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 29 July 2010

Mckinnons of Harris in Walsall

One of the rare instances I can find of Hearachs living in England and identifying the Isle of Harris as their place of birth are the four Mckinnon brothers in 1891. Headed by Draper John (29) are Draper's Assistants Alex (23), Donald (21) and Norman (22) plus their Dumfriess-shire born Housekeeper, Jessie Haining (27) of 51 Lower Hall Lane, Walsall, Staffordshire.
The best-fit I can see from 1881 is the family of Malcolm Mckinnon, Carpenter of Boats, in South Harris ED3.
His sons are John (20), Alexander (13), Donald (11) and Norman (4). He and his wife, Mary, have three further sons and a daughter but it is these four who I believe became the Drapers in England a decade later.

I think that by 1901 the brothers had gone their separate ways and a Draper, John Mckinnon (38) from Harris is found at 13 Princes Street, Glasgow with his wife and infant son. With them is John's brother, Peter (23), who is now a Draper's Assistant but who back in 1881 was the youngest of the eight Mckinnon children in the family of the Boat Carpenter on Harris.

Note: I believe the other three brothers remained in England but that's for another day...

Update! 1901 Censuses:
Alexander Mckinnon, 30, Draper's Assistant, 13 Cradock St, Swansea, Wales, b. Scotland
(Not England, but Wales!)
Norman Mckinnon, 23, Draper's Assistant, 82 Castlegate, Malton, Yorkshire, b. Scotland
Norman was a little harder to locate (he was 13, not 23 in 1891?)

I cannot be completely certain that these are the correct people, but they are remarkable coincidences if that is not the case. Of Donald, I can currently find no trace...

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