14942: Alexander Macleod

Alasdair Iain

Alexander (1798-1881) was a son of John and Margaret Macleod, Carloway. He came to Calbost as a young man with the Tacksman Robert Weir when the village was first lotted about 1818. 

Alexander's name appears on an early list of kelpers which include Donald Kennedy 2 Calbost, Norman Buidh Mackenzie 3 Calbost, Donald Smith 5 Calbost, Kenneth Macleod 13 Calbost, Malcolm Finlayson 14 Calbost and Kenneth Maclean 14 Calbost.

He married Catherine Maclean, 14 Calbost. Alexander and Catherine were the first tenants of 1 Calbost and they had three children. In the 1881 Census he was a Blind Pauper. He died on September 2, 1881 and Catherine died fifteen days later.

Oral tradition informs us that Alexander was one of three brothers that came from Garenin, Carloway to Pairc early in the 19th century. Although the three of them were traditionally known as brothers, the indications were that Jock might have been a nephew, probably brought up in the same home. There was a strong and persistent tradition that the three brothers that came to Lochs changed their name from Macphail to Macleod, and that is probably true in the case of Jock at least. The tradition of the change of name was perpetuated by the Marvig satirist Robert Finlayson, 2 Marvig, in Gaelic verse aimed at his neighbour Coinneach Sheock son of Jock, 8 Calbost. Part of the verse reads: Ged a their iad Macleoid ruit, Se be choir bhi ort ach Macphail. Robert also links his neighbour to, Fionnladh Mor A Muille MacAonghais Bhain as na Gearanean.

Surnames were not in common use in the early 19th century. People were referred to by their patronymic name. It was not until about 1814 when a start was made with the first lotting in Lewis that people began to use their English names because they became directly responsible to their landlord for their croft rent. Some of the people did not know what their real English surname was and they were not fussy what surname was given to them, hence there were members of the same family bearing different surnames sometimes.

Alexander Macleod, 1 Calbost, Jock Macleod, 8 Calbost and Calum Og Mackay, 17 Calbost were married to three sisters, Catherin, Ann and Christina. Another sister, Mary was married to Malcolm MacRitchie, 38 Gravir.  They were daughters of Coinneach Ruadh Maclean 1760 who himself came from the Carloway, Shawbost area and resided at Calbost for a while before he moved to 15 Gravir.