From a statement lodged with the Crofters Commission by the Estate management in November 1888, showing alterations made over farms in Lewis, with the occupancy and rent of each during the period 1844-1888. Mealista, Keannhusly and Island Mealista 1844-49 Alex and John MacRae £80.0.0 1850 do. £105.0.0 1860 do. £120.0.0 1870 John Mitchell £130.0.0 1886-87 do. (lands taken off) £85.0.0 1888 do. £85.0.0 Mangersta 1873 Donald and Malcolm Macleod £122.0.0 1880 do. £95.0.0 1888 do.   Ardroil 1844-48 Donald Macaulay £100.0.0 1849 John and James [ » read more ]

Mangersta (probably “Magnus’s steading”) was cleared at the same time as Mealista, in 1837-38, to make way for sheep. It was resettled but then cleared again in 1873-4, when the temporary settlers mostly removed to Doune Carloway at their own request, due to the difficulties they were having with blowing salt spray. The farm at Mangersta (created on ground from the cleared crofts) was eventually broken up and resettled in 1911, mainly by cottars from Brenish. In 1921 the old township of Mealista (cleared in [ » read more ]

From the Stornoway Gazette, 7 July 1959: The Commanding Officer of the R.A.F. station at Aird Uig has expressed gratitude to gamekeeper Donald Morrison of Mangersta, who on Tuesday found an airman who had been missing from the station. The man was Senior Aircraftsman Thomas Douglas, who was on Wednesday reported to be “quite alright” at the camp. The Commanding Officer, Squadron-Leader, Christopher, who took over command on Monday from Squadron-Leader Evans, said: ” I am now perfectly satisfied that this was a simple case [ » read more ]

From the Stornoway Gazette supplement, 18 December 1959. Wedding bells have been ringing in Mangersta for the past year. Cupid started at one end of the village leaving a spate of marriages in his trail. The most recent of these was solemnised in the East Church, Inverness, on the 10th November when Mary Morrison, eldest daughter of the late Mr and Mrs John Morrison, 13 Mangersta, became the bride of Alexander Smith, only son of the late Mr and Mrs William Smith, 9 Kneep. The [ » read more ]

Miss Ina Macdonald, Ardbheag, is of course now our Mrs Ina Macdonald, Islivig.  More on the side schools here.

The press release (3 November 2009) from the Uig community on the announcement of the St Kilda Centre decision.  Detail of the Uig vision for Ionad Hiort is now on its own page, where updates will also appear. The community group in the Uig area of Lewis which has promoted the area’s claim to host Ionad Hiort/the St Kilda Centre has said they are “honoured and delighted” to have emerged as the recommended winners. Last week, the Working Group set up by Comhairle nan Eilean [ » read more ]

This short video by Ged Yeates was part of Uig’s proposal for the St Kilda Centre – spectacular even in the face of Youtube compression.

After months of consultation, Mangurstadh in Uig has been recommended as the preferred site for the proposed St Kilda Centre.  From Hebrides News: Following an independent feasibility study, funded by Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and LEADER, the St Kilda Centre Working Group has announced the recommendations made by Jura Consultants in an independent feasibility. After an intensive assessment process, Mangurstadh in Uig has been identified as the preferred location by the consultants for the proposed St Kilda Centre.  Read more » [ » read more ]

Uig has been bidding for consideration as the site of the proposed St Kilda Centre, and we’re pleased to hear that Mangersta in Uig is one of the shortlisted sites, along with Leverburgh in Harris and Cleitreabhal in North Uist. This press release outlined Uig’s vision for the Centre. The Uig area of Lewis is “the vantage point from which the story of St Kilda can best be appreciated, understood and made accessible to the greatest number of people”, according to a report presented to [ » read more ]

Pictures also viewable here if the slideshow doesn’t work for you. Thanks to Iain Watson for these pictures and his memories of scout camps in Uig. The pictures were all collected by Don Laing, who used to be a Scout Leader in Stornoway for many years from the early 60′s until he died in 2000. Over the years he had collected several hundred scouting pictures; when he died his wife Mavis gave me the box. The Scouts used to go to Uig for most of [ » read more ]

From research undertaken by Maggie Smith for Hebridean Connections and the Stornoway Gazette.  See also Part II and Part III. After the Education Act of 1872, children throughout the country were entitled to an education, and a side school could be provided in remote districts where there were at least three children; a single junior teacher, under the supervision of a village school, would teach in a building or room temporarily provided for the purpose.  If there were insufficient pupils, a single child or two [ » read more ]

Another extract from Uig, A Hebridean Parish, compiled by HA Moisley and members of the Geographical Field Group, Universities of Glasgow and Nottingham.  This section was written by Pamela M Gough; see also the further detail on life in the townships. Soils are generally deep, and there are few rocky outcrops on the crofts which are fairly level.  In Brenish and Islivig, the soils are mainly peaty, becoming wetter in the west.  Where visible the subsoil is gravel or stony boulder clay.  In Mangersta the [ » read more ]

From Uig, A Hebridean Parish, 1960. The photo of Brenish is by Sam Forrest, taken on land court business in 1965. More of his pictures in the gallery. Brenish has a south-westerly aspect whilst Islivig faces north-west; in both the elevation of the crofts decreases seawards from about 125 ft in the east to 50-25 ft in the west. Only on croft in Islivig, and the eight most southerly crofts in Brenish, run to the sea – the rest obtain some shelter from a line [ » read more ]

From Sanais, 1988, with some additions. The first school in the Western Isles was founded shortly after 1610, when the Seaforth Mackenzies gained possession of the island, and in 1680, a report by ‘Indweller’ says that the Seaforth school had done much good, not only for Lewis but also for the adjacent isles.  It was the ‘the great good of gentlemen’s sons and daughters and to the comfort and good of the people’.  Martin Martin reported in 1695 that English and Latin were taught. In [ » read more ]

Thanks to Murdag, and to Finlay for the identification.