Armistice Day is nearly upon us, and I feel it is appropriate
to post a reminder of my links that commemorate the Fallen from the
Outer Hebrides in both World Wars.
Centenary of Sacrifice
is an on-going project, which will post the names of all the Fallen
from these islands on the date, 100 years later, on which they died.
Isle of Lewis
Faces from the Lewis War Memorial
A listing of the casualties from Lewis from WW1.
Lewismen lost in the Great War
A
listing of the casualties from Lewis from WW1, including all available
information (e.g. images of war graves, transcript of Stornoway Gazette
tributes etc).
Roll of Honour, Isle of Lewis 1914-1919
A transcript of Loyal Lewis, Roll of Honour, listing all from the island who served during WW1
Tributes for the War Memorial
A transcript of tributes from the Stornoway Gazette to WW1 casualties from Lewis
Tributes for the War Memorial (WW2)
A transcript of tributes from the Stornoway Gazette to WW2 casualties from Lewis
John Macaulay RNR and SS Kenmare
The story of one WW1 casualty, the ship on which he died and the U-boat that launched the fatal torpedo
Lewismen in Australian service
A listing of those WW1 casualties who served with the Australian forces
Lewismen in Canadian service
A listing of those WW1 casualties from Lewis who served with the Canadian Expeditionary Force
Lewismen from the 2nd Seaforth Highlanders
A
listing of WW1 casualties from the 2nd battalion Seaforth Highlanders ,
accompanied by transcripts from the battalion war diary for the day on
which they died.
Iolaire Disaster 1919
Listing of all casualties who died in the sinking of HMY Iolaire on New Year's Day 1919
HMS Timbertown
About the internment camp at Groningen, Holland, where 105 Lewismen were interned during WW1
World War II tribute for Lewis
A listing of WW2 casualties from Lewis
Wargraves in Lewis
Photographs of all CWGC and private wargraves in Lewis and information on the casualties
War memorials in Lewis
Photographs of all war memorials in Lewis with transcripts.
Southern Isles
Outer Hebrides losses in the Great War
A
listing of military and personal details of the WW1 casualties from
Harris, Berneray, North Uist, Grimsay, South Uist, Eriskay and Barra
Berneray to Vatersay tribute
A listing of the WW1 and WW2 casualties from
Berneray, North Uist, Grimsay, South Uist, Eriskay and Barra
Harris War Memorial
A listing of the casualties from Harris from WW1 and WW2.
Western Isles wargraves
A listing of all wargraves in the Western Isles, listed by cemetery
Western Isles war memorials
A listing of all war memorials in the Western Isle
Other
Lyness Royal Naval Cemetery
A
listing of photographs of wargraves and military information of the
casualties, interred at the Lyness Royal Naval Cemetery in Orkney
Showing posts with label bernera. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bernera. Show all posts
Friday, 7 November 2014
Sunday, 9 October 2011
The trial of the Bernera rioters - 1874
The Glasgow Herald, 22 July 1874
THE BERNERA EVICTION RIOTS
ACQUITTAL OF THE FISHERMEN AND CONVICTION OF THE SHERIFF OFFICER
Angus Macdonald, Norman Macaulay, and John Macleod, fishermen, Bernera, have just been tried before Sheriff Spittal and a jury, at Stornoway, for assaulting Colin Maclennan, sheriff officer, in revenge for serving summonses of removings, in March last, upon 58 crofters in Bernera, "by surrounding him in a violent and excited manner, seizing hold of him by the breast or collar, or parts of his person, and pulling and jostling him, and also seizing hold of his topcoat, waterproof coat, and leggings, and maliciously tearing and rendering the same useless, thereby putting him into a state of great terror and alarm." Mr Ross, Procurator Fiscal, prosecuted, and Mr Charles Innes, solicitor, Inverness, defended. The accused pleaded not guilty. In the course of the trial, which lasted eleven hours, it came out that the present crofters in Bernera and their forefathers had held, in connection with their crofts in Bernera, shielings or summer grazings at Cualinhall for a long number of years. From these they wer removed three years ago to Earshader, and Cualinhall grazings were turned into a deer forest or shootings, on the apparent understanding that they were not to be removed from Earshader so long as they paid their rents and held their crofts in Bernera; and after, they say, a verbal promise was made them to that effect by the factor, they built, at much expense, a dyke extending from six to seven miles round the new grazings ground, so as to separate it from some shootings. But from Earshader grazings, as well as their crofts and houses in Bernera, the people were summoned to remove last March without any clear promise made them of remuneration for the dyke. The people, considering that faith had been broken with them, and although the new grazings offered them in exchange were more valuable or extensive, felt somewhat indignant at the way they had been used, and it was while serving these removings that this alleged assault was committed. It was further stated that after they had served most of the summonses, the officer and his assistant were attacked in the dark with stones and clubs, and the officer, getting exasperated at his treatment, vowed, if he had a revolver, he would have shot at his assailants. This threat he repeated several times next morning in Bernera; and further, that if he had a revolver, there would be lamenting in Bernera. His remarks, having become reported, the excitemeent of the islanders increased, and it was determined to demand an explanation from him. Accordingly, the accused and ten others followed after the officer and stopped him, and the alleged accused then took place. At the close of the evidence, Mr Innes made an able and eloquent address, in which he commented very severely upon the way matters were managed in Lewis, and the poor Bernera men were used by the proprietor or his factor. After a lucid summing up by the sheriff, the jury, without retiring, found all the accused not guilty. The verdict was received with much applause. Throughout the day, the Court House was crowded to suffocation, and the trial was watched with intense interest and keen excitement by all classes of the community.
THE BERNERA EVICTION RIOTS
ACQUITTAL OF THE FISHERMEN AND CONVICTION OF THE SHERIFF OFFICER
Angus Macdonald, Norman Macaulay, and John Macleod, fishermen, Bernera, have just been tried before Sheriff Spittal and a jury, at Stornoway, for assaulting Colin Maclennan, sheriff officer, in revenge for serving summonses of removings, in March last, upon 58 crofters in Bernera, "by surrounding him in a violent and excited manner, seizing hold of him by the breast or collar, or parts of his person, and pulling and jostling him, and also seizing hold of his topcoat, waterproof coat, and leggings, and maliciously tearing and rendering the same useless, thereby putting him into a state of great terror and alarm." Mr Ross, Procurator Fiscal, prosecuted, and Mr Charles Innes, solicitor, Inverness, defended. The accused pleaded not guilty. In the course of the trial, which lasted eleven hours, it came out that the present crofters in Bernera and their forefathers had held, in connection with their crofts in Bernera, shielings or summer grazings at Cualinhall for a long number of years. From these they wer removed three years ago to Earshader, and Cualinhall grazings were turned into a deer forest or shootings, on the apparent understanding that they were not to be removed from Earshader so long as they paid their rents and held their crofts in Bernera; and after, they say, a verbal promise was made them to that effect by the factor, they built, at much expense, a dyke extending from six to seven miles round the new grazings ground, so as to separate it from some shootings. But from Earshader grazings, as well as their crofts and houses in Bernera, the people were summoned to remove last March without any clear promise made them of remuneration for the dyke. The people, considering that faith had been broken with them, and although the new grazings offered them in exchange were more valuable or extensive, felt somewhat indignant at the way they had been used, and it was while serving these removings that this alleged assault was committed. It was further stated that after they had served most of the summonses, the officer and his assistant were attacked in the dark with stones and clubs, and the officer, getting exasperated at his treatment, vowed, if he had a revolver, he would have shot at his assailants. This threat he repeated several times next morning in Bernera; and further, that if he had a revolver, there would be lamenting in Bernera. His remarks, having become reported, the excitemeent of the islanders increased, and it was determined to demand an explanation from him. Accordingly, the accused and ten others followed after the officer and stopped him, and the alleged accused then took place. At the close of the evidence, Mr Innes made an able and eloquent address, in which he commented very severely upon the way matters were managed in Lewis, and the poor Bernera men were used by the proprietor or his factor. After a lucid summing up by the sheriff, the jury, without retiring, found all the accused not guilty. The verdict was received with much applause. Throughout the day, the Court House was crowded to suffocation, and the trial was watched with intense interest and keen excitement by all classes of the community.
Friday, 8 April 2011
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.
Friday, 9 July 2010
From the Napier Commission, 1883
Bosta Beach, 2006
In June 1883, the Napier Commission into the condition of the crofters and cottars in the Highlands and Islands visited the village of Breasclete, a mile from the famous Callanish Stones. They were hearing from a villager from Great Bernera, just across the water from Breasclete. The people of Bernera found themselves prevented from properly entering their cemetery, just off the beach at Bosta. I relay that part of the discussion. Today, in 2010, there are TWO gates into Bosta Cemetery.
14849. Lord Napier, Commission Chairman: With regard to the dyke which prevents you getting into the burial ground, why was there not a gate left in it through which you could carry the bodies ?
—Murdo Macdonald, Tobson, Gt Bernera: When the dyke was being made I was working at it, and we made a gate for the purpose of access to the churchyard, and it was shut up and filled with stones, and notice was sent to us by the farmer of Linshader that we must fill it up.
14850. Did you make any remonstrance to the authorities at Stornoway ?
—I don't think so.
14851. Are you aware that it is not lawful by the law of Scotland to shut up a road to a burial ground?
—I did think so.
14852. Then why did you not apply to the authorities ?
—Because the local government was stronger than we.
14853. In consequence of the shutting up of the wall, are you, in point of fact, to this day, obliged to lift the bier over the wall when you come to it ?
—Yes, we are obliged at this time to lift the coffin up on to the wall, and men to stand there, with others on the other side.
14854. Do you know whether the proprietor or those in authority were aware of that fact ?
—I don't know.
Monday, 19 June 2006
Bosta
Just west of Lewis lies the island of Great Bernera, not to be confused with the island of Berneray off North Uist. On its northern end lies the beach of Bostadh [Bosta]. This area is uninhabited, but in years gone by people did live there. Nowadays, there is only a cemetery.
In 1992, a violent storm shifted the sands on the beach and the adjacent hillside to reveal the remains of an iron-age house. Little is known about it or the people that lived there some 2,000 years ago, but a valiant effort has been made to recreate the Iron Age House.
Below is copied the information from the plaque at the house:
This house is a reconstruction based upon the late Iron Age "jelly baby" houses excavated nearby. It was built using the techniques that were available at that time. No physical evidence of roofing survived on the archeological site; the design of this roof was dictated by the shape and strength of the walls; the dividing walls between the two cells are too weak to support a superstructure. The ridged roof is a major departure from the circular roofs of the wheelhouses and brochs of the earlier Iron Age, and a precursor of the traditional blackhouse roof.
The entrance passage was curved to break the strength of any high winds and sloped from ground level to the interior floor level. The purpose of the small chamber in this passage is unknown. The main room may have been subdivided into living and sleeping areas. The use of the space in the roof is conjectural, we have indicated a sleeping area. The small chamber was possibly used by the women for their work. The artefacts represent those discovered on the original site. The central hearth is aligned north to south. This may have been for practical of ritual reason. We do not know if there was any artificial or indeed natural lighting. Perhaps a piece of the thatch was removed when practicable.
Many questions that arose from the excavations were answered by a practical exercise such as this, and much has been learnt that aids interpretation of future excavations at similar sites. It is hoped that the reconstruction will also help visitors to the site to have a more complex and realistic experience of the reality of living in this type of dwelling.
In 1992, a violent storm shifted the sands on the beach and the adjacent hillside to reveal the remains of an iron-age house. Little is known about it or the people that lived there some 2,000 years ago, but a valiant effort has been made to recreate the Iron Age House.
Below is copied the information from the plaque at the house:
This house is a reconstruction based upon the late Iron Age "jelly baby" houses excavated nearby. It was built using the techniques that were available at that time. No physical evidence of roofing survived on the archeological site; the design of this roof was dictated by the shape and strength of the walls; the dividing walls between the two cells are too weak to support a superstructure. The ridged roof is a major departure from the circular roofs of the wheelhouses and brochs of the earlier Iron Age, and a precursor of the traditional blackhouse roof.
The entrance passage was curved to break the strength of any high winds and sloped from ground level to the interior floor level. The purpose of the small chamber in this passage is unknown. The main room may have been subdivided into living and sleeping areas. The use of the space in the roof is conjectural, we have indicated a sleeping area. The small chamber was possibly used by the women for their work. The artefacts represent those discovered on the original site. The central hearth is aligned north to south. This may have been for practical of ritual reason. We do not know if there was any artificial or indeed natural lighting. Perhaps a piece of the thatch was removed when practicable.
Many questions that arose from the excavations were answered by a practical exercise such as this, and much has been learnt that aids interpretation of future excavations at similar sites. It is hoped that the reconstruction will also help visitors to the site to have a more complex and realistic experience of the reality of living in this type of dwelling.
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