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

Monday 14 March 2011

Bushey & the Congested Districts Board

This is one of those 'tying-up-a-loose-end' posts - although in this case there remain several 'tails' still to be told.

In my piece on 'Lululaund' I referred to the Tapestry Weavers of Bushey and then later discovered The British and Irish Spinning and Weaving School that had been located there. I mentioned the presence of Miss Clive Bayley and conjectured that she was the ladies teacher. Hence I was delighted to find in the National Archives of Scotland a reference from 1901 to 'Miss Clive Bayley. Home Industry. Expenses incurred at Bushey' that is filled under the Congested Districts Board (Ref:AF42/890)

Unfortunately there are no further details and the file, which is held off-site, has to be pre-requested but it nicely corroborates the foregoing guesswork and links the CDB to this particular endeavour. As it appears in Bushey, and Mrs Captain Thomas was now living in East Sussex as Mrs Frances Beckett, I wonder if once again she had a hand in yet another textile offshoot from Harris, this time one that was training some seven young ladies from 'Obbe, Harris'?

Whilst on the topic of connections twixt Bushey & Harris, here's the piece on 'A Somewhat Strange Affair' ...

2 comments:

  1. Hi, I'm researching the Haslemere Peasant Arts weaving, and have stumbled across your reference to Miss Clive Bayley, she is reference in the Woman's Exhibition 1900 catalogue and there is an advert: https://archive.org/stream/gri_33125013839424#page/n219/mode/2up/search/clive+bayley

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  2. Many thanks, Kate, it all helps to paint the picture!

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