of the Sound of Harris, from An-t-Ob and Srannda to Roghadal, but one family 'moved' to Direcleit in the Baighs...

©Copyright 2011 Peter Kerr All rights reserved

Thursday 25 March 2010

Sailmakers of Stornoway

A list of Sailmakers from 1851 to 1901, highlighting those who appear in more than one census:
1851
William Pope, 46, Sailmaker (Master, employing 1 man), South Beach, b. Rothsay, Bute
George Pope, 20, Sailmaker (Journeyman), Son, b. Stornoway

1861
William Pape, 55, Sailmaker, Point Street, b. Rothsay, Bute
Daniel Pape, 17, Sailmaker, Son, b. Stornoway

1871
William Pope, 65, Sailmaker, 44 Point Street, b. Rothesay, Bute
Daniel Pope, 26, Sailmaker, Son, b. Stornoway
Ebenezer Maciver, 34, Sailmaker, 11 South Beach Street, b. Uig, Ross-shire
Roderick Macleod, 70, Sailmaker, 5 New Street, b. Stornoway
Donald Maciver, 19, Sailmaker (Apprentice), 2 Kenneth Street, b. Stornoway
Neil Macleod, 18, Sailmaker (Apprentice), 32 Keith Street, b. Stornoway

1881
Daniel Pope, 36, Sail Maker, 33 Stornoway, b. Stornoway
Murdo Maclean, 19, Sailmaker, 61 Keith Street, b. Stornoway
John Maclean, 18, Sailmaker, 12 Church Street, b. Stornoway
William Pope, 76, Retired Sailmaker, 32 Stornoway, b. Rothesay, Bute
William Maclean, 23, Sailmaker, No 36 Inaclete, b. Stornoway

1891
Daniel Pope, 46, Sailmaker, 41 Francis Street, b. Stornoway
Murdo Maclean, 29, Sailmaker, Keith Street, b. Stornoway
John Maclean, 28, Sailmaker, 21 Lewis Street, b. Stornoway
John Macrae, 24, Sailmaker, 80 Keith Street, b. Stornoway
Angus Macdonald, 28, Sailmaker, 73 Keith Street, b. Lochs
Malcolm Macmillan, 16, Sailmaker (Apprentice), 10 Scotland Street, b. Shader, Ross

1901
John Maclean, 38, Sailmaker and Fish Salesman, 61 Lewis Street, b. Stornoway
John Macrae, 34, Sailmaker, 80 Keith Street, b. Stornoway
Hugh Mackenzie, 23, Sailmaker, 50 Bayhead Street, b. Stornoway
Torquil Macleod, 57, Sail Maker, 13 North Beach Street, b. Lochs
John Murdo Nicolson, 16, Apprentice Sailmaker, 18 Scotland Street, b. Stornoway
Donald Macdonald, 49, Sailmaker and Crofter, 18 Sandwickhill East Street, b. Stornoway

Daniel Pope, 56, Retired Sailmaker, 22 Argylle Street, Rothesay, Bute, Visitor, b. Stornoway

I think that there is something very special about a specialised, skilled craft being handed-down the generations and we can see that the Pope family served some of the Sailmaking needs of Stornoway for at least 40 years. Daniel appears to have had a daughter but no son to pass the tradition on to...

1 comment:

  1. Thanks for sharing valuable information on skilled sail makers.

    ReplyDelete