Visit to Stornoway 1959

Thomson 1959, Callanish, Cine Film, Family Video, Gress Beach, Standing Stones, Stornoway 0

Visit to Stornoway 1959

This video was taken by my father on his super 8mm cine film camera. It records our family visit to his sister’s family who lived in 38 Newton Street, Stornoway, Isle of Lewis, Scotland.

The opening sequence is at Glasgow airport. It seems unbelievable nowadays, but we just stood out on the tarmac and waited for the plane to taxi up to us; just like waiting for a bus.

The plane was a de Havilland DH114 Heron Series 1, which was regarded as underpowered. Later models had four engines and a retractable undercarriage. I do recall that rather too many of the passengers got closely acquainted with the paper bags in the seat pockets in front of them. We stopped at Benbecula and passengers seemed eager to get off the plane for a breath of fresh air.

We were met at the airport by my father’s sister, my Aunt Jessie and Uncle Alex. You will see me, in a red blazer, with a red cap and a bright red coat. My mother had scrubbed me up and dressed me in my Sunday best, but I discovered later that my Dad had got it in the neck from his sister for dressing me in bright red on the Lord’s Day. You will also see my cousin John Murdo MacLeod, dressed appropriately in his Sunday best kilt and my sister, Jennifer, wearing her brown school blazer.

It reminds me of the occasion when Jessie came to visit us in Bath and we took her into the City Centre (on a Sunday). The city was heaving with shoppers and tourists drinking beer in street cafes and my aunt was open-mouthed. I will never forget her saying “Oh, my goodness me, wait till I get home and tell the Minister about all of this.” But, she seemed quite happy to join in all the fun.

You will also see my mother wearing a long coat and sunglasses, and Jessie wearing a brown “flower pot” hat. My father, sadly, was always behind the camera. We had a great holiday and I was very fond of my aunt, who never ever took it out on me for wearing red on the Sabbath!

View Ancestor Chart

Alexander Thomson and Janet Ferguson

32 Aird Tong, Crofting, Fisherman, Inshore Fishing, Isle of Lewis, Jessie, Scotland, Stornoway, Tong, Windmill 0

Alexander Thomson and Janet Ferguson

Alexander Thomson

Alexander Thomson was born in Tong, Isle of Lewis, Scotland in about 1840. He was the son of Alexander Thomson and Christina MacInnes whose story is told on a separate page. He was the oldest of three generations of Thomsons to live in 32 Aird Tong, the youngest being my father who was born there in 1910.

Janet “Jessie” Ferguson

Janet Ferguson, who was known as “Jessie”, was born on 1 November 1842 in Gress, Isle of Lewis, Scotland. She was the daughter of Evander Ferguson and Ann Murray, whose story is told on another page.

Aerial view of Tong with 32 Aird Tong marked with red arrow. Image © Google Earth.

The Isle of Lewis

The Isle of Lewis (more properly the Isle of Lewis and Harris) is the largest island of the outer Hebrides or Western Isles. It is also the most northerly. The southern half of the island is rocky and mountainous while the northern half is flat, soft moorland with many lochs. The island is surrounded by beautiful white sandy beaches. The climate is influenced by two main factors; the Gulf Stream and the prevailing south-west wind. The Gulf Stream is a warm ocean current coming from the south west from the Gulf of Mexico.

The prevailing south west wind is warm but also moist as it passes over the Atlantic. The climate is, therefore, warmer than one would expect at such a northerly latitude but it is also windier and wetter.

32 Aird Tong, Isle of Lewis

The map opposite has been created using the 1895 series Ordnance Survey 25 inch to the mile map and has been laid over contemporary satellite imagery of the area.

The opacity of the top map has been reduced to enable the current satellite imagery to be visible below the map. 32 Aird Tong has been circled in red.

Map of 32 Aird Tong 1895. Image courtesy of National Library of Scotland.

Birth of Janet “Jessie” Ferguson

The illustration opposite is a copy of the Parish Register for Gress. It is hard to read, but can be transcribed as

“Evander Ferguson and Ann Murray, his spouse, a daughter born [Illegible] Janet”

Birth – Janet Ferguson 1 November 1842, from the Parish Register

Copy of the Marriage Register for 18 January 1866

Marriage

The Certificate opposite is the entry from the Marriage Register for Back Church. Alexander records his occupation as a fisherman, whereas his father records his occupation as a crofter. It is interesting that both he and his wife sign the Register with a cross as their mark, so presumably neither could read or write.

Fishing Industry

The fishing industry in Lewis included deep sea and inshore fishing. Deep sea fishing was with nets or long lines. The nets were used by the drifting method for herring in the right season. The long lines were used for cod, ling and other larger fish. For inshore fishing the main work was done in small open boats using oars or sail. The fish, mainly haddock, were caught by small lines. The small boats were at sea for only a few hours at a time whereas the net fishers were at sea from late afternoon until the following morning.

The crew then sold their catch, cleaned up their ship and set sail again. On Saturday the ship was tied up and locked while the crew went home until Monday morning.

Many of the crofters were also fishermen and it is doubtful if the croft alone could support the family without the additional income from fishing and the very considerable amount of food provided by the in-shore fishing.

From early in the eighteenth century until the Second World War the herring fishing industry grew rapidly, reaching its peak around 1930.

Aerial View of Gress and Back. Image © Google Earth.

Stornoway Harbour

The town of Stornoway grew up around a small but sheltered harbour. The original castle stood where the main pier stands today but it disappeared many years ago.

In 1633 Oliver Cromwell sent a small force to take and hold Stornoway. They took it without opposition but did not stay long. The inhabitants attacked their headquarters after a few months. Although the invaders won the battle they withdrew from the island soon afterwards. They did, however, leave a few reminders of their stay.

The main street of the town is called Cromwell Street today and the main square is Percival Square. Between Stornoway and Sandwick there is a sharp rise in the road which is still called Oliver’s Brae.

Fishing boats in Stornoway Harbour

Fishing boats moored in Stornoway Harbour

The Fishing Boat called “Nothing”

Alexander Thomson of 32 Aird Tong, was a full time herring fisherman from the port of Stornoway. In 1884 he bought a new, larger fishing boat (24 tons and 52 foot keel) and went to register it at the Custom House. He was so excited about his new acquisition that he had not thought of a name. The clerk had taken all the details of the new boat and asked him what name he had given it. Caught unprepared Alexander said hesitatingly “Nothing”.

Before he could stop the clerk, he had entered the name “Nothing” in the register. My great grandfather decided that it was God’s will and left the name to stand. Unfortunately he had forgotten how very superstitious all seafarers are. No self respecting fisherman would dream of trying to earn a livelihood in a ship called the “Nothing”.

After much pressure and persuasion he got enough men together to crew the boat with himself as skipper. When the season ended that year the “Nothing” stood high among the top earners. There was no more difficulty in finding a crew.

Herring Fishing

The herring fishing began in Barra and Mallaig on 10th April and in Stornoway on 10th May. It moved to Wick and Lerwick on 10th June and along the Moray coast on 10th Ju!y and so the fleet moved down the East coast of Scotland and England reaching Lowestoft and Yarmouth in October and November.

My father recalls in his notes that:

“it was on a return visit home from East Anglia that my grandfather, on one occasion, picked up a large windmill and brought it home to Tong. The sails of the windmill were so large that the machinery had to be housed one floor up above ground level. For this reason 32 Aird Tong had a two storey extension added to the west end of the house. That extension is still present today (c1990).

The last time I visited the old home the extension was occupied by a tweed weaver’s loom. It was very noisy but not nearly as noisy as the old windmill had been. Looking back and recalling the noise of the old windmill I often wonder if my grandfather had ever heard of lubricants!”

Sadly, I don’t have a photograph of the windmill, but I would love to see one if anybody has ever seen one.

Quay Stornoway

My great uncle George with whom my father lodged in Glasgow when he was at University.

Elder of the Kirk

The following is an extract from my father’s history. “Alexander Thomson, my grandfather, was also an elder of the Kirk. The village of Tong had no kirk originally but the villagers together built a Meeting House in which the elders, including Alexander, usually took the service.

The nearest clergyman, from Back, occasionally came to take a full service. The services were, of course, in Gaelic. When Alexander took the service he had to lead the singing and this was a serious problem as he had no musical sense whatsoever. The metric psalms were sung by the method known as “presenting” where the leader sang each line followed by the congregation. I have often been told that when my grandfather “presented” the congregation always sang to the tune of St. David – not because his “presenting” was ever recognisable as such but because they all knew it was the only tune he ever attempted.

Some time after he died when I was a pupil in the junior school in Stornoway I decided I would like to join the Junior Choir. The test was brief and decisive. I was refused. The teacher had known my grandfather and his singing ability and commented that I was not as good a singer as my grandfather had been! It took me a few years to realise the great wisdom of her decision.

War Service

The illustration opposite is an extract from the Lewis Roll of Honour. I have highlighted the entry for 32 Aird Tong. Alexander Thomson had served in the South African Defence Force during the Boer War, and also served in the First World War.

Also listed is my grandfather John Thomson, who was lost at sea in the Mediterranean on 22 February 1917, and also my father’s Uncle George who is pictured above.

Uncle George as he was known to me, even though he was a great uncle, lived just round the corner from my grandparents in Glasgow. So we were regular visitors, when we visited my grandparents.

Lewis Roll of Honour

Ancestor Chart

Alexander Thomson & Christina MacInnes

Back, Coll, Crofting, Isle of Lewis, Loch Seaforth, Parks, Scotland, Stornoway, Tong 0

Alexander Thomson and Christina MacInnes

Alexander Thomson

Alexander Thomson was born in the village of Coll on the Isle of Lewis in Scotland in 1813. His parents were James Thomson and Mary MacAuley.

Christina MacInnes

Christina MacInnes, also known as Kirsty, was born in the District of Pairc, in the Parish of Lochs on the Isle of Lewis in Scotland in 1812. She lived to the age of 101 and died in Tong.

Back and Coll

The photograph opposite shows an aerial view of the villages of Back and Coll.

The Villages of Coll and Back

The map opposite has been created using the 1880 series Ordnance Survey 6 inch to the mile map and has been laid over contemporary satellite imagery of the area.

The opacity of the top map has been reduced to enable the current satellite imagery to be visible below the map.

Map of Coll and Back 1888. Image courtesy of National Library of Scotland.

Map of Brollum, Park District of Lewis 1840. Image courtesy of National Library of Scotland.

Brollum, Pairc District, Lewis

Christina MacInnes was born at 2 Brollum, Pairc, Lewis. Her parents were John MacInnes 1775-1862 and Mairi MacLeod 1775-1861. It was cleared in the 1840s and was in ruins by 1854. It seems they moved to Tong in about 1826.

According to Hebridean Connections website, the family were moved to 6 Tong, when the village was cleared.

Angus’ Grandmother

The account opposite, was part of a five page document, and is signed on the last page M.M. 1965. I believe that M.M. was Marion Mary McLeod (formerly Thomson), who emigrated to Canada. Her story is told here. It is clearly written from first hand memory of events. I have transcribed the recollection below:

“Mrs Christina Thomson died at Tong on Saturday 26 April at the advanced age of 101 years. She was born in Parks, Lochs, near the mouth of Loch Seaforth in 1812, and as a girl of 13 moved with her parents to the new crofts formed at Tong, when a portion of the Stornoway Parish Glebe was made into allotments in 1825.

From that year she lived at Tong till her death.

She was possessed of a full and accurate memory and of great clearness and independence of mind, all of which continued quite unimpaired to the last. Until the age of 88 she had unusual vigor of body as well as alertness of mind, and to the end was keenly interested in all modern incidents and inventions brought to her notice.

She was survived by no fewer than 135 descendants, 2 daughters, 58 grandchildren, 75 great grandchildren and 1 great, great, grand child.

The six surviving members of her family range in years from 58 to 72. Of her 58 grandchildren, 19 are resident in Canada. At the time of her death she was probably the oldest inhabitant of the Island of Lewis.”

Hand written recollection of Christina MacInnes (cont. below)

Christina MacInnes Notes – Page 2

The Thomsons of Tong

My father spent his retirement visiting the Record Office in Edinburgh. He meticulously traced the history of his “Thomson” ancestors. I never thought anything of this at the time, but I now realise that he really only ever researched the history of the Thomsons. A bit like he was only interested in following the Y Chromosome.

My objective is the opposite. I want to trace ALL the ancestors of my children and to try to tell the human stories behind them where I can. Sufficient facts and figures to create the context, but the emphasis to lie on stories and anecdotes.

When my father could go back no further than James Thomson. he had a change of plan and decided to fill in by tracing the descendants of James Thomson. This was a massive task, but we shared the idea of creating human interest stories. He traced many Thomsons, who had emigrated to all parts of the globe and wrote to them, inviting them to write to him and tell him about their recollections of emigration; and write to him they did. He was soon creating a collection of anecdotes, first hand accounts of leaving Lewis.

Typical Croft, Isle of Lewis

Crofting

Outside the town of Stornoway life in the rural areas was dependent on the crofting system. Each croft was an area of land approximately 6-7 acres or 2.5 hectares,. The crofts were close together in village communities. Although the crofter did not own the land he had absolute security of tenure following the Crofters Act of 1885. He could sell the croft or will it to whomsoever he wished. But in selling the croft he could only charge the value of improvements effected during his tenure. He was usually succeeded by a member of his family.

The croft could support only one family. As a family grew to adulthood all but one had to find a livelihood elsewhere. This drove many men and women to emigrate to distant lands such as the US, Canada, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand and to some European, countries. Between 1922 and 1929 three ocean liners left Stornoway with many emigrants to the US and Canada. The last ship which left in 1929 discharged its human cargo in the US and Canada as the great financial crash of 1929 took place.

Gathering Peat for Fuel

Each crofter had the right to graze two cows on the common grazing land round the village and to have a flock of sheep on the moorland some miles away. In the summer the common grazing was closed for six weeks in June and July. During these six weeks the cows had to be grazed on the croft or taken to the moor some distance away. On the moor each family had a very small bothie or shieling usually beside a quiet, secluded loch. These shielings were often in village groups. Each shieling was made of stone and earth roofed over by a large tarpaulin. As life was largely in the open air the shieling was just big enough to hold a bed, two chairs and a fireplace.

Fortunately in June and July the weather was always friendly. The shieling was usually occupied by grandmother and one or two grandchildren to act as cowherds. The cows were allowed to roam during the day and had, therefore, to be kept under observation. Life in the open air in June and July was warm and idyllic. It is not surprising that the shieling appears frequently in Gaelic song and poetry.

Crofter carrying peat basket

Ancestor Chart