A tale of four islands - Berneray

The island of Berneray (referred to as Bernera) is the southernmost of the four islands. It has the Barra Head Lighthouse sitting on top of a 600 ft high cliff on the west of the island.

It is worth bearing in mind that there are two other islands called Berneray (or Bernera) in the Outer Hebrides. Great Bernera lies off the west coast of Lewis. The third Berneray is just north of North Uist, and is now linked to the latter island by causeway. During the 19th century (and well into the 20th), it was linked to Harris in an administrative sense.

Berneray (Barra) had the following numbers of population from 1851 until 1901

1851 - 44
1861 - 33
1871 - 38
1881 - 57
1891 - 30
1901 - 17

These included the lighthouse keepers, their families and attendants.
We find the following names across the decades:

1851
James Oswald (47), born at St Manonie, Fife, occasional lightkeeper
Joseph Thomson (34), born at New Hills, Aberdeen, with his wife Ann and 4 young children, light keeper
John Morrison (47), born at Portree, Skye, with his wife Mary and 3 children; principal lightkeeper

1861
Principal lighthouse keeper: James Pithie (44), born at Arbroath, with his wife Elizabeth and son James (7), born at Ronaldsay - North Ronaldsay in Orkney has a lighthouse as well.
Apertant lightkeeper: Joseph Agnew (33), born at Honeykirk, Wigtownshire, with his wife Sarah and three children;
Assistant lightkeeper: James Oswald (56) of Fife

1871
Principal lighthouse keeper: Robert Grierson (41), of Leith, with wife Mary and daughter Mary
Asisstant keeper Malcolm Greig (30) of Lerwick, with wife Annie and three children
Assistant keeper James Oswald (66) of Fife, with wife Christina

1881
Principal lightkeeper Lachlan Campbell (48) of Tobermory, with wife Marion and 6 children. They were born in Harris, North Uist, Graemsay [Orkney?] and Islay, all locations with a lighthouse.
Assistant lighthouse keeper William Irvine (27) of Cairnryan, Wigtownshire, with wife Isabella and three children, all born at Dunnet Head in Caithness.
2nd assistant lighthouse keeper George Rugg (25), of Castletown, Caithness, with his mother Isabella (from Sanday, listed as a former bonnet maker.

1891
Principal lighthouse keeper Donald Sutherland (47) of Dunnet, Caithness, with his wife Margaret and daughters Isabella and Jessie.
Assistant lighthouse keeper Charles Mcfadyen (37) of Islay with his sister Catherine
Assistant lighthouse keeper John Muir (36) of Orkney with his wife Ann Jane.

1901
Principal lighthouse keeper John Hughson (46) of Whalsay, Shetland with his wife and son
Assistant lighthouse keeper Archibald Macmillan of Southend [Kintyre] (30) and his sister Catherine
Assistant lighthouse keeper John Maccuish (25) of North Uist, also with his sister, Johanna.

It is noticeable that many of the locations mentioned in association with the lighthouse keepers on Berneray have a link with a Scottish lighthouse.

Apart from lighthouse keepers and their families, we also find a number of crofters and fishermen on Berneray during the 19th century.

1851
In total, seven families lived in Berneray at the time of the census. Four of those were crofters, fishermen and labourers of various descriptions. These families were headed up by fisherman Neil Mcneil (33) and his wife Catherine; Catherine Mcintyre (43), crofter's wife; Duncan Sinclair (45), crofter of 3 acres and John Mcneil (48), ditto.

1861
Apart from the lighthouse keepers, we find Donald Macintyre (42) with his wife Catherine (51, who we saw in 1851); Duncan Sinclair (56), with 6 children and John Mcneil (55) with his wife Ann (50) and three children. Noticeable is Allan Mcdonald, who is listed as a Ladies Association Teacher.

1871
Apart from the lighthouse keepers, we find Donald Macintyre (73) and his wife Catherine; Duncan Sinclair (65) and his wife Mary (56), together with their 6 adult children; and John Mcneil (71) with his wife Ann (66) and son Allen.

1881
 Apart from the lighthouse keepers, we find Mary Sinclair as crofter of 6 acres. Donald Campbell (36) is a fisherman as well; he is noted his wife Mary (35) and with four children. Marion Mcniel (29) is living with her three small children, marked as a crofter wife of 7 acres, of which 3 arable. A number of households are quoted full of fishermen, marked as lodgers.

1891
Apart from the lighthouse keepers, we find Donald Campbell (40), his wife Mary and eight children. Hector Campbell (65) is a crofter living with his wife Isabella (55) and son Michael. The remaining people listed on Berneray were associated with the fishing.

1901
Apart from the lighthouse keepers, we find Isabella Campbell living with her son Michael. We also see Peter Sinclair and Donald Campbell (54) as crofters, the latter with his wife Mary and 4 children.

It is worth noting that there is a dedicated cemetery on Berneray for the lighthouse keepers and their families; one grave is for a visiting lighthouse inspector.