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July 30 2010
Niall Iain gus iomradh o New York gu Steòrnabhagh
Preasantair rèidio Gàidhealach gus iomradh na aonar bho New York gu Steòrnabhagh.
Donald Kerr in the Canadian Expeditionary Force
Until this morning I was unaware of any of my relatives having participated in 'The Great War', as WWI once used to be called. A communication arrived alerting me to to this entry which proved a double surprise.
Firstly, because of it being a cousin of mine and, secondly, because I also wasn't aware that he had emigrated to Canada! I immediately checked on Ancestry.co.uk and there, in the Canadian records that I had no previous reason to search with regard to Donald, was the original 'Attestation Paper', presumably completed, or at least signed, in his own hand. The Regimental Number is shown as 197, but I am ignorant as to whether that is his personal Service Number or just a record that he was the 197th volunteer? A 'Sapper', of course, is a military engineer and when one thinks of the trenches of WWI and the quantity of woodwork utilised in their construction it is obvious why a Carpenter would be directed into such service.
I knew that he was born on the 7th of April 1884 but didn't know that he was a Carpenter, nor that he had served for 3 months with the 'Rossshire Artillery Stornoway', the Artillery Reserve whose training ground gave 'Battery Point' in the town its name.
When Donald signed the document on the 20th of March 1915 he was in Winnipeg, Manitoba. According to the entry in Lewismen in Canadian service his last address in Stornoway had been 64 Keith Street. In 1901 the 17 year-old Scholar was in Mackae's Buildings, Plantation St, Stornoway and before that, in 1891, at 13 Church Street, Stornoway.
Donald was the eldest child of Alexander John Kerr and Margaret Macarthur and his cousin Alex Macarthur fell at the Battle of Jutland in 1916. Donald, as far as I am aware, died in Stornoway in 1935 at the age of 51 which is one reason why I never suspected that he had ever left Lewis, let-alone served with the Canadians during World War I.
Some 15 years after Donald signed that Attestation Paper in Winnipeg, his cousin John's daughter (my Aunt) emigrated to Canada. She and her husband left Aberdeen for him to take-up a post as Assistant Professor of Chemistry at one of the Universities in that vast country. As it happens, it was the University of Manitoba, in Winnipeg...
Firstly, because of it being a cousin of mine and, secondly, because I also wasn't aware that he had emigrated to Canada! I immediately checked on Ancestry.co.uk and there, in the Canadian records that I had no previous reason to search with regard to Donald, was the original 'Attestation Paper', presumably completed, or at least signed, in his own hand. The Regimental Number is shown as 197, but I am ignorant as to whether that is his personal Service Number or just a record that he was the 197th volunteer? A 'Sapper', of course, is a military engineer and when one thinks of the trenches of WWI and the quantity of woodwork utilised in their construction it is obvious why a Carpenter would be directed into such service.
I knew that he was born on the 7th of April 1884 but didn't know that he was a Carpenter, nor that he had served for 3 months with the 'Rossshire Artillery Stornoway', the Artillery Reserve whose training ground gave 'Battery Point' in the town its name.
When Donald signed the document on the 20th of March 1915 he was in Winnipeg, Manitoba. According to the entry in Lewismen in Canadian service his last address in Stornoway had been 64 Keith Street. In 1901 the 17 year-old Scholar was in Mackae's Buildings, Plantation St, Stornoway and before that, in 1891, at 13 Church Street, Stornoway.
Donald was the eldest child of Alexander John Kerr and Margaret Macarthur and his cousin Alex Macarthur fell at the Battle of Jutland in 1916. Donald, as far as I am aware, died in Stornoway in 1935 at the age of 51 which is one reason why I never suspected that he had ever left Lewis, let-alone served with the Canadians during World War I.
Some 15 years after Donald signed that Attestation Paper in Winnipeg, his cousin John's daughter (my Aunt) emigrated to Canada. She and her husband left Aberdeen for him to take-up a post as Assistant Professor of Chemistry at one of the Universities in that vast country. As it happens, it was the University of Manitoba, in Winnipeg...
MV Clansman back on today
REPAIRS to the MV Clansman are now complete and she has arrived in Oban today (Friday).
Urras a' dol às àicheadh cnap-starra
Uachdaran coimhearsnachd ag ràdh nach eil iad a' dol sa rathad air pròiseactan gaoithe coimhearsnachd.
Ceistean mu spreadhaidhean Inbhir Nis
Ceistean mu mar a chaidh uidheamachd spreadhaidh fhàgail faisg air dachannan sa Mharc Innis.
July 29 2010
Job security
Apropos my last post, this week has seen a huge number of staff related issues coming into our office for advice and support.
My good lady wife has a specialism in HR issues and this week has seen a surprising number of disciplinaries, Industrial Tribunals and requests from employers to help staff exist their current employments.
Employers are definitely taking a harder view and are less prepared to accept lower standards from staff; and that is what staff are going to have to lift themselves up to.
Direct feedback from other larger employers is that any downsizing is going to be by directly identifying those staff who can/need to/must go and I expect the private sector to see cuts at least equal to the cuts in the public sector. The 200 jobs that go in the council will easily be matched by 1 or 2 from a lot of small employers across every sector.
It is going to be rough....
My good lady wife has a specialism in HR issues and this week has seen a surprising number of disciplinaries, Industrial Tribunals and requests from employers to help staff exist their current employments.
Employers are definitely taking a harder view and are less prepared to accept lower standards from staff; and that is what staff are going to have to lift themselves up to.
Direct feedback from other larger employers is that any downsizing is going to be by directly identifying those staff who can/need to/must go and I expect the private sector to see cuts at least equal to the cuts in the public sector. The 200 jobs that go in the council will easily be matched by 1 or 2 from a lot of small employers across every sector.
It is going to be rough....
Lewis Mural, Stornoway
This mural in Stornoway is a familiar landmark in the town.
The story of the work and of the artist, Iain Brady, who created it can be read in this PDF document .
Iain Brady's site, with images of many of his works, is here .
60,000 public sector job cuts expected
What is the surprise?
It is expected that 6-10% of all jobs in the public sector will go in the next few years.
Yes, and.....?
There is going to be pain everywhere, and it is going to be shared around indiscriminately.
Accept that, live with it, and make the best of what the future brings you.
That might be harsh, but before the Unions scream about the pain, they need to remember that these self same Unions funded the Labour Party who sold, mortgaged, borrowed over, resold, bought back for an overpriced amount, and then resold at a loss all the family silver.
The Unions supported the binge; now they must suffer the aftermath.
If you face up to this you can manage the impact. Or you can stick you head where the sun don't shine and complain vociferously, but pointlessly.
It is expected that 6-10% of all jobs in the public sector will go in the next few years.
Yes, and.....?
There is going to be pain everywhere, and it is going to be shared around indiscriminately.
Accept that, live with it, and make the best of what the future brings you.
That might be harsh, but before the Unions scream about the pain, they need to remember that these self same Unions funded the Labour Party who sold, mortgaged, borrowed over, resold, bought back for an overpriced amount, and then resold at a loss all the family silver.
The Unions supported the binge; now they must suffer the aftermath.
If you face up to this you can manage the impact. Or you can stick you head where the sun don't shine and complain vociferously, but pointlessly.
No ferry travel from Stornoway
Island car drivers hoping to travel to the mainland this bank holiday weekend will be disappointed following the news that the car spaces are fully booked on the Stornoway to Ullapool and the Tarbert to Skye routes until Monday. “Due to the demand” Caledonian MacBrayne...
Harris Tweed cycle charity challenge
The latest fundraising challenge to hit the Western Isles will see a Harris Tweed fan dressed in the Clo Mhor cycle from East Sussex to Stornoway. Kelvin Pawsey said his ride, which will involve a ferry crossing from Skye, will raise funds for the Harris...
"tolsta peats"...
...was the Address recorded for 62 people from 11 families on the the night of 31st March/ 1st April 1901.
This small group from Tolsta in the Parish of Stornoway on the Isle of Lewis represent about 9% of the settlement's population. They ranged in age from 63-year-old George Macelod down to the 3-month-olds Christina Macelod and Donald Macleod.
I presume this group were engaged on an extended excursion of communal peat-cutting and, if this proves correct, they are uniquely recorded in the census records whilst doing so.
The North Tolsta Historical Society has a site that includes these quickfacts .
This small group from Tolsta in the Parish of Stornoway on the Isle of Lewis represent about 9% of the settlement's population. They ranged in age from 63-year-old George Macelod down to the 3-month-olds Christina Macelod and Donald Macleod.
I presume this group were engaged on an extended excursion of communal peat-cutting and, if this proves correct, they are uniquely recorded in the census records whilst doing so.
The North Tolsta Historical Society has a site that includes these quickfacts .
SS Oronsay in 1901
This Glasgow-registered ship (ON 111292) was 'Off Sunk Lightship, River Thames' on the night of the census. 49 year-old Captain Alexander Ellis from Kincardine, Fife and his crew were engaged upon 'Foreign Trade' and this Western Steam Ship Company vessel's presence is mentioned here .
One member of that crew was 26 year-old George Mackinnon from Harris. He was the son of Mary, a Webmaker (Tweed), of 3 Leachin, perhaps a mile along the road out of West Tarbert towards Lewis.
View along West Loch Tarbert from Leachin
There are two later 'Oronsay' ships listed here and the fact that the earlier of these two was built in 1925 leads me to wonder if the 1900-built one had already been lost? I can find no record of the Western Steam Ship Company, either.
One member of that crew was 26 year-old George Mackinnon from Harris. He was the son of Mary, a Webmaker (Tweed), of 3 Leachin, perhaps a mile along the road out of West Tarbert towards Lewis.
View along West Loch Tarbert from Leachin
There are two later 'Oronsay' ships listed here and the fact that the earlier of these two was built in 1925 leads me to wonder if the 1900-built one had already been lost? I can find no record of the Western Steam Ship Company, either.
100 days and waiting for council response to complaint
CAMPAIGNERS intent on saving Stornoway Town Hall from radical redesign have waited over 100 days for a response from the Comhairle following an official complaint – despite th
Arts Centre could feel the pinch
THERE could be tough times ahead for An Lanntair Arts Centre if the Scottish Government's new quango Creative Scotland cuts their grant budget.
1,000 taigh-comhairle ùr san amharc
Comhairle na Gàidhealtachd gus beachdachadh air 1,000 taigh-comhairle ùr a thogail fo sgeama phìleat.
Mckinnons of Harris in Walsall
One of the rare instances I can find of Hearachs living in England and identifying the Isle of Harris as their place of birth are the four Mckinnon brothers in 1891. Headed by Draper John (29) are Draper's Assistants Alex (23), Donald (21) and Norman (22) plus their Dumfriess-shire born Housekeeper, Jessie Haining (27) of 51 Lower Hall Lane, Walsall, Staffordshire.
The best-fit I can see from 1881 is the family of Malcolm Mckinnon, Carpenter of Boats, in South Harris ED3.
His sons are John (20), Alexander (13), Donald (11) and Norman (4). He and his wife, Mary, have three further sons and a daughter but it is these four who I believe became the Drapers in England a decade later.
I think that by 1901 the brothers had gone their separate ways and a Draper, John Mckinnon (38) from Harris is found at 13 Princes Street, Glasgow with his wife and infant son. With them is John's brother, Peter (23), who is now a Draper's Assistant but who back in 1881 was the youngest of the eight Mckinnon children in the family of the Boat Carpenter on Harris.
Note: I believe the other three brothers remained in England but that's for another day...
The best-fit I can see from 1881 is the family of Malcolm Mckinnon, Carpenter of Boats, in South Harris ED3.
His sons are John (20), Alexander (13), Donald (11) and Norman (4). He and his wife, Mary, have three further sons and a daughter but it is these four who I believe became the Drapers in England a decade later.
I think that by 1901 the brothers had gone their separate ways and a Draper, John Mckinnon (38) from Harris is found at 13 Princes Street, Glasgow with his wife and infant son. With them is John's brother, Peter (23), who is now a Draper's Assistant but who back in 1881 was the youngest of the eight Mckinnon children in the family of the Boat Carpenter on Harris.
Note: I believe the other three brothers remained in England but that's for another day...
Urras airson seirbheisean cultair air a' Ghàidhealtachd
Dh'fhaodadh gun ruith urras seirbheisean cultair is cur-seachadan Comhairle na Gàidhealtachd.
July 28 2010
Rural schools
With the consultation over large number of schools in the Western Isles, I have been asked by a number of parents just how they should fight the proposed closures.
I must say that I was brutally realistic with them about their options, and possible opportunities, given how the strategy is going to pan out. All other things being equal.
The news that the Government has approved the closure of an Ayrshire rural primary school seems to fly in the face of the all the promises the SNP made at the last election.
The Herald headline was shockingly scaremongering:
Assuming (and this a fairly big assumption) that the Comhairle consultation has been properly conducted, then the schools will close and the overall educational strategy will proceed.
Such is realpolitik, where educational aspirations collide with educational constraints, and are battered by financial constraints.
Painful as this may be, I think that the Government are correct; as are the Comhairle in their plans; albeit that both have found themselves in the right place for some of the wrong reasons.
Educational provision in the islands will change dramatically - it is going to have to change dramatically - and electoral promises are going to be cast aside. The fallout locally and nationally will take some time to be determined.
I must say that I was brutally realistic with them about their options, and possible opportunities, given how the strategy is going to pan out. All other things being equal.
The news that the Government has approved the closure of an Ayrshire rural primary school seems to fly in the face of the all the promises the SNP made at the last election.
The Herald headline was shockingly scaremongering:
Nats pave the way for cull on rural schoolsBut the previous claims by the MSP that no primary schools would close is as false as the claims by Calum MacDonald and Alasdair Morrison that communities would have a right of veto over wind farm applications.
Assuming (and this a fairly big assumption) that the Comhairle consultation has been properly conducted, then the schools will close and the overall educational strategy will proceed.
Such is realpolitik, where educational aspirations collide with educational constraints, and are battered by financial constraints.
Painful as this may be, I think that the Government are correct; as are the Comhairle in their plans; albeit that both have found themselves in the right place for some of the wrong reasons.
Educational provision in the islands will change dramatically - it is going to have to change dramatically - and electoral promises are going to be cast aside. The fallout locally and nationally will take some time to be determined.
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