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

Saturday 16 April 2011

The Remaining Kerrs of Stornoway in 1911

These two families are those of my great granduncles Alexander John and Malcolm.
They, together with their older sister (my great grandmother Mrs Annie Maciver) were the surviving children of Malcolm Kerr of Direcleit and Mary Macdonald of Orinsay.

51 ½ Bayhead St – 5
Alexander J Kerr, 55, G&E, Dock Labourer, b. Stornoway
Mary, 44, Wife, G&E, b. Stornoway

Married 7 years, both children still living. Of the four children from Alexander John's first marriage to Margaret Macarthur (1858-1902), the eldest, Donald, was in Canada whilst the youngest, Alexander John, can be seen below. The eldest of the two girls, Catherine Isabella, had died of tetanus aged 6 but 18 year-old Mary was also still in Stornoway.

Alexander J, 14, Son, G&E, School, b. Stornoway
Murdo, 6, Son, G&E, School, b. Stornoway
Margaret, 3, Daughter, G&E, b. Stornoway

29 Bayhead St – 6
Malcolm Kerr, 52, G&E, Cooper, Fishcuring Yard, b. Stornoway
Margaret, 41, Wife, G&E, b. Stornoway

Married 3 years with no children, these four being Malcolm's from his first marriage to Marion Macleod (1867-1905):

Mary, 15, G&E, Domestic Servant, b. Stornoway
Malcolm, 13, G&E, School, b. Stornoway
John, 11, G&E, School, b. Stornoway
Duncan, 9, G&E, School, b. Stornoway

One thing that slightly mystifies me is why Alexander John was working as a Dock Labourer at this time for, according to his Obituary in the Stornoway Gazettee , he had owned & sailed the 'Lady Louisa Kerr' following the loss of the 'Crest' in 1903.
I can only assume that, by 1911, the competition from steam ships had already proved too much and that even then 'the picturesque sailing coaster has been almost completely squeezed out of existence.'...

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