by John Prebble
1809 SUTHERLAND. William Young and Patrick Sellar take employment with Lord Stafford. Removals from the parishes of Dornoch, Rogart, Loth, Clyne and Golspie. STRATHGLASS. More large clearances.
1812 SUTHERLAND. Patrick Sellar clears wide districts in Assynt.
1813 SUTHERLAND. Removals in lower Kildonan. The ‘rebellion’ of the Gunns. James Loch becomes Lord Stafford's Commissioner.
1814 THE YEAR OF THE BURNINGS. First clearance of Strathnaver.
1815 The Society of True Highlanders formed by Alistair Ranaldson Macdonell of Glengarry. James Loch publishes a brief account of the Improvements completed and proposed for Lord Stafford's estates in Sutherland.
1816 THE TRIAL OF PATRICK SELLAR.
1817 An annual sheep and wool market established in Inverness.
1819 SUTHERLAND. Final clearance of Strathnaver and Upper Kildonan.
1820 ROSS. The Culrain Riots and evictions in Strathoykel.
1821 SUTHERLAND. Riots and evictions at Gruids.
1825 The kelp industry, in decline since the end of the French Wars, is now destroyed by the abolition of the excise duty on salt. The lairds of the Isles, particularly Clanranald, begin the sale of their estates.
1829 Lord Stafford buys Lord Reay's Country.
1830 Emigration increases with destitution. According to the northern Press this year ‘a fever of emigration is raging in the county of Sutherland’.
1831 The Marchioness of Stafford, Countess of Sutherland, tours Lord Reay's Country.
1832 CHOLERA.
1833 Death of Lord Stafford who, six months before, was created Duke of Sutherland.
1836 FAMINE.
1839 Death of the Duchess-Countess of Sutherland.
1841 SUTHERLAND. Rioting and deforcement in Durness.
1842 ROSS. First attempt to deliver writs of removal to the people of Glencalvie.
1845 ROSS. Glencalvie cleared. Delane of The Times sends a Special Commissioner to report. Failure of the potato crop in Ireland and famine.
1846 FAMINE following the potato blight. Establishment of Destitution Relief Boards in Glasgow and Edinburgh.
1847 Food riots.
1849 GLENELG evictions. SOLLAS evictions from Lord Macdonald's land on North Uist.
1850 STRATHCONON evictions by James Gillanders and others.
1851 SOUTH UIST AND BARRA. Evictions by Colonel Gordon of Cluny.
1851 The Skye Emigration Society formed under the chairmanship of Thomas Fraser, Sheriff-Substitute of the island. STRATHAIRD evictions on Skye.
1852 The Highland and Island Emigration Society formed under the patronage of Prince Albert. It absorbs the Skye Society. The Land and Emigration Commissioners offer ships and assistance.
1853 SKYE. Lord Macdonald clears the last of the people from Boreraig and Suishnish. KNOYDART. Mrs Macdonell of Glengarry, with the trustees of her son's estate, serves writs of removal on the last of her sub-tenants there. Harriet Beecher Stowe's first visit to Britain, and her meeting with the second Duchess of Sutherland.
1854 ROSS. Last evictions from the property of Robertson of Kindeace in Strathcarron. ‘The Slaughter at Greenyards’ and ‘The Massacre of the Rosses’. KNOYDART. The Lord Advocate orders an inquiry into the the state of paupers there following the evictions. Failure of the recruiting campaign in the Highlands.
1856 Harriet Beecher Stowe's second visit to Britain. She stays at Inverary and Dunrobin to gather ‘notes on the clearances’, and publishes them in Sunny Memories.
A Writ of Removal
The old Tolbooth Gaol in Tain now forms part of the Sheriff Court House. It is the ‘sharp-pointed house’ feared by the young men of Glencalvie, and there Peter Ross and Ann Ross waited for their trial in 1854. In a small upper room, the only part in use, are stored copies of writs of removal issued in Easter Ross over a century ago. Sixty years of tragedy are bound in strong tape and buried in dust. The room is rarely entered, and I was the first for many years. I found only one writ relating to Glencalvie or Strathcarron, and that follows here. I can think of no explanation for its date, 1846. By all contemporary accounts, the Shoemakers were gone from Glencalvie in 1845.
SUMMONS OF REMOVAL
Major Charles Robertson of Kindeace
vs
Donald Macleod, Esquire & Others
1846
Allan MacIntyre
Sheriff Clerk
Call per John Mackenzie
Summons of Removing
Major Charles Robertson of Kindeace
against
Donald Macleod, Esq., residing at Kingsburgh, Isle of Skye.
David Ross, Snr., alias Greishich, residing at urlar of Glencalvie
David Ross, alias Greishich, residing at urlar of Glencalvie
Alexander Ross, alias Greishich, residing at urlar of Glencalvie.
JOHN JARDINE, Esquire, Advocate, Sheriff of the shires of Ross and Cromarty, to sundry officers in that part conjunctly and severally, specially constituted greeting. Whereas it is humbly meant and shewn to me by Major Charles Robertson of Kindeace, presently residing in Edinburgh, Heritable Proprietor of the Land and other parts after mentioned, that by the Act of Sederunt of the Lords of Council and Session, dated the fourteenth day of December, one thousand seven hundred and fifty-six, entitled ‘An Act Anent Removings’, it is provided ‘That where a Tenant hath not obliged himself to remove without warning, in such case it shall be lawful to the Heritor or Setter of the Tack, either to use the order prescribed by the Act of Parliament made in the year fifteen hundred and fifty-five entitled ‘An Act Anent the Warning of Tenants’, and thereupon pursue a warning of Ejection, or to bring his Action of removing against the Tenant before the Judge Ordinary; and such action being called before the Judge Ordinary at least forty days before the term of Whitsunday, shall be held as equal to a Warning executed in terms of the foresaid Act; and the Judge shall thereupon proceed to determine in the Removings in terms of the Act, in the same manner as if a Warning had been executed in terms of the foresaid Act of Parliament.’
I. That Donald Macleod, Esquire, residing at Kingsburgh in the Isle of Skye, is tenant, subtenant, or Possessor under the Pursuer of the Lands and Grazings of the urlar of Glencalvie or part thereof, lying within the Parish of Kincardine, and Sheriffdom of Ross on a Title of Possession which will expire as to the Houses, Gardens and Grass on the said Possessions, at and against the term of Whitsunday next, and as to the Arable land under Crop at the Separating of the Crop from the ground, in the year one thousand eight hundred and forty-six.
II. That David Ross, alias Greisich Senior, residing at urlar of Glencalvie, is Tenant, Subtenant or Possessor under the Pursuer of a Dwelling house and other premises and pertinents thereto attached at urlar of Glencalvie, lying within the Parish of Kincardine and Sheriffdom of Ross, on a Title of Possession which will expire at and against the term of Whitsunday next, in the year one thousand eight hundred and forty-six.
III. That David Ross, alias Greisich Junior, residing at urlar of Glencalvie, is Tenant, Subtenant or Possessor under the Pursuer of a Dwelling house and other premises and pertinents thereto attached at urlar of Glencalvie, lying within the Parish of Kincardine and Sheriffdom of Ross, on a Title of Possession which will expire at and against the term of Whitsunday next, in the year one thousand eight hundred and forty-six.
IV. That Alexander Ross, alias Greisich, residing at urlar of Glencalvie, is Tenant, Subtenant or Possessor under the Pursuer of a Dwelling house and other premises and pertinents thereto attached at urlar of Glencalvie, lying within the Parish of Kincardine and Sheriffdom of Ross, on a Title of Possession which will expire at and against the term of Whitsunday next, in the year one thousand eight hundred and forty-six.
V. That the Pursuer is desirous that the said Donald Macleod, Esquire, David Ross alias Greisich Senior, David Ross alias Greisich Junior, and Alexander Ross alias Greisich, shall remove from the said Possessions respectively occupied by them at the terms above mentioned, and
to obtain Decree of Removal against them accordingly in order that the Pursuer or others in his name may enter thereto and possess the same.
Therefore the said Defenders ought and should be declared and ordained by Decree and Sentence of me or my Substitute.
1. To flit and Remove themselves, Bairns, Family, servants, sub-tenants, cottars and dependants, Cattle, Goods and gear, forth and from possession of the said Subjects above described with the pertinents respectively occupied by them, as aforesaid, and to leave the same void, redd and patent, at the respective terms of Removal above specified, that the Pursuer or others in his name may then enter thereto and peaceably possess, occupy and enjoy the same in time coming. And
2. In the event of their opposing this action to make payment to the pursuer of the sum of Ten pounds Sterling, or such other Sum as shall be modified at the Expenses of Process, besides the Expense of Extracting and Recording the Decree to follow thereon.
All in terms of the Act of Sederunt and the laws and daily practice of Scotland, used and observed in the like cases in all points as if alleged. MY WILL IS HEREFORE, I commend you that on sight hereof, ye pass and lawfully Summon, warn and charge the Said Defenders personally, or at their dwelling places, to appear before me or my Substitute within the ordinary Court place at Tain upon the seventh day next after Court day, or if not on the next Court day thereafter, in the hour of course, with continuation of days to answer at the instance of the said Pursuer in the matter libelled. That is to say to hear and see the premises verified and proved and Sentence and Decreet given and pronounced therein ut supra, or else to allege a reasonable Cause to the Contrary. With Certification According to Justice given under the hand of the Clerk of Court at Tain, the Fifth day of March, Eighteen hundred and Forty-six years.
Allan McIntyre,
Sheriff Clerk Depute.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
My gratitude to those who have helped me with this book cannot be adequately expressed. They gave not only information and advice, but time and encouragement, and some the hospitality of their homes. I particularly wish to record my debt to the following:
Robert Bannerman, of Crieff, for sending me his own writings on Kildonan where his ancestors once lived. Dr Evan Barron of the Inverness Courier, who made the files of his newspaper available to me, and who gave me a copy of his father's three-volume index of it. Dr H. Fairhurst, of the Department of Archaeology, Glasgow University, for advice and warning of what might be the truth of the Strathnaver burnings. Ian Grimble, author of a book on the Trial of Patrick Sellar, who showed a writer's understanding of the problems of another and kindly allowed me to use his translations from Sismondi's works. Miss Anne Henderson, of Winnipeg, for information about the Kildonan settlers from whom she is descended. Rory Mackay of Inverness, whose sustained interest in the progress of this book has been a great encouragement, and whose knowledgeable advice has been invaluable. A. H. M. Munro, Sheriff Clerk Depute at Tain, who opened the sharp-pointed house for me. Robert Munro, of the Highland News, who gave a newspaperman's time and attention to my inquiries about Strathcarron. Samuel Maclean of Plockton, schoolmaster and Gaelic bard, and an authority on the poetry of the Clearances, who had time and patience for a non-Gaelic speaker. Donald Ross of Letchworth, for his many letters and his knowledge of Strathcarron. Mrs Annie Macleod Stenhouse, great-niece of Donald Macleod of Strathnaver, for her patience. And finally Iain Cameron Taylor who opened many doors, not the least of which was that to his own home.
OFFICIAL PAPERS, PRINTED & MSS
Home Office Correspondence (Scotland), 102–5 on the Ross-shire Sheep Riots. 1792.
The Sheriff Clerk's Records, Tain, Ross-shire. 1800–1850.
Hansard.
Reports from the Select Committee appointed to inquire into the Islands and Highlands of Scotland, and into the practicability of affording the proper relief by means of Emigration. 1841.
Periodic Reports of the Central Board for the Relief of Destitution in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland. 1848–52.
Reports of the Free Church Committee on Destitution. 1847.
Report to the Board of Supervision by Sir John MacNeill on the Western Highlands and Islands. 1851.
Periodic Reports of the Highland and Island Emigration Society. 1852–3.
House of Commons Papers, (Poor Law, Scotland), Vol. XLVI. 1854.
House of Commons Papers, N. 163. 1855.
Report of the Commissioners of Inquiry into the Conditions of the Crofters and Cottars in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland (The Napier Commission). 1884.
NEWSPAPERS AND MAGAZINES
Celtic Magazine
Edinburgh Chronicle
Edinburgh Courant
Gentleman's Magazine
Glasgow Herald
Glasgow National
Inverness Advertiser
Inverness Courier
Inverness Journal
John o' Groats Journal
Military Register
Notes and Queries
North British Mail
North Star
Northern Ensign
Scots Magazine
Scotsman
The Times
ANONYMOUS PAMPHLETS AND PAPERS
A Word on Highland Destitution and its Remedies. Edinburgh, 1851.
Emigration from the Highlands and Islands of Scotland to Australia. London, 1852.
The Emigrants Guide – practical and authentic information. Westport; 1832.
Emigration – Who should go, what to take, etc. London, 1843.
Hints to Emigrants respecting British North America – by an Emigrant. Quebec, 1831.
Lectures on the Mountains, or Highlands, and the Highlanders as they were and as they are. 1860.
Sutherland as it was and is, or How a Country May be Ruined. Edinburgh, 1843.
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