These are the Boat Builders, plus Boat and Ship Carpenters, from the census records:
1851 - 5
NORTH - 3
Ewan Macaulay, 70, Boat Builder, Head, Ardhasaig, b. Harris
John Mackenzie, 26, Boat Builder, Carrigrich, Son, b. Harris
Donald Macleod, 32, Boat Builder, Head, Urgha, b. Harris
SOUTH - 2
John Morrison, 38, Boat Builder, Head, Obe, b. Harris
James Morrison, 39, Ship Carpenter, Head, Obe, b. Harris
Christopher Macrae, 40, Boat Builder (Journeyman), Islands of Ensay & Killigray, b. Kintail, Ross
1861 - 10
NORTH - 2
Angus Mackay, 60, Boat Builder, Head, Rhenigdale, b. Harris
Donald Morrison, 32, Boat Builder, Son, Kyles Scalpay, b. Harris
BAYS - 5
Malcolm Mackinnon, 30, Boat Builder, Head, Flodabay, b. Harris
John Macelod, 20, Boat Builder (Apprentice), Son, Ardvey, b. Harris
Norman Maclenan, 40, Boat Builder, Head, Finsbay, b. Harris
Angus Macdonald, 33, Boat Builder, Head, Borsham, b. Harris
Malcom MacQuish, 30, Boat Builder, Head, Borsham, b. Harris
SOUTH - 3
Donald Mackenzie, 20, Boat Builder, son, Strond, b. Harris
Norman Paterson, 42, Boat Carpenter, Head, Berneray, b. Berneray
John Macleod, 27, Boat Carpenter, Brother, Berneray
1871 - 5
NORTH - 1
Donald Campbell, 29, Boat Carpenter, Head, West Tarbert, b. Harris
? - 4
Evander Mackay, 56, Boat Builder, Head, Boat Builder's House, b. Harris
Archy Macdonald, 66, Boat Carpenter, Head, Boat Builder's House, b. Harris
Alexander Macdonald, 61, Boat Carpenter, Head, Carpenter's House, b. Harris
Malcom Mackinnon, 30, Carpenter (Boat), Son, Tenant's House, b. Harris
1881 - 7
NORTH - 5
Archibald Macdonald, 80, Boat Builder, Head, Boat Builder's House, North Harris, b. Harris
(Niel Macdonald, 33, Joiner, son, b. Harris)
Roderick Macdonald, 40, Boat Builder, Head, Boat Builder's House, North Harris, b. Harris
Malcolm Maclennan, 35, Boat Builder, Head, Crofter's House, North Harris, b. Harris
Malcolm Kerr, 68, Ship Carpenter, Head, West Tarbert 53, b. Harris
Donald Ferguson, 75, Boat Carpenter, Father, Island of Scalpay, b. St Kilda
Donald Morrison, 46, Boat Carpenter, Head, Island of Scalpay, b. Harris
Kenneth Macdonald, 45, Ship Carpenter, Boarder, Island of Scalpay, b. Stornoway
SOUTH - 2
Christopher Macrae, 70, Boat Builder, Head, Obbe, b. Kintail, Ross-shire
Donald Morrison, 50, Boat Builder, Head, Strond, b. Harris
1891 - 6
BAYS - 5
Donald Morrison, 38, Boat Builder, Head, Quidinish, b. Harris
John Macleod, 32, Boat Builder, Head, Ardvey, b. Harris
Malcolm MacQuish, 58, Boat Builder, Head, Finsbay, b. Harris
Kenneth Maclennan, 46, Boat Builder, Head, Finsbay, b. Harris
Angus Macdonald, 61, Boat Builder, Head, Borsham, b. Harris
SOUTH - 1
Donald Morrison, 73, Boat Builder, Head, Strond, b. Harris
1901 - 9
NORTH - 4
Donald Morrison, 36, Carpenter (Boat), Head, 2 Gamekeeper's House, North Harris, b. Harris
Angus Macmillan, 76, Boat Carpenter, Head, Cluer, b. Harris
Malcolm Mackinnon, 60, Boat Carpenter, Head, Cluer, b. Harris
Donald John Macmillan, 46, Boat Carpenter, Head, Cluer, b. Harris
BAYS - 5
Roderick Macdonald, 60, Boat Builder, Head, Grosebay, b. Harris
Lachlan Macaulay, 40, Boat Carpenter, Son, Grosebay, b. Harris
Samuel Macdonald, 30, Boat Carpenter, Head, Grosebay, b. Harris
Donald Morrison, 46, Boat Builder, Head, Cuidinish, b. Harris
Kenneth Maclennan, 35, Boat Builder, Head, Finsbay, b. Harris
SOUTH
Angus Macaulay, 40, Ship Carpenter, Nephew, Strond, b. Harris
My only observation is that the Bays area, unsurprisingly, tended to dominate. There is an interesting article available online about John Macaulay's Traditional Hebridean Lugger.
I have now added the four Ship Carpenters to this list. It is impossible to be certain what differentiated between the three roles that I have included in this list so I felt it best to combine all three in this one entry.
Many thanks Peter for this information. The prevalence of boatbuilders in the Bays confirms my own belief that the East side of Harris had a long established thriving population, evidenced by the very large number of ruins to be seen within the present day settlements though many now are being gradually absorbed and reclaimed by nature. Recent history claiming that the desolate and infertile Bays were settled by people cleared from the machair land of the west does not fit comfortably within the still visible evidence of well established past communities.
ReplyDeleteIn my own younger days there were boatbuilders and carpenters to be found in almost every village.
The three different roles you refer to can be explained as follows: Boatbuilders were those who built and repaired boats.
Boat Carpenters functioned as general carpenters but who could and did work on boats.
Ships Carpenters were those who chose a seagoing career as carpenters aboard ocean going vessels.
It is well known that boatbuilders also made coffins, as well as wheelbarrows.
John MacAulay
Many, many thanks, John. We have Bald's map showing settlements in the Bays in 1804 and a plethora of Norse placenames on the East coast so they certainly were settled before any Clearances. However the fact that people from the fertile West were relocated there, and to other islands especially Scalpay, would have impacted greatly on those already living there and necessitated a change from farming to fishing.
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