10117: Margaret Mackenzie
Extract from "A History of Kirkibost" by Chrissie Bell (Morrison) Maclean, Perceval Rd, Stornoway:
My grandmother Peigidh an Thormoid was a lovely lady, always cheerful and hospitable; she was well liked by all who knew her. She was born in Croir and always spoke about the village. She said it was the nicest village in Bernera – apart from Kirkibost of course.
The croft she was born on in Croir is the last one at the end of the Croir road, down by the sea….
……Every summer while she was still able my granny would take a day off and go to the Toabh Siar to visit her sister Barabel. I would go with her and I loved the walk over the hills. We went by the back of our croft and through the gate and round Cnoc a Carnan. There used to be a tall cairn of stones at the top of that hill. I don’t think it’s there now. Then we came in sight of Tigh Larry. Ishbel "Larry" stayed there with her mother. Her cousin Angus Murdo stayed in the other end of the house. Ishbel’s house was a traditional black house of the old style. The interior was very smoky and the hens had free range in and out. There I saw a way of life that is now long gone. We climbed the brae at Ishbel’s and came in sight of the houses of the toabh siar – Tigh Macnaughton, Tigh an Beag and Tigh a Spung.
We stopped frequently for a rest and a chat with the people who came out to greet us, but we did not go in to any of the houses, although they all invited us in. If we would have we would never have reached our destination.
At last we reached No 25 and what a reunion the two sisters would have. You could tell they were fond of each other. My uncles would come up in the boat to take us back. I think the visits to No 25 were the highlights of granny’s summers.
Details
- Record Type:
- Person
- Also Known As:
- Peigidh Iain Thormoid
- Date Of Birth:
- 28 Mar 1866
- Gender:
- Female
- Brothers Keeper Reference:
- CEBL 571
- Record Maintained by:
- CEBL
Related Media
Mackenzie sisters from 13 Hacklete