The recent sale of a family croft on the Isle of Lewis has become a poignant focal point for intergenerational reflection, weaving together personal memory with the broader historical and social transformations of the island. The property, which includes a modern house built by the author's grandfather and a traditional blackhouse, holds deep roots stretching back to 1851.
The Laird's Shadow and Early Settlers
In 1851, Catriona, an ancestor of the author, was settling into a new township on Lewis. Her life, already demanding with eight children, was impacted by the presence of Sir James Matheson, who had purchased the island years earlier and was engaged in modernizing its infrastructure. The arrival of Lady Matheson, who offered Catriona fabric for a new dress, highlights the social dynamics of the time, with communication barriers between the landowner's wife and the Gaelic-speaking crofter.
Descendants and Shifting Fortunes
The narrative traces descendants through significant life events and customs. Donald, Catriona's son, experienced a vivid dream that led him to his future wife. Decades later, his sister Ciorstag made a considerable journey to Shawbost to learn a new psalmody tune, demonstrating the importance of community and musical tradition.
Murdo ‘Murdaig’ MacLean, born in 1891, inherited the croft. He initially desired to emigrate to America after wartime service but was deterred by his fiancée's reluctance to leave Lewis. This decision led him to invest his savings in a bus, establishing a lucrative business and eventually building a new house in 1932, a vital step for securing a loan. His life was marked by religious devotion, serving as a Free Church deacon, and his family's strong ties to the ministry.
A Changing Landscape
As a child in the early 1970s, the author recalls sharing the house with grandparents, a time when some villagers still inhabited traditional blackhouses. The croft, with its mix of old and new, represented a life of routine, family worship, and specific tastes, such as Fowler's treacle with porridge. The introduction of amenities like running water and electricity in the 1950s marked further modernization, though not without the skepticism of some older residents.
Murdo MacLean maintained the thatched byre-end of the original home until his death in 1974. Following his passing, and his wife Mary's death in 1984, the blackhouse was demolished, signifying a tangible end to an era. The author's memories of childhood summers spent at the croft, reading amidst the natural beauty of the island, contrast with the later events of his grandfather's fatigue and passing, and the subsequent demolition of the ancestral home.
The sale of the property, described as being at a price beyond most local wages, evokes a sense of loss for the author – the departure of a physical space, cherished childhood memories, and the tangible connection to his forebears. The narrative underscores how family homes become repositories of history, personal identity, and the evolving narrative of a community.