Yesterday 21st of September, I came across yet another envelope of photos that I had not seen for a long time, so much so that I cannot remember seeing them at all, they are not mine and I suspect they were left in Rona Lodge or sent to me. They are interesting as they all are. I also discovered another problem. I used Green Wood Classic Photo Albums to store my pictures pre digital, but could not find them back in the day to finish building my library, I think Jessops who retailed them went bankrupt. So the library is a bit of a mess to be honest. Not my finest filing operation. In early 2000s with limited internet I never had the opportunity to search for these Green Wood books. Last night I did on a whim, lo and behold they are available, I bought two. After going through my diaries, my photobooks and researching I now realise that to continue I need to sort these pictures, to match the diary. Another hold up but it is work in progress. Especially on dark days like the one outside, more rain!!
1990 on the reverse
This photo will appeal to Val MacIlreavy a regular visitor, subscriber and supporter. Her connection, I am sure she will correct me, was when she visited Rona all those years ago as a Police Cadet.
The Cadets came over with the Applecross Venture Trust for outdoor training I think? Val can fill me in and I will post if she does.
Back in the day the Lodge was open, folk bothied in it, the Shepherds used it and it had not suffered much vandalism.
Some selfish yachties told me they were not happy that I lived there as it spoiled their fun, living in the house, fires, cooking, shooting rabbits (who carries a gun on holiday on a yacht?) taking away souvenirs. Well I am sorry that there is the problem with remote Scotland, folk think it should be kept as a museum and playground. A playground it is not and ownership of these places carries a weight of responsibility, they need to make them pay something towards their upkeep. Some think the Scottish Government (ie the Tax Payer/me) should support, I would prefer a better NHS, Social services and road upkeep. If wealthy folk want to buy these places let them use their hard earned cash to support them until they find the magic bullet that will do. Many wealthy people do so.
Interesting that they had an Argo Cat, I am told it was forever breaking down. These are early days and fair play to the builders who did this job, the Lodge now is showing its age and could do with another renovation.
There are quite a few stories about this time from the renovation until I took over in 2002, maybe I would not have lasted as long as I did if I had been there at the start. It sounds quite a tough existence.
I assume because this picture was with the others that the boats were delivering building material, the yellow trailer was for accommodation and the first pioneers on Rona had pretty basic facilities, they were a family of 5 perhaps with the dog, I will be checking, they had a tough life.
This is the genny shed and I think much later but still pre 2002. I built onto it and it was one of my first jobs.
I have no idea about this picture, perhaps the owners but I do not think so. I suspect the field was much more solid in those days, the cattle and drainage I think had the opposite effect. Certainly this photo taken in the 1990s, the Lodge now looking like it has inhabitants, but building material is in piles outside.
This final picture is of the site where the cabin was siting for the workers. I have a feeling that there was a pontoon with a Portacabin on it and hopefully this post will remind me to visit Donald Matheson (Portree) to ask about the fishfarm, the people pre-me and timelines. He was one of the owners and by the time I got there most of the equipment and buildings were gone.
Early 2002 – New Photos Found
I thought I had everything set up, but to be honest it was a bit of a muddle. Too many photos stuffed into albums which all needed sorted out before I was able to start putting together my early years on Rona.
I thought I was organised and had a system in place. Then I opened a box by chance in the new garage here at Camastianavaig last month and there were two albums underneath all the other papers of early photos, in order, sorted!!!!
So here is a selection of them for you. There may be some overlap with the previous post but I hope it will all come together in the end.
On the back of the photo’: Donald and Fiona Macalman June 4th 1995, this is well before my time for sure and I now see Marc Calhoun from Seattle of all places, gave me these many years ago.
You could say Marc is obsessed with Scottish Islands and has written many articles about them, travelling almost every year to visit the Western Isles. I met him years ago and surprisingly he returned only a few years back, as a Guide on the tour boats. He has stayed on Rona in our holiday cottages.
The Macalmans were popular caretakers, there are many stories about them. Origionally from Colonsay they were the first longer term residents coming into the Lodge on near completion of its renovation.
Marc leaving Rona Harbour on that day, the Lodge not painted yet , the roof still to go on the Bothy, no pontoon.
Definitely before the previous pictures, although the Lodge is white, this is lime mortar which was chipped off, wghen it was renovated, it was Boss!!!
I do not know who to credit for this picture, possibly a yachtie? No shed or genny shed, the sheep are around which would date it way back in 1978.
Inside the Lodge before Dorte Jensen purchased Rona, the local shepherds used to Bothy here, there are again many tales about nights spent here after working on sheep. Others used it including the Applecross Outdoor Centre (I am unsure if that was its title). It provided shelter even in its ruinous state.
The picture is from the same source, unknown sadly. This room latterly was a bedroom, an office and a dining room. It had some of the original furniture from the ‘Woods of Raasay’ day which the Macrae Family looked after for years whilst a Bothy. But even more depressing, a yachtsman told me years ago how good it was that I was not on Rona in the past!! He said they used to come into the Lodge and help themselves. I stopped that. I was not impressed.
Many artefacts and items have been taken over the years, to become planters, discarded, dumped, who knows.
An earlier photo of Dorte, Ray and Mary, the previous encumbents prior to my tenure, Peter Urquhart delivering fuel. Tied up to the old pier, pre-pontoon.
This was a shopping trip for Ray and Mary to Portree, I think it was my second visit as I took the picture. I remember Ray came home that night after a session in the Pier Hotel, the worse for wear. I most likely did the same on several occasions.
A rare picture, most likely Marc Calqhoun’s. Showing the Comms’ shed at the top of Meal Acarseid. It was removed sometime after Dorte Jensen bought the Island. A cable ran up from the shore, unusual as it was a power cable? It was burned in the big fire which engulfed the Island around 1992/93.
I retrieved as much as I could and had it stored. Paul Camilli from Arinish my nearest neighbour called one day and spotted it. Although the three cores were melted together it was still conducting. He used it on his windmill using one piece for each core, smart guy.
On the front side of the shed plinth there was a drop of extra concrete dumped, an imprint of a bum was made and ‘Jock’s Arse/Bum’ was scraped into the concrete!!! Still there.
An early picture of the Mission House, similar to the one at Arinish on Raasay, this one provided a Mission (Church) and accomodation. at Dry Harbour.
Our good friend Julia MacKenzie who lived on Eilean Tighe with her parents, I seem to semember 9 siblings, I will stand corrected if not, had a few anecdotes about this building.
She remembers being put in the building through a window (it must have been relatively secure) before WW2 to retrieve the Rona Bible, I do not know who for but I do know that it now lies at Kilmuir Museum. We heard that the Bible was away getting renovated but I never did get to see it.
There was a German man who stayed in the Schoolhouse during part of the war and he used the Mission House too, he even had mail delivered by Julia’s Father at that time. It was common talk that there was a spy on Rona, but nothing ever happened apart from one day, he disappeared and young Julia was told he had been picked up by a submarine, his name was Van Tong. There is reference to him in a book by one of the Queen’s Ladies in waiting who visited whilst at Applecross Estate during the War. Very odd. I have more details in my records, I hope to find this story this winter coming, when I have more time and less daylight.
That is the first lot of pictures, the next is the renovation of the first holiday cottage on Rona. Started before my time, the architect John Manning of Perthshire. The Main Contractor was James MacKinnon from Ardrishaig and his squad. Transport by the Fishfarm landing craft and ‘The Brigadoon’/Peter Urquhart a local hotelier. They had a very good relationship in those days with the fishfarm as there was a farm at Dhu Chamas in operation. Shortly before I arrived the site was closed down.
Coming Soon:
