HIGHLAND CLEARANCES AFFECTED THE MCNEILS ON MULL

WHY DID LACHLAN AND MARY MCNEIL LEAVE MULL AROUND 1835?

In order to try to answer this question, I've turned to a number of sources, first and foremost being Jo Currie's book, "Mull, The Island and Its People," 2000 (page 230):

“In 1826 a parliamentary report on emigration produced ‘sensational evidence as to Highland conditions’ which disturbed all right-thinking people in the Lowlands.₁ (Adams, Margaret I. “Eighteenth-century Highland landlords and the poverty problem’ in SHR 19, 75, 1922, And PP IV, 1826-27.”  In the same year large-scale evictions from the neighbouring island of Rum were instigated by a mere tenant, Lachlan Maclean of Gallanach, who had purchased Arivelchyne, Ardrioch and Duchorin in Mull, people began to feel uneasy.  Up till now the Mull clergy, obsessed by the ruinous condition of their buildings, had expressed no political views on social issues such as eviction, and at this point it is safe to say that no clearances had taken place in Mull in the manner of the Rum exercise.  People had been warned, and sent away on most of the estates, for non-payment of rents, unpaid arrears, or non-fulfilment of leases, and in many cases dependent cottars had had to leave as a result of the eviction of members of the class immediately above them….

“The clearance of Rum had indeed been a bad omen.  Within a few years, the farm of Frachadil on the estate of Mornish, once a stronghold of Campbell tacksmen, was, as a result of the intensified threats of litigation from the clergy, being prepared for the accommodation of the minister of Kilninian, Dr. MacArthur.  It was unfortunate that the long sought for and rightful accommodation of the minister should be associated with clearances, but the cottars of Inivea and other townships within the bounds of Frachadil were, to use the ugly word now coming into being, ‘supernumary’.  The heritor in question, Hugh MacAskill, ‘Eachann Mor’, was an outsider who lived in Skye.  In issuing precepts of removal, he was not concerned about the fate of these cottars.  In the event it seems that most of the six families served with precepts were accommodated within the parish, and that Dr. MacArthur (whose epitaphy gives him a good name) may have helped them.  The names peculiar to the township of Inivea, Gillies, McIlphadrag and MacArthur, did not immediately disappear from the parish.”

Here's a map of Mull showing Calgary, the area where Inievay and Caillach were.

A description of Inivea, found on the Mull Historical Society's website, is useful in placing Inivea within the area of Frachadil farm.

            

“Inivea Township, overlooking Calgary Bay, is situated on the north side of the bay in an exposed position on the lower slopes of Cruach Sleibhe at a height of about 75 m above sea-level.  It can be accessed by a steep path going up from the pier.  This is a stunning short walk, but Inivea now seems to be the home of the local Highland Cattle, so please leave your dog at home!  There are over 20 ruins, dating from the 18th or early 19th centuries, and many of the houses are well preserved.  There is evidence of rig-cultivation, a corn drying kiln and a winnowing barn…

“The main area of arable cultivation appears to have been a broad shelf lying immediately above the township and extending about 500 m eastwards.  Here there are obvious traces of rig-cultivation, together with what appear to be the remains of a corn-drying kiln.

“The existence of a farm or township at ‘Inue’ is recorded on Pont’s late-16th-century map.  At that time it was part of the MacLean of Duart estates and in about 1670 the lands of ‘Imvie’ paid a rental of £80 Scots. Thereafter, it passed to the Campbells of Argyll, and in 1739 the 2nd Duke of Argyll granted a nineteen-year lease of ‘all and haill the one pennyland of Inive’ to four sitting tenants at an annual rent of £93 6s 8d Scots.  By the last quarter of the 18th century the township seems to have been incorporated in the neighbouring farm of Frachadil.  It is not mentioned by name in the census of the Argyll estates made in 1779 or on Langland’s map of 1801.  In 1817 the property came into the hands of Captain Allan McAskill of Mornish and local tradition says that he evicted the inhabitants of the township.”

http://www.mull-historical-society.co.uk/daily-life/habitations-ruins/inivea/

These various sources point to clearances underway in the area of Inievay around the time that Lachlan and Mary left with their 5 children, headed to the island of Tiree.

Lachlan and Mary McNeill (m.s. McLean) up to 1851 on Tiree, Scotland

LACHLAN and MARY McNEILL (m.s. McLEAN) - Part 2 - up to 1851

It's highly possible Lachlan and Mary, with 5 children in tow, left Mull due to clearances caused by a chief or landlord switching to sheep-grazing on the  land as it brought in a higher amount of remuneration.

Once on Tiree, circa 1835, in Moss/Hough, Lachlan and Mary had five (5) more children, to add to the 5 born on Mull:

Alexander - January 5, 1836
Donald & Julia (twins) - May 28, 1838
Marion - November 12, 1841
and
Ann - January 11, 1844

In the space of 21 years, Mary gave birth to 10 children.

At the time of the 1841 census, Lachlan, Mary and the family of 8 children were living at Hough, where Lachlan is listed as an agricultural labourer.

source of map:  https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=map+of+tiree&view=detailv2&&id=50E2066FAA7FDB51E244990D34F06A051AC73A12&selectedIndex=0&ccid=EYxOO2fc&simid=608001820594605598&thid=OIP.M118c4e3b67dcad9212aeda65e8d97479H0&ajaxhist=0


source of map:  https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=map+of+tiree&view=detailv2&&id=50E2066FAA7FDB51E244990D34F06A051AC73A12&selectedIndex=0&ccid=EYxOO2fc&simid=608001820594605598&thid=OIP.M118c4e3b67dcad9212aeda65e8d97479H0&ajaxhist=0

Moss is on the western side of Tiree, at an inland location east of Sandaig, north of Barrapol, and south of Cornaigbeg.

By 1846, the Highland Potato Famine had started, which greatly impacted a resource the people had come to rely on heavily.  This may explain why the children are listed as paupers in the 1851 census, now that the father, Lachlan, has passed away.

1851 Census:

Mary was a widow by the time of the census, with 7 of her children living with her.

As the 1851 census was done on March 30th, we can at this point only narrow Lachlan's death to somewhere between mid-1843 and March 1851.  Did he die as a direct or indirect result of the potato famine?  We may possibly never know, although it appears that all of Lachlan's children survived to adulthood.  So perhaps there was another cause.

Oldest son, Neil, is living at home with his widowed mother, Mary, and is listed as an "agricultural labourer."  It's not clear what is the nature of Neil's work so perhaps future research will show me what crops were being grown around Moss/Hough, Tiree, at this time.

Also living with Mary are Catherine and Alexander, 14 and 12 respectively, while Donald, 10, is listed as a pauper scholar.  His twin, Julia, as well as the younger two sisters, Marion and Ann, are listed as "paupers."

First child, daughter Janet, is not listed with the family in the census, nor are daughters Flora and Mary.

Flora married Archibald McArthur on Tyree, in Sandaig, on June 19, 1850 and are living there at the time of the census.  Living with them at that time is Flora's sister, Mary.

Janet married a Neil Campbell McNeil on March 13, 1853 in Govan.  I have been unable to find Janet in the 1851 census.

It's interesting to note there were a total of 689 households at the time of the 1851 census, with an average of 5.4 persons per household. (source:http://www.keithdash.net/History/Billy/AppendixG.pdf
There was a total of 28 households and 148 persons living in Moss at the time.  (source:  http://www.keithdash.net/History/Billy/AppendixJ.pdf)

What happened to Lachlan?

A search in ScotlandsPeople comes up with only one old Parish Register death of a Lachlan McNeill (searched for by forename and surname variants) between January 1, 1841 and December 31, 1851. That Lachlan McNeill died on Gigha on April 4, 1841.  Since the census of 1841 was done on June 6, 1841, this is not our Lachlan McNeill as he would have still been alive at least until at least prior to daughter Ann's birth in January 1844.

It is therefore not known at this time when Lachlan McNeill died but I imagine he died on Tyree between late 1843 and March 1851.

A GENEALOGY STUDY OF LACHLAN MCNEILL FROM MULL TO TIREE

LACHLAN MCNEILL was born on the Isle of Mull, Scotland, circa 1795.  He is listed as being born in Cailloch, Mull.  There is a Caliach Point on the map provided below, which I believe may be the same area. Caliach Point is in the area of Calgary Bay. 

"Calgary is located on the north west of Mull about 5 miles beyond Dervaig and 12 miles from the island’s capital Tobermory. It is framed by low hills, partly wooded and is the location of a shimmering white shell sand beach and craggy headlands – home to a rich variety of birdlife and the haunting ruins of stone forts and abandoned villages.

The name Calgary comes from the Gaelic, Cala Ghearraidh, meaning Beach of the Meadow.

Calgary – A brief history

The main settlement was once at Inivea, above Calgary Pier, which became uninhabited in the early 1800’s during the Highland Clearances. Unfortunately the unscrupulous laird thought he could earn more money by grazing sheep on the land. The settlement of today is scattered around the vicinity of the Calgary Farmhouse and Hotel."

Source:  http://www.isle-of-mull.net/attractions/scenic-attractions/calgary-bay/

Lachlan married Mary McLean of Mull.  It is thought that she was born in Inieva circa 1798 or 1799.  

source for map:  https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=map+of+mull&view=detailv2&&id=F5A298C24D09A8D1900884A9BB05D88340B46478&selectedIndex=0&ccid=HMVsEBuQ&simid=607998092550472376&thid=OIP.M1cc56c101b90c283ae9c8707f99a00edo0&ajaxhist=0

Lachlan and Mary were married on October 15, 1822, at Kilninian and Kilmore, Mull.  Their first five (5) children were also born on Mull (Janet-1823, Flora-1825, Neil-1829, Mary-1831, Catherine-1834).  Pure speculation but there may have been another child between Flora and Neil due to the 4 year gap between their births.

At the ages of 40 and 37, with children ages 12, 10, 6, 4, and 1, the family moved from Mull to Tyree, another inner Hebridean island.  They possibly went from one island to the other using a ferry between Mull and Coll and then some form of private boat hired to get them from Coll to Mull.  

Here's some information I've come across about getting to Tiree in the late 18th and early 19th centuries:

"Ferries

In 1792 Scarinish was recoded as having a harbour in need of considerable improvements. At that time there was a regular ferry boat sailing between Coll and Tiree, and between Coll and Mull, "but there is no stated ferry between Tiree and Mull, although there is a great need."

Even by 1845 it was reported that there has been no ferry to Tiree for some years. “Our means of communication are accordingly extremely irregular and uncertain, depending on any casual conveyance that may occur."

Source:  http://www.isleoftiree.com/about-tiree/the-sea/

The 6th child born to Lachlan and Mary was Alexander who was born January 5, 1836, on the Island of Tyree, so Lachlan and Mary were likely on Tyree by 1835.  Daughter Catherine was born circa 1834 on Mull so this narrows the movement from Mull to Tyree to the period of 1834 to 1835.

Lachlan and Mary were living at Moss, Tyree by the time of the 1841 census.  Lachlan was listed as a cottar in that census.  

A cottar is a farm worker who, in return for a cottage, gives labor at a fixed rate when required.

[From Middle English coter, from Old French coter, cotier; akin to Medieval Latin cotarius : Medieval Latin cota, cottage (of Germanic origin and akin to Old English cot, cottage) + Latin -arius, adj. and n. suff.]


Source: American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

If one tries to imagine the type of dwelling in which they lived one could refer to various sources.  I've turned to http://www.isleoftiree.com/about-tiree/the-land/ :

"The traditional house is built from partly dressed stones laid without mortar in a double wall. Between the two skins is a layer of sand. Walls are commonly six feet thick with deep inset windows and one doorway. The roof trusses are set onto the inside wall and water runs off the roof and down between the two layers of stone.

The usual material for thatching is muran (grass) which grows on the beach dunes. The muran is laid on loose, and new thatch applied over the old every two years. Traditionally it was held down with an elaborate design of rope held down with stone weights. Chicken wire or fishing nets are now used instead.

Grass or flowers, and occasionally even rhubarb, grew on the tobhta(the wide wall head) and in the summer the dog would lie there. If the dog was absent sheep, and occasionally cattle, would climb up to graze."

More about Lachlan, Mary and their family in future blogs.