The Population of the Isle of Rum between 1841 and 1891 by Alexander Gordon Wood first published in KCFA Newsletter No 11 December 2000

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1 The Population of the Isle of Rum between 1841 and 1891 by Alexander Gordon Wood first published in KCFA Newsletter No 11 December 2000 In order to access this information I had to spend a day at Registry House in Edinburgh. The only Scottish Census Returns currently available in the internet are those for I have accessed and 1891 at Registry House will not be available, because of the 100 year rule, until after March 2001, when I will access 1881 and compare it with In this current article I have focused mainly on the 1851 Return. I shall look at 1861 onwards in a future article. What stands out is the amount of young people on the island and the fact that most of them under 16 were attending school. This would have been unusual in England at the time, until the Education Act of By 1851, the number of native Rum islanders are now in the minority. In 1821 the position must have been very different with most families having been there for many generations. In theory Census Returns started in Great Britain from 1801 but those until 1841 were partial, inaccurate and, in any case, mainly destroyed in a fire. This is a pity because the 1821 Census would have been particularly interesting. This would have shown the Rum population at its height, just before the enforced migrations later that decade. Presumably it would also show sizeable settlements at Harris and Kilmory. The Census Returns that I accessed all showed the main population centre as Kinloch, including the now deserted village situated on the Loch Scresort Nature Trail. However, throughout the period there was at least one family at each of the following: Kilmory, Harris, Papadil and Guirdil. This was before the time when Sir George Bullough created the roads to Kinloch and Harris and communication must have been by pony over rough tracks or by sea. It would seem reasonable to suppose that each remote settlement would have had a rowing boat. The 1841 Census Return was rather difficult to decipher on microfilm as the ink was faded. At one time it used to be possible to see the originals but this is no longer allowed. There is a preface to this return written by what appears to be a clergyman. It opens: No emigration from this island for the last six years. There is an increase of population here since the Census of 1831 occasioned by some families having come here some years ago from (indecipherable) Isle of Skye to Rum (indecipherable) rest of the inhabitants remaining to America' The population in 1831 would have been at its lowest since prehistory and Rum must have looked as deserted as it does today. The houses would have been still standing in many cases, although it is possible that Maclean of Coll may have followed the common practice of Clearance times by removing roofs and thus rendering dwellings uninhabitable. It quickly became clear that staff was needed to deal with several thousand head of sheep. A controlled immigration then occurred over the next 20 odd years. Many of the people listed in list their place of birth as Bracadale in Skye, but there are other places listed including Ardnamurchan, Mull, Eigg, Canna, Coll and even England. There are also a few native born Rum islanders, but they are very much in a minority. The 1841 Census Return lists John Matheson aged 50 at "Portnacaranan" as a Crofter with his wife Mary aged 50 and four children aged between 7 and 20. Also at the same location are Norman Macdonald aged 50, Crofter, wife Anne and five children, as well as Donald Matheson aged 50, Crofter his wife Christy aged 50 and 3 children and John

2 Gillies aged 37 and his wife Flora. Kilmory has two families of shepherds called Chisholm and Lauder. Papadil has a shepherd and family called McKinnon, including 18 year old Mary McKinnon. Guirdill has Duncan Livingstone aged 30, his wife Anne and William McRae aged 23. The total population for 1841 appears to have been 69 males and 55 females totalling 114. The information is sketchy as it does not supply places of birth onwards supplies this as well as occupations of all inhabitants including 'scholars'; 1861 onwards also supplies the number of rooms with one or more windows in each dwelling. By 1891 the records are very exact and even include a listing for each inhabitant of Gaelic only speakers and English and Gaelic speakers. The 1851 Census Return splits the island into sections. The principal section is 'Kinloch and Portnacaranan'. There are 20 householders and 18 inhabited houses. The population is 74 males and 59 females, totalling 133. It is listed as 'One mile in length and 1/4 mile in Breadth'. By 1861 the population was 74, and by 1871 it was 81. By1891 the total population was 53. The households appear to be listed in terms of social status. I will detail these and summarise the rest. Household one: The first entry is for Alexander McKenzie, aged 45, in Kinloch 'Manager of Isle of Rum', born Midlothian. His wife Sarah aged 45, daughter Elizabeth aged 21 and nephew aged 14 are all listed as born in England. This household also includes Flora Livingstone aged 26, House Servant born Argyle, Catherine McDonald aged 40, Dairymaid born Glasgow and Catherine McLean aged 45, visitor, born Inverness. Although the 1851 Census Return is not specific it is safe to assume that they were living in the Kinloch House. They are listed as living in a 15 roomed house in Household two is that of Hector Campbell aged 29, Head Shepherd at Rum born Bracadale, Skye. This household also includes Euphemia McRae, aged 24, Servant- Housekeeper, born Bracadale, Skye, and five visiting Agricultural Labourers all born at Bracadale, Skye. Household three is that of Allan McLean aged 29, Carpenter, born in the 'Small Isles', his wife Janet aged 27 born Inverness, baby of 7 months Malcolm born 'Small Isles'. there are also two visitors, also born 'Small Isles' Mary McLean aged 19 and Mary Livingstone aged 9. Household four is that of William Ward, aged 37, Mariner, born England, his wife Harriet aged 34, three children aged between 5 and 12 all born England and listed as scholars and two further children born on Rum aged 3 and 1. There is also Christina McArthur, aged 23, Housekeeper, born in Inverness. Household five is Alfred Finch aged 28; another Mariner, born in England and his wife Harriet and two sons Alfred (3) and Frederick (1) all born in England Household six is John Hammersley aged 48, in England Engineer of the 'Ramsgate Packet' Steamer, born, Amy his wife aged 49 and Elizabeth Freeman his granddaughter aged 9 also born in England. Catherine Smith, aged 21 is the House Servant, born in Arisaig. I assume that these mariners and the engineer were the men responsible for the steamer maintained by Viscount Cranbourne (the eldest son of Lord Salisbury) until 1863 to transport sheep carcasses to Liverpool from Rum. By the 1861 and 1871 Census Returns

3 there are several inhabitants described as Fisherman and Lobster Fisherman. There were a large number of children on Rum at this time and aged resident Schoolmaster, John Russell aged 26, living in Kinloch. This is within the household of John Russell, widower aged 58, Gardener, born Kilmore. This may mean Kilmory or it may mean somewhere on the mainland. The gardening would have been for the grounds of Kinloch House. John's other sons are Alexander aged 24 Shepherd, Hugh aged 21, Agricultural Labourer, Lachlan aged 16 and Archibald aged 10 both described as Scholars. All the family are listed as born in Kilmore. There is also Mary Macleod aged 59, Housekeeper and Margaret MacDonald aged 19, House Servant. These households all appear to have been reasonably affluent and employing at least one servant. Kinloch has a further nine households listed with the head of household described as Agricultural Labourers. Between them there are 27 children under 16 all described as scholars apart from those under 5. They are mostly listed as born in Bracadale. There are a few adults described as born in Rum, including 79 year old Allan McLean and his son Kenneth (38) and daughters Catherine (38) and Jane (30), and grandson Allan (15)-scholar. This Kenneth McLean is the one described in Magnus Magnusson's book as having lived in the family home, Carn nan Dobhran (Otter's Cairn) for eleven generations, and assisting the Ordnance Survey in 1877 in identifying traditional place names. Many of the other McLeans were among Viscount Cranbourne's assisted emigration to Canada in Many of the households of the labouring class have children up to the age of 16 born on Rum although the parents are from elsewhere. So this immigration must have started from around Portnacaranan is listed as having three families of Agricultural Labourers, nearly all from Bracadale, Skye. There are aged further 11 children of school age. Also listed are House Servants who must have either worked at Kinloch House or else for the other more prosperous residents. Occupied houses: 5 Males 12 Females 17 Total Samininser (this appears to be a mis-spelling of Samhnan Insh, 'which is often anglicised to Sandanisker) All the inhabitants of this house are listed as born in Rum. They are: Archibald McLean (70) Boatbuilder Christy McLean (55) Wife Donald McLean (32) Son Christy McLean (24) Daughter Janet McLean (22) Daughter. Hector McLean (17) Daughter John Livingstone (5) Relative This substantial stone built house is in the next bay along from Kilmory. I walked over there in July 2000 and was impressed by its solidity and size. It was built on two floors with at least

4 four fire places. There were also the remains of outbuildings and the whole was clearly superior to a 'blackhouse'. If it were re-roofed and re-floored it could easily be habitable. Of course this is unlikely to be part of SNH's plans! Archibald McLean and his sons as boatbuilders must have been in regular contact with Kinloch as well as Skye and the mainland. 2. Kilmory Only one family listed. By 1861 and 1871 the large family of Murdoch Mathieson (born Kishorn, Ross-shire but 9 of his 11 children born in Rum). As most of you already know Murdoch Mathieson's family suffered the loss of 5 children to diphtheria in 1873 and he and the remainder emigrated to New Zealand. In 1851 the one family at Kilmory were: Neil McRae (32) Shepherd born Bracadale, Skye Kate McRae (25) Domestic Servant also born Bracadale, Skye Ann McDonald (22) Servant also born Bracadale, Skye James Cameron (23) Shepherd born Morven 3. Guirdill One family listed. By 1861 and 1871 the tenants were Lachlan MacDougall of Mull and family including two adult sons. By 1891 the Guirdill house has five rooms and is occupied by Angus McKinnon of Mull. This must be the roofless ruin along the shore from the current bothy. In 1851 the family were: Alexander McKenzie (34) Shepherd born Strath (no indication where this was) Peggy McKenzie (40) Wife, Domestic Servant born Tobermory Ann McKenzie (54) Relative, Domestic Servant also born in Strath Ann McDougall (30) House Servant born Canna Harris There was one family living here. By 1861 the tenants had changed to Charles McDonald (30) and family, of Mull. His wife Catherine was from Eigg. By 1871 the tenants had changed again to William and Rachel Macleod of Harris (Outer Hebrides?) and 3 adult sons and two daughters all born in Skye. In 1851 the family were John MacAskill (40) Shepherd born Bracadale, Skye Kate MacAskill (26) Wife born Bracadale, Skye Mary (5) born Rum

5 John (3) born Rum Kate (1) born Rum Hugh McLeod (26) Shepherd born Rum Cathy McKinnon (21) Servant, born Strath John MacDonald (31) Visitor Tailor born Bracadale, Skye 5. Papadil This is a particularly remote site, as anyone knows who has tried to walk there! It seems likely that a boat must have been used to get to Kinloch as well as walking. By 1861 the tenants had changed to John McIntyre (50) and wife Catherine (53) of Mull with a 15 year old Domestic Servant Katherine McKinnon from Eigg. By 1871 the tenant was James Chisholm (40) of Skye and wife Anne of Lochalsh. Their four year old son Kenneth was also born on Skye so the McIntyres must have left sometime between 1868 and It is hardly surprising that there was a turnover as the remoteness must have been inconvenient, especially when babies were being born. At least by 1861 the McGillivray family from Mull was living at Dibidill and those living at Papadil had some neighbours 45 minutes to one hour's walk away. In 1851 the family were: Duncan Livingstone (35) Shepherd born Kilmore (Kilmory?) Ann Livingstone (32) Wife born in Rum Christy (5) at home born in Rum Marion (3) born in Rum Donald born in Rum There is no listing for Dibidil until 1861 onwards. The amount of incomers from Mull is noticeable. Presumably this was as a result of the 1852 migration. As before the owners must have realised that the island could not be managed without sufficient shepherds.