Newsletter October 2000
Volume 1 Issue 2
Contents
Greetings from the Convenor of the ROMHC
New Management
Nadair
Membership Secretary
Research
A Volunteer's View
Project's Development
Foundations for Our Heritage
Geology
ICT
Proposals
Sgheulach Bhona Seann Laoithean
Progress on the New Building
Dancing
From
the Team at the Centre
Highlights
Greetings from the Convenor of the ROMHC.
Since our recent elections at the AGM some of the directors have changed, or at least moved, with the addition of some new faces. Let me introduce myself; my name is Rob Burney and I am a primary school teacher. I was a director of ROMHC prior to the AGM and was honoured to be nominated as the new Convenor. I would like to take this early opportunity to thank all the previous directors for their work for ROMHC in the past, both those who are still with us and those who have moved on. I would also like to thank all our m e mbers and helpers, as well as those friends who have worked so hard for us in the past. This support has been invaluable and we deeply appreciate your efforts. I hope that you are all not too fatigued by your efforts and will continue to support ROMHC into the future. I am delighted that Duncan McLeod has agreed to be our Hon. Accountant.
As for the future, in many ways this is looking very hopeful. We are awaiting the results of our first large scale bid for HLF money which is going to be used for many facets of our project; guided walks, booklets and the like. We have also just set up a subcommittee to continue with the development of a permanent centre, this is an exciting move towards formalising arrangements for a new home.
On a different note! The Historical Centre, for the past year, has been the weekend practice venue for eight local young people as they learn and refine new fiddle techniques and tunes. This is a positive way to involve young people in the history of their area th r ough music. The children are taught by a travelling teacher from Fort William who visits once a fortnight to give individual tuition. I would like to thank Young Mull Musicians for their help in this matter as well as ROMHC for use of the premises.
We have many other irons in the fire at the present and the other directors will touch on some of these. We will of course keep all members up to date with events as they happen. Thanks again to all staff, directors and supporters. Hopefully we will learn from the past as we look forward to the future.
Rob Burney
NEW MANAGEMENT
At our AGM in July of this year we were delighted to welcome four of our members onto the board of director's. Rosie Burgess has joined the board and will bring with her skills as an employer and her experience of the tourism sector and grant making bodies. Rev. David Taylor bring s with him his expertise as a communicator and will be able to liase with the local community during his work in the parish, David has been elected Company Secretary. Jack Bell, of Kintra, has been doing much volunteer work and can bring the needs of the day to day running of the centre to the monthly director's meetings. Eleanor Wagstaff was also elected onto the board, Eleanor is passionate about the Gaelic language and can bring her knowledge of the tourism sector through her experience of running her own silversmithing business and the Red Bay restaurant with her husband John. Neil Cameron is continuing on the board as a director but is no longer acting as Treasurer. James McKeand has now stood down as Chairman and has been elected Treasurer. Rob Burney is our new Convenor and we all wish him the best in his new and challenging role. David Greenhalgh, crofter, coach driver and angora rabbit farmer, is our Vice Convenor. The directors who stood down at the AGM are, Ian Cameron, Attie McKechnie a nd Ian Grainger. We thank them for the work they have put into the centre and wish them all the luck for the future.
Corinna Martin
NADAIR
As was outlined in our last newsletter we had been approached by RSPB to join the NADAIR project to attract essential funding fro m the Heritage Lottery Fund and the organisations within the Nadair Trust (Scottish Natural Heritage, Historic Scotland, Argyll and Bute Council and Argyll and the Islands Enterprise). This funding, if successful, would assist community projects across Argyll and the Islands. We completed our first draft of the bid, which was submitted in February of this year. Much work has been done in the time since then to polish up the bid and we now awaiting a decision which is due to be announced in November of this year. If this bid is successful ROMHC propose to do an in-depth interpretation of the Ross of Mull, this would include upgrading access to enable walks to sites of interest, producing booklets, displays within the centre and really bringing the story of the Ross's rich heritage alive.
Corinna Martin
MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY
With the help of funding from Gaelic In the Community the Centre was able to employ a part time membership secretary/research and administrative assistant in June.
We currently have a membership of approximately 200, representing 10 countries and it was interesting for me to meet so many of you during the summer. All membership details have now been entered onto a database and to help keep our mailing lists as accurate as possible I would appreciate if you would notify me of any changes as soon as possible. You can contact me on 01681 700659 or by e-mail: membership@romhc.co.uk. In order to streamline the administration the directors have decided that in future the membership year will run from 1 November to 31 October each year. In order to make this fair to people who have joined recently anyone who has paid a membership fee after 1 April 2000 will not be asked to renew it until 1 Nov 2001. Our members, both at home and abroad, are vital to the sustainability of the centre and your support is hugely appreciated.
As well as maintaining the membership list and dealing with general correspondence I have been compiling a booklet identifying and translating the Gaelic placenames of the area. We are hoping to provide information and stories which will point to the origin of the name. This is also an opportunity to record placenames which are not on any official map but have been handed down orally.
Lynda MacCallum
Research
We are pleased to report that the centre can now offer, for a fee, to do a simple search into your family background on the Ross of Mull. Contact us by e-mail: enquiries@romhc.co.uk We have also made a start on compiling a library of old photographs of the area.
A VOLUNTEER’S VIEW
In the spring of this year I received a telephone call from Corinna asking me if I would spend a couple of hours in the Centre the following morning as she was having difficulty in keeping the place open in the absence of James who was in hospital. Having expressed no particular interest in the work of our Centre I did, however, express my willingness to help out. Seeing James a couple of days later I walked over and suggested that he should be resting in bed. Twenty minutes later I had committed myself to at least two mornings a week in the Centre (such is James’s charm) and subsequently decided that, being down here I might as well learn something about it all. Currently I think I am up to about 0.15% of James’s knowledge. On the 19th August I was appointed assistant, deputy, part-time financial Director/Treasurer.
There is without a doubt a wealth of information in the ROMHC and as Einstein once said "The clever man is not he who knows a lot, but he who knows where to find the information." I am at the lower end of a very steep learning curve. My skills within the centre appear to be the operation of minor machinery (short of the computer) ie; laminating, photo-copying, getting to grips with the electric typewriter, driving the television/video and the tape recorder. I am also a passable coffee boy and "gofer". I am sure that as the months (years?) go by I will progress to become a more useful asset to the organisation and hope to help you all to the best of my ability.
Jack Bell
DEVELOPMENT OF THE PROJECT
In April of this year ROMHC successfully secured an award of £4,480 from Awards For All, this has enabled us to purchase our much needed IT equipment. We now have our long awaited PC, scanner, printer and email connection. Work is currently underway to complete an electronic historical display focusing on the Kilvickeon to Shiaba district, many thanks are due to Sheila Clarke of Historic Scotland who has donated photographs in abundance relating to this beautiful and historically important area. On completion of the display we hope to show it in the centre next summer. A provision was made in this funding bid to allow time to be spent in furthering the project's development , i.e. applying for funding for ROMHC. £484 pounds have been secured from Forward Scotland to assist in the overall funding of our interpretation proposals (bid for mainstay of which is currently in with the Heritage Lottery Fund).
A bid is currently with the Clore Foundation to cover staff wages, the result of which I am awaiting with bated breath! As part of our Awards for All funding we have begun construction of a website, which will help us to keep in contact with our members and supporters world wide. If you can suggest any useful sites which you think ROMHC should have links with please email us at Corinna@romhc.org.uk , the more sites we can share links with the better!
Corinna Martin
FOUNDATIONS FOR OUR HERITAGE
We are almost ready to finalise plans for a major fundraising campaign to assist the building of the permanent ROMHC.
The idea is that anyone may purchase/sponsor a stone from the Ross of Mull to be incorporated in a wall for the permanent centre. This might be in the fabric of the building or, to be more flexible, a wall surrounding the centre. The whereabouts will depend on whether it will be a new building or the renovation of an old one. The rocks will all come from the Ross and due to the varied geology would be a work of art in itself. Landowners will be invited to donate whatever rocks they would like, suitable for the task, and people asked to "sponsor" any number of these – starting at £5 for small fillers and £25 for structural stone. A catalogue and diagram of the wall will be maintained as it grows and sponsors informed as to the type of rock and position in the wall. It may even be possible to have initials or a name etched on the stones, dependent on costs and practicalities. The major part of the donations will be used to build the new Centre which will house the records, material and displays of the ROMHC.
Rather than have the more usual "buy a brick" campaign we feel that a stone wall sourced from the Ross of Mull will serve as a contemporary memorial to all the descendants and friends of the Ross who are scattered across the world. We hope it would make sponsors feel that a part of themselves remained on the Ross for all time. Moreover, even when the building target is reached, this could be an ongoing project open to anyone with a particular interest in the Ross to assist in the maintenance and organisation of all the material important to our heritage. The wall will be a tangible recognition of their support.
Rosie Burgess
GEOLOGY
The Geology Corner continues to arouse a great amount of interest from visitors. Contributions of local rock samples, fossils, maps and photographs have been donated by professional and amateur geologists throughout the year and thanks to everyone who has helped with the display. The rocks of Mull are there for all of us to wonder at but some can be fairly difficult to reach. Our displays can be of great benefit for anyone who for a variety of reasons may be unable to visit the more remote sites. If that reason is lack of time the information and photographs in the centre may inspire and encourage visitors to return in the future to investigate for themselves. Mull’s landscape has fascinating origins and even though there is still a lot to learn about its past one thing it cannot hide is it’s breathtaking beauty.
Linda MacLaren
"Enjoyed your geology section, rocks fascinating"
"A good range about the geology, making a big subject very accessible"
"The geology section was great. My mapping project follows the info. Bonus!!"
ICT PROPOSALS
A project has been developed to incorporate a person with the much needed IT skills which will aid ROMHC in our development. This proposal is now complete and ready for submission to Cable and Wireless and BT. This person will develop the use of IT within the centre, produce displays, improve and maintain our proposed website, train the staff and volunteers and work on our genealogical information in order to build up a unique and comprehensive resource. So fingers crossed that we can secure funding for this much needed aspect of our development.
Corinna Martin
SGEULACH BHO NA SEANN LÀITHEAN
Fhuair mi sgeulachd o chionn ghoirid, bho brathair mo mhàthar. Thubhairt e gun chuala e i gu math tric nuair a bha e na bhalach, agus a’fuireach ann am Muile, còmhla ris an teaghlach aige, airson na làithean-saora.
Tha an sgeulachd mu sheanmhair mo sheanmhar, Agnes Mitchell (b’e NicPharlainn an sloinneadh ro pòsta a bh’oirre). B’ann à Buneasan a bha ise agus Tearlach, an duine aice.
Thathar ag ràdh gun tainig ‘typhoid fever’ dhan chearn; bha Tearlach glè thinn agus bhàsaich e ann an ochd ceud deug, ceithir fichead ‘s a h-aon deug. Bha maoim air gach neach a chuala mu dheidhinn a’ghalair. Faodaidh eagal buaidh mhòr a thoirt air daoine, agus as deidh sin, cha b’urrain do Agnes ag obair anns an aite. Cha bhiodh daoine a’bruidhinn rithe, no a’tighinn dhan taigh, no dhan bhùth aice idir.
Chuir i roimphe a ghluasad do Glaschu, far an robh a puithar a’fuireach. Dh’fhàg i An Rois anns a’gheamhradh, agus a rèir na sgeulachd, bha e a’cuir sneachd, ‘s i a’coiseachd tro Gleann Mor.
Chuir i seachad an oidhche ann an Creaganiubhar, fo eathar a bha na laighe faisg air an traigh. Fhuair i coinneal, biadh agus plaide bho boireannach aig an taigh-òsda, agus a’feuchainn ri blàths fhaotainn, las i a’choinneal, agus chuir i i anns a’bhroig aice. Nuair a bha i na cadal, loisg a’choinneal toll anns a’bhroig!
Rainig i Ghlaschu, co-dhiù, ach thanaig Agnes air ais do Mhuile. Dh’fhuirich mo sheanamhair anns an taigh aig Agnes, nuair a bha i òg, agus tha fhios agam gu robh i deidheil air a’chailleach.
Bha sinn a’coimhead air na h-irisean anns an Ionad Eachdrachail o chionn ghoirid, agus smaoinich mi gu robh e intinneach – agus car neònach – nuair a chunnaic sinn na h-ainmean:
Bhàsaich Tearlach Mitchell ann an 1891 – ‘typhoid fever’, agus Bhàsiach Agnes Mitchell ann an 1913 – ‘alcoholic poisoning’.
‘S eaite glè intinneach a th’ann an Ionad!
Eleanor NicDhughaill
PROGRESS ON THE NEW BUILDING
By now, after various false starts and hold ups, we should be registered as a company limited by guarantee which puts us all on a firmer footing. Thus the new committee is now given the responsibility to begin afresh and carry on what has already been started by the various steering groups who have been working extremely hard on the preparation for this next stage. It is important to maintain contact with our initial ideas and not to be led astray. The study tour showed that in most cases, unless you had a building in good repair, it was definitely better and cheaper to start with a new one. It is also important to remember that once initial funding has been accessed it is very difficult to finance any future developments unless they are for a completely new aspect of the project. Therefore we have to ‘get it right’ from the beginning. As always the planning stages take longer than the actual building work.
However, we have done a lot of the ground work already and should be able to put together a suitable project to meet our criteria fairly rapidly and hopefully will have much more concrete (or part wood!) plans by the next newsletter.
David Greenhalgh
DANCING
Operational funding being an ongoing requirement means we are always looking for means to provide this.
During the summer we held three ceilidhs in the village hall which were enjoyed by locals and visitors alike. The father and son team of Neil and Neil Morrison provided the music for the first and third evenings while local musicians, Anda Campell and Alistair Lamont, stepped in at very short notice to play for the second ceildh. We are very grateful to all the players. All the evenings were great fun and I’m sure the holidaymakers who attended went home with happy memories and, hopefully, not too many blisters. Our thanks must also go to local singers and the ‘dancing men’ who helped to make the evenings such a success. I am sure these evenings will be repeated next year.
David Greenhalgh
FROM THE TEAM AT THE CENTRE
Since April, just over 1000 visitors have been recorded compared with 860 for the same period last year. In a season when overall visitor numbers to Mull has decreased, we have more than held our own. The flags have been working! Many thanks to Mary Hoff and others who donated them. We need more flag poles!
We have eight volunteers who, with our membership secretary, staff the centre and they have shared many happy moments, and good craic, with our visitors. The visitor’s book tells the story. Here are some comments:
"Friendliness, balance, enthusiasm, warmth-a fabulous wee centre"
"What a place! Such excellent help and hospitality"
"Visiting Mull and Iona, a great experience – very peaceful and met great, friendly people."
"Have to come back and discover more"
"Deeply interesting & amazing discoveries"
"Thank you for sharing your understanding of the Ross and Canada."
"Was attracted by the Canadian flag."
"Contact Trish in the Australian National Library, Canberra."
"Connections to USA, Canada and Australia fascinating."
"A bit of magic I’ve found nowhere else in the world."
"How about a restoration of Mary McDonalds croft?"
"Suggest a display of Mary McDonald’s hymns in Gaelic."
"Quite amazed at the careful collection of data and records."
"Excellent work! Glad someone has started it."
"The centre is becoming more and more enticing."
"Keep up the good work" many times.
A coach party of 30 farmers from Northamptonshire who tested our facilities, enhanced business in the hotel and shops. A number stayed instead of going on with the coach to Iona!!
Finding Big Alec Fletcher’s granny’s family, whose father William Reid was an engineer on the paddle steamer Dhu Heartach when the lighthouse was built.
We continue to receive superb worldwide historical and family records, extending for a century before and after the concentration of emigration at the time of famine and clearances 1847-1852.
From Canada and USA; Mary McLean Hoff, Dawn Livingstone, Eileen Mitchell, Elva McKinnon Brooks, Elaine Robinson, Charlene Dunbar, Diane Granger, Donald McLean, Bruce MacQuarrie, Ann M Stevens, Jill Allford, Gloria Golden, Barbara Dancho, Gloria Rote.
From Australia and New Zealand: Brian McLean, Stuart McGilvray, Linda (Shearer) West, Ian Fletcher, Colin Shaw, Irene Ann Kerr, Helen McPhie, Ken MacCallum, Christine Leach, Elizabeth Pagan, Les Jessiman, Ian Cameron.
Far and away the best thing to happen is to have Attie back amongst us making such a good recovery from his triple by-pass operation. Take care, Attie!
A great step forward has been the installation of our computer. A database has been set up and we now have e-mail. Volunteers are now carrying out family searches requested by visitors and passed on to us by Lynda from the e-mail enquiries. We have achieved our first sales. Being of the older generation our volunteers have a great wealth of knowledge and are most appreciative of the support from Age Concern in providing our recording equipment and material for our displays.
Praise for what has been achieved so far is almost embarrassing, particularly when we know how much more remains to be done. During this winter we need to archive our historical, family and photographic material and to rearrange and improve our wall displays, working on the experience of the past two years. Anyone wishing to help would be made most welcome.
Over the past two years, no-one has been more aware than myself how long I could or should remain Chairman of ROMHC, for the obvious reasons of age, work load and health. Quite remarkable how heart attacks and allied events focus the mind. I believe it to be absolutely right that the younger generation should be taking decisions on our future.
Gu Brath; Not forgetting, mind you, that my generation will always have a contribution to make. I chose to stand down at our AGM in June when our Constitution was adopted and Charitable Status assured, and a new Board was elected, subsequently having the pleasure of nominating Rob as Convenor, with my very best wishes and support.
Our project here in the Centre has certainly kept me going, most of all by the help and widespread support from all ages in our Community. My heartfelt thanks to you all.
James McKeand
HIGHLIGHTS
Robin and Judy Don bringing the Canadian High Commissioner, the Hon Roy McLaren and Mrs McLaren to the Centre. Our passenger lists and records of Scottish emigrants to Canada included Mr McLaren’s ancestry from Balquidder to Prince Edward Island. He has since provided us with valuable contacts and historical information. In a letter he says:
"I enjoyed greatly our visit to the ROMHC. My wife and I were greatly impressed by the good work you and your colleagues are doing to preserve the knowledge of the many links between Canada and Mull."
Visit of Duncan MacNeil and his wife Iona. Duncan is the grandson of Hector McLean, minister in Assapol from 1904-1913. Iona (Hilda’s daughter) is the grandaugher of Rev Neil McPhail, minister in Assapol from 1913-1930. Another strong Tiree connection.
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