Hector Maclean, who wrote to his sister Annie (Nurse Ruadh) from the Transvaal in 1902, died of enteric fever five months later. From the Highland News (?), 1903: Sad Death of a Young Man. Information has been received at Crowlista, Uig, from Heidleberg, South Africa, of the death from enteric fever of Hector Maclean, a [...]
Read more →[singlepic=300,370] Kinresort is the area on the border between the Isle of Lewis and Harris and the head of Loch Resort. On the Lewis side is the hamlet of Crola in Uig and the hamlet of Luachair lies across the river in North Harris. This area was the focus for several other small settlements along [...]
Read more →Stornoway Gazette, 25 May 1951: Miss Catherine Macritchie, younger daughter of Mrs & Mrs D Macritchie, 7 Aird, is combining business with pleasure by sailing on the luxury liner Oronsay on her maiden voyage to Australia. She left Tilbury on 16 May. Catherine’s previous occupations have been tailoress in the WAAF and Glasgow tram conductress. However [...]
Read more →Stornoway Gazette, 30 March 1951 Sir: As the Parish of Uig is never mentioned in your paper, I feel worried that the place may have been washed away by Atlantic storms. Or is it that as the most progressive parish in Lewis, they now publish their own newspaper? If so, please let me have their [...]
Read more →Donald Macdonald, Dolly Doctor, was born in 1891 in Stornoway, eldest son of John Macdonald Carishader and Annie Gillies, Shawbost and Stornoway. He studied at the Nicolson and at Aberdeen, Glasgow and Edinburgh, and practiced as a specialist in the west end of London. He married Emily Paul, niece of Lord Leverhulme (then proprietor of the [...]
Read more →After Rev Alexander Macleod and the entire congregation left the established Church in 1843 for the Free Church, the manse at Baile na Cille was vacant for nearly two years. In 1845, David Watson, a native of Croy, educated in Aberdeen, was received as a probationer and required to preach in Uig on 16 February 1845, [...]
Read more →An account of the life of Murdo Macdonald, Crola, held by Bernera Historical Society (author unknown). Although Murdo Macdonald was an Uigeach, born and bred, and of Uig parents, he was well known in Scarp and North Harris where many of his relations lived. His paternal grandmother was one of a well-known family of Macleans [...]
Read more →(picture of Valtos and Kneep by Chris Murray) An Dotair Ruadh, Donald Macaulay, seventh in line from Dòmhnall Càm, was the son of Dòmhnall mac Sheorais, the tacksman of Linshader who himself became something of a legend because of his size and strength. His son has come down in tradition as equally renowned, but for [...]
Read more →Stornoway Gazette: Distinction for Lewis Nurse. At a recent reception held in Eastern District Hospital, Glasgow, at which Alexander MacGregor, Medical Officer of Health, and Lady MacGregor presided, mention was made of the success of a Lewis nurse. Miss KA Morrison, Ungeshader, who was awarded the Gold Medal, the Special Tutor’s Prize and 3rd Year [...]
Read more →Donald Matheson, an Saighdear Chaluim Bhain, was a son of Malcolm Matheson (Calum Bàn) of Valtos and Crowlista. (Calum Bàn has some interesting ancestors who can be found by following the lines back via Hebridean Connections.) Donald was born in the 1740s and joined the army, serving at the siege of Louisbourg in 1758, and [...]
Read more →Calum Aonghais a’Bhreabadair was born in Valtos in 1862, a son of Angus Maclennan who had travelled the world. The family moved to 11 Kneep. Calum went to Canada as a young man and studied at McGill University in Montreal. He worked for some years as a minister in Canada before returning to Scotland and [...]
Read more →Mairead Maclennan was born to 36 Cliff (at Craigard, on the hill opposite where the houses are now) in 1883. She went to work in Paisley as a seamstress for J&P Coats, the manufacturers of sewing cotton, at Ferguslie Park. She was the only one in the house with a German sewing machine and when [...]
Read more →Alexander Mackay (Alasdair Dhomhnaill Aonghais) was born in 1868, a son of Donald and Annie nee Matheson, 18 Valtos. He married Christina Maclennan 15 Valtos (Caristiona Chaluim Ille Mhoire) and after a period as cottars at 21 Valtos, Ailig became the third tenant of No. 15. They had four children – Dolina, Ceit, Donald and Calum. Ailig served in the RNR and [...]
Read more →Malcolm Maclennan, Calum Iain na Clibhe, 38 Cliff, who delivered to Carishader, Miavaig, Cliff, Valtos and Kneep on his bicycle. (His bicycle may be one outside the post office in 1911 here.) He worked as a postman for 60 years, finally retiring in 1960 at the age of 77. Calum Iain received a certificate from the postmaster [...]
Read more →Alexander Macleod was born in Balachladaich, Stoer, Assynt in 1786. In 1808 he entered King’s College, Aberdeen to study theology and his first post after completing his studies was tutoring the sons of a farmer in Skye. He evidently eloped with the farmer’s daughter, Margaret, which caused much indignation at the time but peace was [...]
Read more →Seonnaidh Gorabhaig, John Maclean, was born in Ungeshader in 1888. He was unmarried and remained in the family home at No. 3 with his brother Peter (the Coll) and latterly Peter’s wife Effie (Oighrig Mhorgain from Bragar). The two brothers built Taigh na Coll themselves in the 1930s, carrying the stone in from half a [...]
Read more →[singlepic=1045,280,left]William J. Maclean was born at Scaliscro in 1837, son of Angus Maclean, mason, and Ann Macrae, daughter of the farmer Alexander Macrae. The family had moved to Gisla by 1861. William emigrated to Canada (his brother Duncan, who remained at Gisla, remembered travelling to Liverpool to see him off) and became factor for the [...]
Read more →Malcolm Smith (Calum Gobha) born circa 1775 is believed to be from Kneep, son of John Smith, and he had a smithy in Enaclete. He was the first croft tenant on 3 Enaclete but moved to No. 9, and eventually emigrated in old age to Winslow, Quebec, Canada in 1855 with his family. Calum was an Old Soldier, having enlisted [...]
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