成人快手

Explore the 成人快手
This page has been archived and is no longer updated. Find out more about page archiving.

16 October 2014

Arnish Lighthouse


成人快手 成人快手page
Scotland
Island Blogging
Western Isles

Baleshare
Barra
Benbecula
Bernera
Berneray
Canna
Eigg
Eriskay
Grimsay
Harris
Lewis
Muck
North Uist
Raasay
Rum
Scalpay
Skye
Soay
South Uist
Vatersay

Argyll & Clyde Islands
Northern Isles

Contribute
House Rules

From the 成人快手
I.B.H.Q.

Contact Us

Genealogy

Ruin of Blackhouse at Borrowston, Carloway
Last spring, I visited the Seallam! (exclamation mark part of name) Centre at Northton, 50 miles south of Stornoway in South Harris. This is the place where Bill Lawson set up a centre for genealogy in the Western Isles. There is a definite market for this; in the centre hangs a world map which shows all the places in the world from where people have launched a query with Seallam! It includes unlikely spots such as Papua New Guinea. Here in Lewis, there is a strong seafaring tradition, and there is a saying that when a Lewisman goes ashore in any port in the world, he is likely to encounter a fellow islander.
As I've pointed out in previous posts, thousands of people have left Lewis over the centuries. Voluntarily, but more often than not, under duress. My list of deserted villages in Eishken, so beautifully pictured in Molinginish's blog, stands testimony to this. It does mean that there is a large pool of people in America, Australia and many other spots in the world, whose ancestors come from Lewis. In the summer of 2005, I encountered an Australian who happened to be in Ullapool and saw the Isle of Lewis ferry berthed. On the spur of the moment, he decided to jump on board and have a look in Stornoway. It turned out that he still had relatives in the island, who immediately came round and took him all over the place to meet a very elderly relative. Others come to the islands specifically to research their roots - by the dozen. Stornoway library is usually buzzing with people on that type of quest.
On one of the Internet message boards concerning the Hebrides is a specific page for genealogy queries. There is a on the Rootshebrides website which gives very useful information for conducting this type of research. This does not just apply to the Hebrides (Islay to Lewis), but would also be useful for Orkney and Shetland queries.

If anyone has supplementary information, please leave comments.
Posted on Arnish Lighthouse at 13:08

Comments

You're certainly right about the interest in family history Arnish. Several enterprising ex-pats have sussed that my Aunty (name & address withheld) will provide a fine free afternoon tea for any visitors claiming family connections. Locals be warned! Ask to see the evidence before putting the kettle on and putting the crowide on the scones! Check the Scotlands People website before you let them through the door. It's at www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/ and has a lot of reliable information about family history. The Comunn Eachdraidh Nis at Habost is also well worth a visit for croft histories, etc.

Annie Beag from Lone Sheiling


Just look at the picture. It's exactly what Annie Beag and myself have been saying all along about the Westsiders. Look at the old house with its double garage? All fur coat and nae knickers!!

desmond morris from Knackered Planet Cottage Plasterfield




This blog is now closed and we are no longer accepting new posts.



About the 成人快手 | Help | Terms of Use | Privacy & Cookies Policy