116845: Finlay Maciver

Finlay (1927-2017) was a son of John A Maciver and Mary Ann Macdonald formerly of 4 Park Barvas. Finlay spent his childhood at Soval  where his father was estate gamekeeper, a position Finlay himself was subsequently to occupy. 

In 1954 at the High Church in Stornoway he married Mary Ann Maclennan of 3 Kirkibost. The couple began their married lives at 23 Laxay but in 1957 Finlay bought croft 22 Laxay and they relocated to that address. Here they raised four children; Finlay remained resident  here until his death in 2017.

Ill-health forced Finlay to relinquish his role as gamekeeper in 1965, but he remained heavily involved in crofting locally and in crofting development. He also operated commercial enterprises – a mobile butchery business in the Bernera/Uig area as well as a grocery, previously operated by Donald Macleod, at 73 Balallan Westend (Buth Nooh) for a time. Finlay was district councillor for his local area prior to the inception of the Comhairle nan Eilean Siar.