Wednesday 6 February 2013

Seven sons

The Roll of Honour mentions a family of Macivers, living at Carnan House in North Shawbost. Nowadays, Carnan House is the big house to the west end of Loch na Muilne, off the main road between Shawbost and Bragar. The Macivers had come from Lochcarron, where the 1901 census shows them with 11 children, ranging in age from 1 to 16.

I summarise the census return for the Police Station at Lochcarron.

John (who originates from Uig, Lewis) is aged 53, and a police sergeant. He is married to Isabella (42, from Barvas, Lewis) and has 11 children at the time. Apart from Iver (or Evander), the census shows Helen (16), John (14), Donald (13), Mary (11), Kenneth (9), Isaac (8), Isabella Margaret (4), Roderick (3), Angus (2) and Kate Jane (1).

The boys, as listed in the 1901 census, all joined up for the First World War. Two lost their lives, Evander in 1916, serving with the Canadians and Kenneth in the same year,whilst serving in the Ross Mountain Battery. The other five brothers survived. John was a Quartermaster Sergeant; Isaac a captain and Roderick likewise served in the Seaforth Highlanders. Donald was in the Canadians, and Angus was a mechanic in the Royal Air Force.

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