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

Wednesday 12 May 2010

Coachmen and Grooms of Harris

These are the census records for Coachmen and Grooms:


1871
Henry Hannan, Groom, Tarbert Hotel, b. Stornoway
(William Grant, 37, Hotel Keeper, Head, b. Stirlingshire)

1881
John Murray, 17, Coachman (Domestic Servant), Tarbert Hotel 37, North Harris, b. Stornoway
(Robert Hornsby, 37, Hotel Keeper, Head, b. Gatehouse, Kirkcudbrightshire)

Murdoch Campbell, 23, Coachman, Boarder, Gardener's House, North Harris, b. Lochs
(Charles Macleod, 30, Gardener, Head, b. Harris)

1891
Kenneth Macleod, 21, Coachman, Servant, No 2 East Tarbert, b. Barvas, Ross-shire
(Daniel Mckellar, 53, Hotel Keeper, b. Inverary, Argyllshire)

Murdo Campbell, 35, Coachman, Head, 4 North Harris, b. Lewis, Ross-shire


Angus Kerr, 64, Retired Groom, Head, Rodel, b. Harris

1901
David Mackenzie, 24 Coachman (Domestic), Servant, No 24 North Harris, b. Inverpoll, Ross-shire
(Danile Mackellar, 63, Hotel Keeper, b. Inverary, Argyllshire)

Murdo Campbell, 42, Groom, Head, 4 North Harris, b. Lochs

John Macleod, 24, Coachman, Son, Rodel, b. Harris
(Ewan Macleod, 59, Gardener, Hamlet Rodel, b. Harris)

Angus Kerr, 75, Retired Coachman, Head, Rodel, b. Harris

An interesting little set of records for they show that there were only three locations that had either coachmen or grooms, namely the Tarbert Hotel, another unidentified location in North Harris and finally Rodel House.

I would like to clarify who Murdo Campbell was serving at the 'Gardener's House' and '4 North Harris' but that latter address suggests that he lived in Tarbert rather than in the environs of one of the castles in North Harris?

I am also slightly mystified by my ancestor who in 1881 was the Farm Manager at Rodel Farm but a decade later called himself a Retired Groom. Was he driving the Factor, based at Borve Lodge, around the island or was the groom/coachman purely there for the (rare) visits of the Dunmore family?

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