There are no safes for breaking in the Outer Hebrides… but we didn’t go hungry in 1972.

After the end of the Great War, dangerous materials were still washing up on the beach. All credit to Nurse Maclean for her tender care of Murdo Macleod, Cliff, in 1919.

Abhainn Dearg, the new whisky from Uig, will not be whisky until 2011 but thanks to the intrepid Leodhaisiach Mike Donald and his colleagues, a small cask of the new spirit is lying cosseted in a cellar in Glasgow. MacSorley’s Music Bar on Jamaica Street will be the venue for a tasting of the Peacemaker batch on Tuesday 16 March, from 7.30. From the invitations: On February 21st 2010 at the Abhainn Dearg Distillery in Carnish on the far west coast of the Isle of [ » read more ]

Dr Duncan Maclennan served as the doctor in West Uig from 1935 to 1945. A native of Stornoway, he studied at Aberdeen and Uig was his first post. He was greatly liked throughout the district, as this piece from the Stornoway Gazette on the occasion of his leaving demonstrates: 20 July 1945 On Tuesday, 3rd July, in Crowlista School, Dr and Mrs Maclennan were met by a large company of friends who had gathered to present them with a token of appreciation of Dr Maclennan’s professional services in the [ » read more ]

Winter was always a difficult time for the inhabitants of St Kilda, but the winter of 1876-77 was unusual.  From the Transactions of the Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland, 1878: When the factor, Mr M’Kenzie, with MacLeod’s vessel, did not put in an appearance in autumn last year [1876], as usual, the inhabitants at once began to make preparations for the winter’s store. Last harvest was very bad with them, and they knew they would be short of meal; and from the first they [ » read more ]

As Hiort Weekend continues, here’s a piece contributed by Alasdair Shearer (Aird/Australia) from the Celtic Magazine.  The BBC programme An t-Hiortach, about the last surviving evacuee Norman Gillies and his return visit to the island, is available on the iPlayer now (UK only and until 5 Sept), and for those who get BBC Alba, there are more programmes on St Kilda to watch today and Monday (see below).  There was also a piece in the Guardian magazine yesterday about Norman Gillies (thanks to Alison for [ » read more ]

Lewsiana (W Anderson Smith, 1874/1896) gives this little titbit. Before we leave the family blinking round the peat fire, telling interminable tales or crooning never-ending songs, we will introduce the reader to a favourite bonne bouche. Take two eggs, with a little butter and meal, whip them all well up together, and place on the top of a hot barley bannock. Spread evenly over, and hold a live peat above until it firms sufficiently to allow the cake to be toasted before the fire. This [ » read more ]

From Mary Beith’s Deanamh a’ Leighis column in the West Highland Free Press, 3 October 2008. The ballan, a cow’s horn used for cupping against the skin to draw out impurities and cure sciatica and rheumatism, was well known in Lewis and continued into living memory.  One such ballan used in  Lochaber was described by Betsy Matheson of Dornie via John N Macleod as the left horn of a two-year old bullock, six inches long, smoothly bored and trimmed, with a strip from the caul [ » read more ]

Another bit from DDC Pochin Mould’s West Over Sea, published in 1953; at the time even quite substantial and central townships like Geshader were just getting their proper roads. Crossing the moor between Loch Raonasgail and the yellow road by the sea at Uig, I had plenty of opportunity to consider living without roads.  Probably the first thing one notices is the silence.  In a roadless community the noises that make up the background of our road-driven civilisation are lacking: the swish of tyres on [ » read more ]

St Kilda is not in the parish of Uig but we can see it from coast around the upper end of the district, and boat trips run there from Miavaig on the Cuma and with Seatrek, so we take an interest in it.  The following is from the Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, 9 April 1877, and written by J Sands, Ormiston, who visited St Kilda twice, in 1875 and 1876. The ground is now all dug with the spade, but I [ » read more ]

From Lewsiana, W Anderson Smith, 1874-86. (See also the previous extract.) Dog fish (Spinax) kept for a short time and half dried, like the skate without salt, is by some considered a tit-bit, by others of more delicate stomach eaten for lack of something more tasty.  Perhaps desire for revenge for the ravages committed on the ling, and to utilise the myriads of these savages dragged perforce into their boats, may influence some.  The belly should not be eaten by any unaccustomed palate, nor allowed [ » read more ]

From Lewsiana, by W Anderson Smith (J&R Parlane, Paisley 1874-1886). Let us first consider in detail the domestic arrangements in the hands of the women, and trace in order the results of their industry, which is untiring, if not always regulated to the best advantage. As soon as the family is astir in the morning, the grown-up girls, or whoever is entrusted with the duty, prepares to go to the stack of peats on the moor for a supply of fuel.  Before setting out with [ » read more ]

Annie Maclean, Nurse Ruadh, was born to 12 Crowlista in 1872 and served as district nurse in Uig before taking up the post in Tarbert, where she worked until her death in 1940, and was much loved.  The following is from the Stornoway Gazette: It was with deep regret that we learned of the death at Tarbert, Harris, of Annie Maclean, known in Uig and Harris as the Nurse Ruadh.  Born at Crowlista 68 years ago, the youngest daughter of the late Mr and Mrs [ » read more ]

The Macdonald Triplets (John, William Faulkner and Catherine), shown here with Nurse Maclean, were born in December 1934 at 11 Geshader to John Macdonald (the Lion) and Katie Mary nee Macleod – a great event in Uig at the time.

The Dewar Commission, charged with investigating the state of medical provision in the Highlands and Islands, interviewed, amongst others, John Macrae (Seonnaidh Mòr), the farmer at Timsgarry, on 12 October 1912 at Garynahine.  The questions are put by the chairman, Sir John Dewar MP. You have three nurses in the parish, and the nuring is very satisfactory?– Yes, very satisfactory indeed. Have you room for more nurses?– Yes.  We would certainly require another nurse.  It is a very wide district.  It extends from here away [ » read more ]