54320: Ann Macdonald

Ann, born 1860, was a daughter of Angus and Ann nee Macdonald, 24 Valasay. The family relocated to Lundale c1891 – settling at No 2 – and, although Ann is not enumerated with them in 1901, it is likely she moved also.

When the families moved to Lundale it was in the summertime – Ann’s family had planted potatoes in Valasay the previous spring and in October it was time to lift them. She and her brother John took the boat from Lundale hoping to go round to Valasay by sea and bring the potatoes back. Sailing through Struth Earshader heading west they passed ‘Calum Ruadh an Tobha’ in his boat sailing the other way. A nasty squall was blowing down the loch and John asked Ann to take the sheet rope as he was going to try and take the boat into the shelter of Tob nan Cuileag. Whatever Ann did caused the boat to capsize but they were saved from drowning by hanging on to the sail. A villager from the Earshader shore called out to the crew on Calum Ruadh’s boat who came to their rescue.

Ann was known as the ‘Seal’ from then on.