The Valuation Roll of Harris in 1855 (Part 1)

The latest release of Valuation Rolls online provides an excellent window into Harris at a time when people on the estate were still suffering from the after-effects of famines, forced emigrations and the fear of further clearances.

It was being administered by the Factor John Robertson MacDonald on behalf of the Tutors of the 14 year-old 7^th Earl of Dunmore and a cursory glance at the Harris Timeline may help provide the context within which this particular roll sits. In this account I have used the spellings as they appear on the original document.

The record begins in Berneray where the whole of Borve, the cleared township occupying the fertile machair on the west of the island, was a Sheep Farm rented to William MacNeil for £120. The township of Rushgarry, on the other hand, wa divided into 21 separate crofts paying rents ranging from £4 to £20 and totalling £161 12s 6d.

The islands near North Uist in the Sound of Harris, owned by Harris following a fifty-year long legal wrangle, we being rented for £7 7s by 'K MacDonald', presumably the farmer Kenneth MacDonald who, in 1847, was the Assistant Factor responsible for the debacle of the attempted resettlement of Borve in Harris. He would later appear before the Napier Commission to give his view of how Harris had been faring during his long period of residence.

We then reach the island of Harris itself and here there are listed seven Sheep Farms and their tenants, plus the one on the island of Taransay:

Hushinish – Sheep Grazing (Alexander McRae £884 6s 11 1/2d)

Luskintyre (Finlay McRae £320)

Taransay (John McDonald £177 10s)

Rodil (John Robertson McDonald £160)

Scarista Vore (Kenneth McDonald £120)

Marig (Widow C Morrison £83)

Ardvourlie (Donald Stewart - Shepherd £80)

Borves (Kenneth McRae £76)

Little Scarista (Robert Clarke £67 4s 6d)

Bunavin Edder (Alexander Grant - Shepherd £47)

It is, I think, worth noting that four of these men, John Robertson MacDonald ( Factor, born Snizort, Inverness-shire) John MacDonald, Tacksman, born Harris), Alexander McRae (Tacksman born Glenshiel, Ross-shire ) and Robert Clark (Surgeon, from Argyll) were on the dozen-strong Parochial Board of Harris in 1851 .

One thing I am currently unclear about is whether Luskintyre was held by Finlay MacRae, the Minister in North Uist who happened to also be the factor John Robertson MacDonald's brother-in- law, so if anyone can assist in clarifying that then I would be most grateful.

Finally, we have the Deer Forest of Harris rented by Lord Hill for £300 and Scalpay Light House Grounds for which the Commissioners of Northern Lights were paying £24 5s 5d annually.

Next time: Crofters & Cottars.

North Uist Weavers & Weaveresses

I thought I would take a wee look at the census records for those engaged in weaving in North Uist:

1841 Male - 2 Female - 21 Total - 23

1851 Male – 6 Female – 103 Total - 109

1861 Male – 2 Female - 63 Total - 65

1871 Male - 2 Female - 89 Total - 91

1881 Male - 3 Female – 102 Total - 105

1891 Male - 1 Female - 132 Total - 133

1901 Male - 0 Female - 76 Total – 76

What strikes me is that the pattern in North Uist is remarkably similar to that in Harris where weaving throughout the nineteenth century was primarily a female occupation. My analysis for Harris can be read here.

Incidentally, about a quarter (26 of 103) of the women weaving in 1851 describe themselves to be a 'Hand Loom Weaver' this number falling to 2 in 1871 and rising to only 6 in 1881 before disappearing from the censuses altogether.

I discussed the recording of these 'HLW's in this earlier piece.

Incidentally, it is also only in the 1891 census that we see the word 'tweed' appended to the weaving role and, indeed, there are only 5 weavers in that year (and only 1 a decade later) who refer to their produce as 'tweed'.I think this further emphasises that the marketing of woollen produce as 'tweed' only starts to occur in the islands as we approach the end of the century.

I discussed this more fully in this piece regarding aspects of the development of the Harris Tweed industry in Harris.

Which Roderick?

Which Roderick?

At 11pm on the 10 August 1867 John McKinnon took his first breaths, his cries carried on the clear, cold air over Direcleit, Harris. John was the first-born of Anne Kerr and her husband Alex McKinnon, who came from Scalpay which was where the couple had lived since their wedding on 18 December 1866. The birth was registered by a cousin, Roderick Kerr of Strond, Harris who signed the register with 'his mark', an upright cross.

Now, there are two possible candidates for the informant for at that time there was Roderick Kerr, the Post Runner in Strond and also Roderick Kerr the Fisherman in An t-Ob, which today is called Leverburgh.

I am a little confused because a couple of years later Roderick the postie witnessed the marriage of Roderick the fisher, but seemingly with a signature rather than a simple cross. However, Roderick the fisher, who certainly never learnt to write and would have had to sign the register with a cross, wasn't a resident of Strond at the time of John McKinnon's birth.

Which Roderick was it? Well, the post runner was Anne's cousin and the fisherman was her nephew, and therefore John McKinnon's cousin so, although it surprises me slightly that there's a hint here that Strond's postman couldn't write, it looks as if it could have been either of them who registered the birth of their first Scalpaich relation!

More on the two Roderick's here:

Roderick's Story

Harris Post Persons

Plus a wee snippet giving something of a flavour of the time:

An t-Ob in 1858

Note on spellings: I have shown those used on the birth certificate in case others wish to look that document up online.

More on Pennylands...

In an earlier piece, I referred to a note from April 14th 1884 in the Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland called 'What is a Pennyland? Or Ancient Valuation of Land in the Scottish Isles'.

Its author was Captain FWL Thomas and a recent exchange regarding the redoubtable Fred's work in Harris led me to revisit his works in the online catalogue of the National Library of Scotland.

In 1886 volume 20 of the Proceedings appeared including a continuation piece that was published posthumously, Fred Thomas having died at the age of 69 on 25 October 1885 at his home, Rose Park, in Trinity, Leith.

On page 211 of the volume he states, giving his source as the Old Statistical Account:

“In Harris, 1792, the ancient and still common computation of land was a penny, halfpenny, farthing, half-farthing, clitag, &c.

A tacksman might hold 20d.—that is, an ounceland; while a small tenant or crofter usually held a farthing land.

The stock or souming for a farthing land was four milk cows, three or four horses, and as many sheep on the common as the tenant had the luck to rear.

The crop might be computed, in general at four or five bolls, and the rent was 30 or 40

shillings, besides personal service, rated at one day's work per week.”

In the 1895 Crofters Commission Report the souming of each croft in Strond was 1 horse, 4 cows and 20 sheep which I calculated* to be 68 'sheep grazing units', or sgu.

At the same time the crofters in Direcleit were allowed just 4 cows and 20 sheep, or 52sgu.

A little over a century earlier a small tenant was allowed 4 horses, 4 cows and as many sheep as he could rear which means well over 96sgu were deemed acceptable.

This is one of the clearest illustrations of how the imposition of crofts held direct from the landlord contrasted with the lot of the small tenant renting from a tacksman.

We may note, for comparison, across the Sound of Harris that:

“In North Uist, 1794, the small tenants usually held a ½d. land, on which they kept 6 cows, 6 horses, and raised enough grain to keep them all the year round.”

6 horses and 6 cows gives us 144sgu from a half-pennyland, demonstrating once again that the lot of the small tenant was vastly superior to that of the crofter a century later, and reinforcing the difference whereby a crofter HAD to supplement his income in order to survive.

*”The grazing of stock shall be calculated on the footing of one cow being equivalent to eight sheep, and one horse to two cows or sixteen sheep. Source: Crofters Commission Report 1896.

Source:

• THOMAS, F.W.L. 1886, "Ancient Valuation of Land in the West of Scotland: Continuation of "What is a Pennyland?"", Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, Proceedings, vol. 20, pp. 200.

Quantities and Value of Commodities Exported from St Kilda, 1875

In the winter of 1876 a journalist, John Sands, was stranded on the island of St Kilda.

He had also visited the archipelago in the previous year and wrote an account of his experiences, Out of this World; or Life in St Kilda, which was published by MacLachlan & Stewart in 1888.

On page 59 of this book Sands provides figures for various items produced by the St Kildans in 1875 and I have used these to calculate the values that follow:

Cloth: 227 yards (Of 47 inches and thumb) at 2s 3d = £ 25 10s 9d

Blankets: 403 at 1s 10d = £ 36 18s 10d

Fulmar oil: 906 pints (each pint equal to 5 pints Imperial) at 1s = 906s = £ 45 6s 0d

Tallow: 17stones 6 pounds (each stone containing 24 lbs.) at 6s 6d = £ 5 12s 1½d

Black feathers: 87 stones 15 pounds (24lb to the stone) at 6s = £ 26 5s 9d

Grey feathers: 69 stones 19 pounds (24 lb to the stone) at 5s = £ 17 8s 11½d

Cheese: 38 stones 6 pounds (24 lb to the stone) at 6s = £ 11 9s 6d

Fish: 1080 “marketable” at 7d each = 7560d = 630s = £ 31 10s 0d

Total £200 1s 11d

These goods were produced by the seventy-five souls living in St Kilda in 1875, giving a per capita income of £2 13s 6d. which we may equate to about £1,650 today.

There were 18 households recorded in the 1871 census, suggesting an average household income of £11 2s 2d, or about £6,870 in today's money.

Whilst not a vast sum of money, it is nevertheless indicative of the degree to which the people of St Kilda were participating in the wider economy at this time, and also of the prodigious quantities of birds that they were processing. The fact that they sold over 1000 fish in a single year is, however, perhaps the biggest surprise?

An extract from Sands account account of being stranded may be read online: http://www.widegrin.com/vicmisc/st_kilda.htm

A Population Comparison

I have taken figures from the 2011 Census to show the four towns in England whose populations lie closest above (and the four closest below) that of the Western Isles:

Farnworth (Greater Manchester) 26,939

Haverhill (Suffolk) 27,041

Melton Mowbray (Leicestershire) 27,158

Northfleet (Kent) 27,628

Western Isles 27,668

Ashington (Northumberland) 27,670

Cramlington (Northumberland) 27,682

Stratford-Upon-Avon (Warwickshire) 27,830

Peterlee (Durham) 27,871

The two Scottish urban areas with populations that are the closest above and below are:

Bathgate 25,701

Kirkintilloch 28,837

Incidentally, the capacity of Cardiff FC's stadium is 27,815, and of Lord's Cricket Ground in London, 28,000.

The population of Uist, Berneray to Eriskay, (4,900) is close to that of Bridge of Allan.

I hope this helps envisage one aspect of the 130-mile long archipelago of Eilean Siar.

Sources: CnES Population Factfile, CityPopulation.de

Listening For The Past

Shima, The International Journal of Research into Island Cultures, Volume 5 Number 1 2011 contains an essay by Cathy Lane with links to the audio pieces she composed as a result of the research she undertook:

Essay: http://www.shimajournal.org/issues/v5n1/h.%20Lane%20Shima%20v5n1%20114-127.pdf

Audio: http://www.gruenrekorder.de/?page_id=2325

“I like to think of what I am trying to do as 'docu-music'...(which) can be defined as works using sound materials which have recognisable real world associations and roots...

The intention of docu-music is to build up a sense of meaning, history and place through sonic association in order to relate to the world outside the composition.”

Cathy's essay and accompanying compositions, 'Tweed' and 'On the Machair', provide an interesting read about (and artistic interpretation of) island culture.

HMS Shackleton/HMS Sharpshooter (1936-1965)

This was the survey vessel which, in 1958 (and 1960), came to the Sound of Harris to update the chart that had been made 100 years earlier.

The 1959 chart was published as a Revised edition of its 1859 predecessor, which surely is testament to the extraordinary skills of Captain H. C. Otter .

and the crews of 19thC survey vessels, including Captain FWL (Fred) Thomas.

HMS Shackleton was originally commissioned as HMS Sharpshooter but was renamed in 1953 in line with her new duties engaged in hydrographic surveying. She marked five datum points in Leverburgh, Harris and Bays Loch, Berneray using three cuts, a rivet (in Leverburgh) and a bolt (in Berneray).

A very full account of her history can be read here: HMS Shackleton.

Sir John Brown of Redhall, Fordoun (1856-1928)

A little over three years ago I penned a couple of pieces regarding my Stornowegian grandfather, John Kerr (1875-1936) and at last I am able to fill in some of the gaps, most notably identifying who my late father, Ian Brown Kerr, acquired his rather unusual middle name from!

http://direcleit.blogspot.co.uk/2010/11/my-grandfather.html

http://direcleit.blogspot.co.uk/2010/05/aberdeen-fish-managers-of-1901.html

The Post Office directories for Aberdeen reveal that in 1902/3 John Kerr was the manager of The Steam Herring Fleet Ltd and that in 1903/4 his role has been taken by John Brown, fish salesman, of Redhall, Fourdon. He, in turn was replaced as manager from 1904/5 until 1910/11 by A. Robertson but another entry for John Brown provided the Aberdeen address of 10 Marine Terrace in additional to that of Redhall, Fordoun.

Fortunately, the Brown family were already resident at 10 Marine Terrace at the time of the 1901 census which show the family headed by the Aberdonian 45 year old shipowner of steam vessels alongside his wife, Barbara, and their four children, one of whom is the 17 year old son John Brown who is a fishing book keeper. There are, as we might expect, also a cook and a housemaid in residence.

The Brown family's other residence was Redhall House in Fordoun, Aberdeenshire and a little information about it appears at the RCAHMS site:

http://canmore.rcahms.gov.uk/en/site/36479/details/redhall+house

and it will make an appearance later in this tale.

Before moving forward, I should like to take a step back to the 1891 census for then the 35 year old John Brown was a fish curer living at 9 Millburn Street. The significance of the address is that, by 1901, my grandfather was lodging across the road at number 12

However it is a series of articles that appeared in the Aberdeen Journal that provide the information for what followed and I should explain at this point that I have only accessed the opening sentences (shown in italics) to each one rather than the complete articles. I have made comments where necessary but otherwise let the articles speak for themselves.

12 Oct 1904: Presentation Mr John Kerr.—Last evening John Kerr, of the Aberdeen Steam Trawling and Fishing Company, was waited upon number of friends in the Douglas Hotel and presented with handsome aneroid barometer, for himself, and a repeating carriage clock...

On the 19 October 1904 my grandparents were married so it is safe to assume that the barometer and clock were their gifts from the Aberdeen Steam Trawling and Fishing Company. This is, in fact the earliest reference that I have to my grandfather's employment with that particular business.

1 Dec 1904: PRESENTATION TO .MR JOHN BROWN Jr.. OF REDHALL. Mr John Brown, Jr., of Redhall, was, the occasion of his attaining his majority, met last night the Imperial Hotel, Aberdeen, by the members of the office staffs of the Aberdeen Steam Trawling and Fishing...

16 May 1906: PRESENTATION TO MISS BROWN OF REDHALL received by Mr and Mrs Brown and family. Mr John Kerr made the presentation the 'gifts, which consisted of a cabinet of Silver cutlery, a plate affixed to the cabinet bearing following inscription:—Presented to Miss Brown of Redhall the occasion of her...

Assuming this to be Elizabeth Brown, who was born in 1883, then this would have been her engagement present, presumably from the Aberdeen Steam Trawling and Fishing Company as that would explain my grandfather's involvement. It might also have been her youngest sister. Lily's, coming of age but I find that less likely given the nature of the gift!

23 Jul 1907: PRESENTATION TO MISS BROWN OF REDHALL The directors the Aberdeen Steam Trawling and Fishing Company, Limited—of which Mr John Brown Redhall chairman —visited Red hall yesterday for the purpose presenting wedding gift to Miss Brown the occasion approaching...

29 Jul 1907: MARRIAGE OF MISS BROWN, REDHALL. PRETTY WEDDING AT FORDOUN. An interesting and pretty wedding took place at Fordoun Parish Church on Saturday afternoon, when Miss Elizabeth Brown, daughter of Mr John Brown, of Redhall, was married William Bradley Trimmer...

26 Oct 1907: HONOUR TO MR JOHN KERR, ABERDEEN. DINNER AND PRESENTATION. Mr John Kerr, chief assistant to Messrs John Brown and Son, trawlowners and fish salesmen, Aberdeen, was entertained dinner in the Imperial Hotel last night, and made the recipient of gift from...

I am presuming that my grandfather was leaving his work as Chief Assistant to the Brown's to take up his duties with the Congested Districts Board in Ireland.

15 Jun 1909: John Kerr, chief superintendent of fisheries, Congested District Board, Ireland, is visit at present to his family at Aberdeen. Mr Kerr had run down in health, and has been granted leave from the Board. He is disappointed being away from business this...

I don't know the details of my grandfather's ill health at this time, but neither did I know that he had become the Chief Superintendent of Fisheries for the Congested Districts Board of Ireland, my aunt's birth certificate having omitted the significant word 'chief'!

29 Jul 1918: OFFICERS' BIOGRAPHIES Captain John Brown, Gordon Highlanders, only son Mr John Brown Redhall, has been killed in action. Captain Brown was in the Aberdeen Territorial Battalion of the Gordon Highlanders at the outbreak of war. He was partner the firm of Messrs. John Brown & Son...

This came as a shock. The 34 year old John Brown died on the 20 July 1918 and his memorial may be seen here.http://twgpp.org/information.php?id=1854547

I don't know which John Brown my grandfather had in mind when he gave my father the middle name 'Brown', but the death of John Brown Jr in the later stages of World War I seems to add poignancy to him having borne the name.

5 Jun 1920: MR BROWN OF REDHALL KNIGHTED. Public Service Recognised. PIONEER OF THE TRAWLING INDUSTRY. The King,, on the occasion his birthday, has conferred the honour of knighthood on Mr John Brown of Redhall in recognition of public services not only in...

John Brown becomes Sir John Brown two years after losing his only son.

1 May 1926: SIR JOHN BROWN RETIRES. Fish Trade's G.O.M. FORTY-THREE YEARS IN THE INDUSTRY. Sir John Brown of Redhall, the 'Grand Old Man' of the trawlowning community of Aberdeen, yesterday went out of harness to enjoy a well-earned retirement...

It was not to be...

30 Apr 1928: DEATH OF SIR JOHN BROWN. A Fishing Pioneer. FORTY-THREE YEARS IN THE INDUSTRY. The death has occurred, after six months' iliness, of Sir John Brown of Redhall, Fordoun, one of the last of the pioneers of the trawl fishing and allied industries in Aberdeen...

3 May 1928: LATE SIR JOHN BROWN. Large Body of Mourners at Funeral. The high respect in which the late Sir John Brown of Redhall was held was reflected in the representative character of the large body of mourners who followed the remains from Marine Terrace, Aberdeen.

14 Jul 1928: ABERDEEN FORTUNES Sir John Brown of Redhall, Fordoun, Kincardineshire, and Marine Terrace, Aberdeen £107,521...

5 Oct 1929: NO OFFERS FOR REDHALL. The estate of Redhall, in the parishes Fourdoun and Laurencekirk, belonging to the late Sir John Brown, was offered for sale in the Douglas Hotel to-day, at a reduced... There were no offers this figure...

A very sad end to the story but I'm glad to have seen something of my grandfather's relationship with the 'Grand Old Man' of Aberdeen's trawloning industry.

I suppose it's also a wee part of the story of Stornowegian contributions to the Scottish fishing industry, and I mustn't finish without reminding myself that grandfather's grandfather was a seafaring Hearach to the core!

William Anderson Smith in 1891 and 1901

I left my account of the census information with the household of 1881, despite having discovered that William was alive for another two censuses, simply because at the time I couldn't find him!

However, a little further tweaking has produced:

1891

W Anderson Smith, 48, Head, Literature & Journalist, Rugarve Cottage, Ardchattan, Argyll, b. Perth

Mary Anderson Smith, 54, Wife, b. Cromarty

Mary Craig Sutherland, 20, Daughter, b. Inverness

Henry Torcuil Smith, 15, Scholar, b. Garston,

Bessie Anne Napier Smith, 13, Scholar, b. Glasgow

Margaret Elizabeth Gillespie, 32, General Servant, b. Knoydart, Inverness-shire

Rhugarbh, to give it its Gaelic spelling, has proved fairly elusive to locate with precision but it appears to have been between Barcaldine School House Barcaldine Old Schoolhouse and Barcaldine Mill.as seen on this map.

On the subject of language, I was slightly surprised to see that in this census return William definitely states in the column for 'Gaelic, or G&E' the single word 'English' and yet the whole of the remainder of the household are listed as having both languages. Presumably he never 'got the Gaelic', but allowed his offspring to learn their mother's tongue.

Incidentally, this recent article may be of interest: http://ardchattan.org.uk/news/2009/12/15/benderloch-notes-from-the-west-highlands/

1901

Walter Bennett, 44, Head, Compositor (Print), 6 Bond St, Clerkenwell, Finsbury, b. St Andrew's, Holborn

William A Smith, 58, Pressman, b. Perth, Scotland

As was the case with one of the earlier censuses, I cannot be absolutely certain that this is our man, but he's the best fit and, I think, a pretty good one, too!

This Bond Street, in Clerkenwell, London, was renamed Cruikshank Street in 1938. A full account of the history may be read in the 2008 Survey of London.  I hope this brief look at William Anderson Smith in the censuses has been of some interest, it's certainly ended a fair distance from Carloway in Lewis, and I do wonder what William and Walter were working on at the time?

William Anderson Smith (1844-1906), author of "Lewsiana; or Life in the Outer Hebrides ... With illustrations" 1875

I have been reading a book which I found thanks to the British Library having placed over one million images on the Flickr photographic site, including this one.of beehive dwellings and summer shielings.

Incidentally, the library catalogue shows eight books authored by William Anderson Smith, published between 1874 and 1892.

I don't intend providing an in-depth review of the book itself – suffice to say the tone is very much of its time, but it does inadvertently supply some useful snippets of information along the way. What did intrigue me, however, was what I discovered when I began seeking William Anderson Smith in the census records:

1851

John Smith, 51, Writer and Arithmeter, Ivy Bank, Kinnoull, Perthshire, b. Glasgow

Jane H Smith, 46, Wife, b. Greenock

William Anderson Smith, 8, Scholar, b. Perth

It is worth noting that the young William, fourth of six children listed at this time, was the son of a writer.

1861

William Smith, 18, Lodger, Mercantile Clerk, 38 Hill St, Blythswood, Glasgow Barony, b. Perth

I cannot be certain that this is our man, but he is the closest match that I can find and the 'dropping' of his second name would be perfectly compatible with his status as a lodger – with census information we are relying upon what the person who provided the information knew, or could remembder, about the members of their household.

1871

William Anderson Smith, 29, Head, Cod Liver Oil Manufacturer, Part of Carloway House, Carloway, Ross & Cromarty b. Perth

Now, Comann Eachdraidh Uig (Uig Historical Society) have several pieces devoted to William Anderson Smith, but I cannot see any reference to his most unusual occupation! I say that because, as far as I can ascertain, he is the sole 'Cod Liver Oil Manufacturer' to be recorded in Ross-shire in any census from 1841 to 1901 inclusive. I wonder how successful this venture was? This piece from the society's site makes for interesting reading: http://www.ceuig.co.uk/history/land/the-maladministration-of-the-lews-1886/

1881

William Anderson Smith, 38, Head, Oyster Culturalist Journalist and Author, Rhugarve Cottage, Ardchattan, Argyll, b. Perth

Mary A Smith, 43, Wife, b. Cromarty

John D Sutherland, 15, Land Agent Assistant, b. Inverness

Mary Craig Sutherland, 9, Stepdaughter, b. Inverness

Henry Torcuil Smith, 5, b. England

Bessie A N Smith, 3, b. Glasgow

Mary MacGillivray, 18, Servant, b. G, Inverness-shire

Here we see the mature William with wife and family. It would appear from the information in his death certificate, that Mary was his second wife. I am unclear as to whether the Sutherland children are from William's first marriage or whether they were his step-children, too. I could investigate in Scotland's People but that's for another day...

William Anderson Smith died on 22 July 1906 at the age of 62. He had been married firstly to Elizabeth Morgan and then to Mary Hoach, or Sutherland. 

His late father's occupation is given as some kind of writing master, I write 'some kind' because, unfortunately, I cannot make out the writing.

Update: A scan be seen in the comments below, my friend Ciorstaidh has checked and Mary's name appears to have been 'Hosack'; and she has also identified his father as having been an 'Academy Writing Master'.

Renting islands in the Sound of Harris (and Taransay) 1895-1920

I have examined the Valuation Rolls to see what information they might have to tell us about these places, some of which were rented by various relatives of mine from the end of the nineteenth century for a period of about eighty years.

I've put the known relatives in bold for added clarity, but have also used italic bold for a few whose identities I have yet to absolutely confirm!

1895 - Proprietor: The Trustees of The Earl of Dunmore

House and Farm, Borve, Berneray, Roderick Campbell, merchant, Strond, Obbe, Harris, £80

Lands, Island of Torogay etc, John Campbell, Strond, Obbe, Harris £30

Lands, Islands of Killigray and Langa, John Stewart, Ensay, £70

House and Farm, Rodel, Rod. Campbell, merchant, Obbe, £98

Plantation Park, Rodel, John Campbell, Strond, £12

This was the year before John Campbell married my cousin Marion Kerr. Why they were wed in the Free Church at Lonemore, Duirinish, Skye, rather than in Harris, isn't entirely clear to me.

The Campbells were living in Strond at this time and paying a total of £220 in rent, including £30 for the use of the islands in the Sound of Harris off the coast of North Uist which appear above as Ísland of Torogay etc'.

1905 - Proprietor: The Right Hon. Alexander Edward Murray, Viscount fincastle.

Lands, Island of Torogay etc, John Campbell, farmer, Rodel, £20

Lands, Islands of Killiegray & Langa, Major William Stewart of Ensay, £70

House and Farm, Rodel, Rod. Campbell, farmer, Rodel £98

Plantation Park, Rodel, John Campbell, farmer, Rodel £12

House and Farm, Kylis, Roderick Macdonald, Merchant, £30

House and Farm, Island Taransay, John Campbell, farmer, Rodel, £150

House and Farm, Scaristaveg, Roderick Macleay, £80

House and Farm, Scaristavore, Roderick Campbell, £130

House and Farm, Borvebeg, Roderick Campbell, £65

Land, Isle Sursay, Roderick Campbell, £7

Estate Office, Obbe, Thomas Wilson, factor, £8

Post Office, House and Land, Obbe, Widow Mary Galbraith, £1 16s

By 1901 the people of Borve, Berneray had finally been able to return to the land that had been taken from them in the clearance of 1853. However, in 1905 John Campbell was still renting the islands in the Sound and doing so for ten pounds a year less than he had been paying a decade earlier! He and his father were now paying £130 for the use of those islands and the farm at Rodel, and an additional £150 for renting Taransay which John Campbell now farmed.

What is not completely clear to me is whether the Roderick Campbell paying £202 for the farms at Scaristavore and Borvebeg (plus the island of Sursay) is the same Roderick Campbell?

1915 - Proprietor: The Right Hon. The Earl of Dunmore

Lands, Vaccasay etc, Reps of Roderick Campbell, £10

Lands, Islands of Killiegray and Langa, Donald Alexander Stewart of Lochdu, Nairn, £70

House and Farm, Rodel, Ken Campbell, farmer, Rodel, £34

Plantation Park Lands, Rodel, Ken Campbell, farmer, Rodel (£37 10s for)

Islands of Torogay, Opsay etc, Ken Campbell, farmer, Rodel (both holdings)

Cottage and Farm, Island Taransay, John Campbell, Taransay, £140

Cottage and Farm, Scaristaveg, Roderick Macleay, £75

Cottage and Farm, Scaristavore, Mrs Euphemia Campbell, £120

Cottage and Farm, Borvebeg, Proprietor, £56

Land, Island of Sursay, Mrs Euphemia Campbell, £7

John Campbell was now focussed entirely upon Taransay, which he was renting for £10 less than he was paying a decade earlier, whilst his younger brother Ken had Rodel and some of islands in the Sound of Harris for which paid £71 10shillings. Why 'Vaccasay etc' have been separated and are being rented by his father's representatives is unclear, but I assume that the estate had decided to split the islands into two groups?

A second point that I would like to completely confirm at some point is whether Mrs Euphemia Campbell was the second wife of Roderick Campbell, farmer at Rodel. If so,then she was Euphemia MacLennan from Finsbay, Harris; and John Campbell and Ken Campbell were her stepsons, having been born to Lizzie MacRae whose father Kenneth MacRae came from Kintail in Ross-shire.

1920 - Proprietor: The Lewis and Harris Welfare and Development Coy. Ltd.

Lands, Vaccasay, Hulmetray etc, Mrs Euphemia Campbell, widow, £10

Lands, The islands of Killigray and Langa, The Earl of Dunmore, £70

House and Farm, Rodel and islands, Ken Campbell, farmer, Rodel, £71 10s

Cottage and Farm, Island Taransay, John Campbell, £140

Cottage and Farm, Scaristaveg, Roderick Macleay, £75

Cottage and Farm, Scaristavore, Mrs Euphemia Campbell, £120

Land, Island Sursay, Mrs Euphemia Campbell, £7

John Campbell continued to live in and farm Taransay, his brother remained at Rodel and I think the fact that some of the islands in the Sound ('Vaccasay, Hulmetray etc') were being rented by (apparently) the same Mrs Euphemia Campbell who continued to farm Scaristavore suggests that she was indeed their stepmother. I imagine that the islands that Ken Campbell was renting as part of 'Rodel and islands' were those in the vicinity of Torogay?

A century ago the Campbells were paying nearly £350 in rent to the Earl of Dunmore, actively farming at Rodel, at Scaristavore and in Taransay, and renting all the islands in the Sound off the coast of North Uist.

Something in the air (or, perhaps, underwater!)?

It is strange how events, without planning or deliberate intervention, sometimes coincide:

I posted an entry on this blog on Thu 28 Nov, musing upon the recent publication of results regarding sea levels around the British Isles. .

Today, by chance, I happened upon a news entry that had been posted on the Wessex Archaeology site on Fri 29 Nov - Palaeogeographical Reconstructions - regarding a wonderful poster that they have produced detailing sea level changes around the coasts of the Sound of Harris!

The poster may be viewed online or downloaded as a pdf.
It looks fascinating, as well as very attractive, and I hope you find it so, too.