Dr Duncan Maclennan

Friday, February 19th, 2010

[singlepic=1077,280,left]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 ...

December

Wednesday, December 30th, 2009

[singlepic=1048,389] Miavaig; taken 29 December 2009, 9am. The bay at Miavaig is frozen, as are all the smaller sealochs, including Little Loch Roag, which doesn't happen often. There is a story of crossing Little Loch Roag on foot, however. James Macnaughton, born 1804 and the son of ...

Pictures from Seatrek

Thursday, November 19th, 2009

Thanks to Murray and Seatrek for this collection of pictures around Uig and St Kilda. [singlepic=1034,387] [gallery=50]

An Iolaire Survivor

Sunday, November 8th, 2009

[singlepic=969,382] Translated from an interview with An Geal, John Maclennan, born 1896 at 15 Kneep and married at 4 Aird, Uig. The Admiralty ship the Iolaire taking servicemen home to Lewis grounded on the Beasts of Holm outside Stornoway, on the 1st of January 1919. Almost two hundred men perished. Translated ...

The New FP Church

Friday, August 7th, 2009

From the Stornoway Gazette, May 1951. An event of outstanding interest took place in the Parish of Uig on Wednesday, 16th May, when the new Free Presbyterian Church at Miavaig was opened. The Ref JA Macdonald, Applecross, the former minister of Uig, conducted divine worship and preached an able discourse from Matt ...

Valtos School Seniors, 1948

Wednesday, August 5th, 2009

[singlepic=865,357] Back 1. Donald John Smith 2. Murdanie Macdonald 3. John Buchanan 4. Ray Goodge 5. DM Buchanan Front 6. Mary Peggy Mackay 7. Seonag Matheson 8. Chrissie Smith 9. Chirsty Bell Mackay 10. Annie Mackay 11. Marlene Morrison Schoolhouse

Valtos School, 1948

Monday, June 22nd, 2009

[singlepic=665,357] Teacher: Sophie Macsween (Macleod). Thanks to Mary Peggy Mackay for putting the names to the faces. Back 1. John Angus Mackay 7 Reef 2. Dan Buchanan 7 Valtos 3. DA Morrison 13 Reef 4. Calum Ian Buchanan 8 Valtos 5. Archie Macdonald, FP Manse Middle 6. John Andrew Buchanan 7 Valtos 7. Donald C Morrison 32 Valtos 8. ...

Valtos School 1966-67

Thursday, May 21st, 2009

[singlepic=633,357] Photo taken by Aneas Maclean, nephew of Mrs Jessie Macdonald 24 Valtos, while on student placement.  We'll expect the gaps to be filled in promptly: if not, I'll be waylaying the others. Teachers: Mrs Alexina Macleod, Shawbost Mr Donald John Macleod (Inky), Carloway Front Row: 1. Calum Macdonald (Titch) 22 Valtos 2. Donella Matheson ...

The Uig POs and their Postmarks

Friday, May 15th, 2009

From Islands Postal History Series, No 3: Lewis, by James A Mackay.  Published by the author, 1978. Miavaig The Gaelic name Miabhaig is derived from an earlier Norse name whose vik ending signified a bay - in this case one of the many inlets of West Loch Roag on the west coast ...

Grievances Told to the Napier Commission

Wednesday, September 17th, 2008

The Napier Commission came to Miavaig on 4 June 1883, led by Lord Napier, and took evidence from Murdo Maclean, fishcurer in Valtos, Donald Matheson Kneep and Norman Morrison Brenish, and from the Chamberlain, William Mackay. Among the grievances enumerated by the crofters were issues to do with the keeper ...

The Charge Sheet: We Have Waited Long Enough (1913)

Saturday, August 9th, 2008

On the day in November 1913 when the Reef Raiders drove the stock from Reef Farm, the local Constable made the following report (the list doesn't correspond exactly to the men identified in the photo): Charge, Breach of the Peace Police Station Miavaig, 28th November 1913 Sir, I beg to report to you that between ...

The Lewis Colony in Duluth, Minnesota

Tuesday, August 5th, 2008

A large number of Lewismen settled in Duluth, Minnesota in the 1870s and 1880s, many becoming prominent citizens in the town. The first was William L Maclennan (1834-1888), son of Donald Maclennan. This family seems to have originated in Kintail or Lochalsh; in 1841 Donald was a shepherd in Bunavoneadar, ...

Miavaig, Carishader and the Bays in 1959

Friday, August 1st, 2008

A chapter (abridged) by Annis Heawood from Uig:  A Hebridean Parish (1960).  Photo by Chris Murray. The district here described includes Gisla, near the head of Little Loch Roag, Enaclete, Ungeshader and Geshader, on the western shores of Loch Roag proper. All these are strung out on or close to the main ...

One Dog, 7/6

Thursday, July 24th, 2008



Intolerable Postal Facilities, 1920

Tuesday, July 22nd, 2008

Stornoway Gazette Friday, 16 January 1920 WEST UIG MAIL SERVICE At a meeting held in Crowlista Public School, Miavaig, Lewis, on Tuesday, 30th December 1919 presided over by Col. Lindsay, Morsgail Lodge,Lord Leverhulme's representative here, and attended by representatives from all the townships of West Uig, it was resolved to lay before the ...