My grandfather Ranald's roots
Great Grandfather Angus Macdonald
Angus was born in 1854 in Sleat, the only boy with five older sisters. As a young man he worked often with his father Ranald in putting up fencing and iron gates. Other work included 'souming' which is judging what number of livestock individual crofters could put up onto the common grazing in the summer. When his father died in 1886 Angus took over from him the role of Sleat registrar until his death in 1911. In the 1890s Angus took the opportunity to court his wife to be, Christina, while working at fencing on the Isle of Canna. Their respective fathers had been Elders at Kilmore Church and both fathers had been Sleat Registrar.
Christina Edgeworth Nicolson
Born in Camuscross, Sleat in 1871, where her father, Alexander, was the school teacher. Christina was the second youngest of seven children. As a small child her father accepted the position of the first state school teacher on the Island of Canna and so that is where she was educated. In January 1897 she married my great grandfather Angus in Greenock and they moved to Kilmore to start married life. Unfortunately, her husband died just fourteen years later, leaving her with five children, the youngest only being three. Christina took over the role as Sleat registrar which she held until her death in October 1933.
Their five children
- Ranald, born on the 28th of October 1897.
- Mary, born in 1898.
- Anne, born in 1900.
- John, born on the 20th of February 1903.
- Angus,born in 1908
All were born in Kilmore.
Parents and siblings of my great grandmother
Great great grandparents Alexander Nicolson (1822-1904) and Mary MacPherson (1835-1911), the parents of Christina Edgeworth Nicolson
Alexander was born in August 1822 in Sculamus, Strah, Isle of Skye.
Mary Charters Nicolson
Mary was born of the 12th of August 1860 in Camuscross, Sleat. Her father, Alexander, was the school teacher. In 1881 she was still living with her parents but now on the island of Canna. In February 1888 she married her cousin Donald Nicolson (1855-1912) in Greenock. Donald was from Broadford in south Skye. In 1891 They were both living in 32 Kelly Street, Greenock, with two small children, Peter and Jessie.
Mary died in Greenock in September 1945. Donald and Mary had five children :
- Peter Nicolson, 1888-1957.
- Jessie, 1890-1963.
- John Alexander, born 1893.
- Annie, born 1895.
- Alexander Neil, 1901-1933.
Jessie Nicolson (1862-1881)
Jessie died young before her 20th birthday.
John Hugh Nicolson (1865-1886)
Born in Camuscross. As a young man he left for the USA and unfortunately died young. He died in the district of Kings, New York and was buried at Green Wood cemetery.
Annie Mary Nicolson (1867-1937)
Born in April 1867 in Camuscross, she was still living with her parents on the island of Canna in 1891. In June 1899 she married Donald McNiven in Greenock. Donald was a farmer and in 1901 they were living in Fidden House on Mull. His farm is near Fionnphort, opposite the Island of Iona. They had a son called Angus McNiven (1900-1984) and a daughter called Mary.
Margaret Gesto Nicolson
Born in 1869 in Camuscross. In 1901 she was living at 5 Dempster Street, Greenock with her parents and younger brother, Alexander. She was working as a clothier's assistant. On Boxing Day 1917 at the age of 48 she married Laughlin Campbell in Blytheswood, Glasgow. She died ten years later in 1927.
Further information
Alexander N. Nicolson
Born in Sleat in 1873, he was the youngest of the children. By 1881 he was living on Canna with his family in the schoolhouse in Sanday. In 1891, aged 17, he was living in Greenock with the family of his older sister, Mary C. Nicolson, at 32 Kelly Street and working as an apprentice draper. In 1901 he was living at 5 Dempster Street (Blair Terrace) with his parents and older sister, Margaret G. Nicolson, and working as a clothier's shopkeeper. In 1916 in his early forties he married Jane Macdiarmind (1879-1949) in Kenmore, Perthshire. At this time he was working as a whiskey salesperson and representative of the Whiskey Retailers Association. Alexander was a great lover of both Gaelic culture and the Island of Canna were he spent his formative years. He returned to the island many times in later life and wrote about its flora and fauna. Alex became secretary and treasurer of An Comunn Gaidhealach in March 1908, a position he secured from a list of nineteen applicants which included some leading Gaelic figures of the day. He was treasurer and secretary of the Gaelic Society of Inverness for many years. Alexander was also guardian of Culloden Moor battlefield for 40 years. He inspired the restoration of Culloden battlefield with the first commemoration ceremony which he organised being held there on Saturday 18 April 1925 when members of the Society gathered to lay wreaths on the cairn. In recognition for his work for the Gaelic he was awarded the MBE in the Queen's list in 1960. He died in December 1960 at the Western Infirmary, Glasgow. (thanks to Norman Macdonald for a lot the detail)
Angus MacNiven (my grandfathers first cousin)
The son of Annie Mary Nicolson was Dr Angus MacNiven, Born on a farm is near Fionnphort, Mull, opposite the Island of Iona. Angus became Physician Superintendent at Gartnavel Royal Hospital. As well as holding the position of Physician Superintendent of Gartnavel Royal Hospital, Dr MacNiven was also Honorary Consulting Physician for Mental Disorders at the psychiatric clinic at the Western Infirmary, Lecturer in psychiatry at Glasgow University, and was previously deputy Physician Superintendent at Edinburgh Hospital for Mental and Nervous Disorders. In 1956 Angus assessed Scottish serial killer Peter Manuel in Barlinnie.