OBITUARY: John Macdonald, Rogart
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John Macdonald, Little Rogart, who died on December 17, was a man of many parts: family man, crofter, railway worker, postie, musician, local historian, author and friend. John passed away just a month after the death of his beloved wife of 61 years, Gena.
For a man whose name came to be associated with the parish of Rogart, it may come as a surprise to learn that he was born in Inverness in 1936, the eldest child of Jimmy Macdonald and Elizabeth née Trotter. John and his family returned to Sutherland when he was three years old, because his widowed granny was ailing and struggling with the family croft. It was here, in Rogart, that John’s love of the natural world started and where he was often found climbing a tree.
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After schooling in Rogart and Golspie, he started work as a labourer at West Kinnauld Farm. This was interrupted by his call-up for two years of National Service. Despite winning a prize for shooting, he mainly spent his time practising eightsome and thirty-two-some reels, polishing up the Scottish dancing routine for that year’s Edinburgh Tattoo. In his self-deprecating way John described how, whilst other men left for the torrid heat of Aden and Egypt, or the steamy jungles of Borneo and Malaya, he never left Fort George. Unfortunately, he was taken seriously ill with pleurisy and treated in the Nissen huts of the old Raigmore hospital. His days of National Service were over before they had begun.
It was back to Rogart again and, after helping on his father’s croft to rebuild his strength and health, he had a brief stint at Blarich Farm before deciding that working on the railway would provide a secure job with better prospects.
His railway career started at Hoy gates, a couple of miles from Georgemas junction, in Caithness. His accommodation was basic – a timber bunkhouse – where one morning after a storm he stepped out of his bed into a foot-deep snowdrift that had blown under the door.
At the weekends John would return home, when he also visited the Invershin Hotel, ostensibly to see his cousin Rhona, who was a waitress there. In fact, he had met and struck up a friendship with Gena Henderson, of Culrain Mains, who was the hotel cook. In due course they married and began marital life in a showman’s caravan near Beauly. As a relief signalman John worked at various signal boxes on the Inverness to Kyle of Lochalsh line, although he was never kept too busy, and had time to compose a song or two in the signal box.
John’s semi-nomadic life on the railways didn’t suit the young couple when their first child was due, and so they returned to his native parish and employment as a postman/crofter. Here John became an active participant in parish life. There was always a club, group or society on the go, and at various times he was involved with the community council, Scottish Crofters Union, British Legion, organising whists, was an extra in the amateur dramatics, co-founding and riding in White Heather Motorcycle Trials and much more besides.
‘John the Post’ used the opportunity provided by his posting round to listen to Rogart worthies tell their stories about parish life and characters. He would write down snippets of local history on scraps of paper and put them in his pocket—ending up with full pockets—and so he started carrying a wee notebook. The notebooks expanded and grew into files and folders. An obsession had begun.
John started collecting oral histories with reel-to-reel tapes; then people gave him their ancestors’ photographs, books and other artefacts. A local history group was mooted, and Rogart Heritage Society was formed. John gave talks and led walks, put up signs and made ancient footpaths passable again. He met and helped visitors and letter writers from around the world who had queries about Rogart and its residents.
In 1993 John was asked to write a piece for the north Highland monthly magazine, Am Bratach, and this led to a regular column ‘A View From the Croft Gate’ which he wrote for the next 25 years. His confidence was boosted by the positive reactions to his articles and he went on to author five local history books and his memoirs.
Many people will remember John for his musical talent, as a founding member of the Sutherland Accordion & Fiddle Club and playing in several cèilidh bands and Mòd groups. He travelled overseas with his music and made friends there as a result. He still played a small squeezebox during the last few months of his life.
As well as being a hands-on crofter, John also became an activist who championed the crofter’s cause. One significant case arose when a landowner was determined to deny local people the right of access to Rogart Park, which they had enjoyed since 1886 (a parallel that will not be lost on students of the Highland Clearances). But John stubbornly refused to give up his rights without a fight, and subsequently won the case for the crofters.
In his later days John suffered several health setbacks, but it was a stroke in 2017 that curtailed his adventures, particularly his motorcycle rides out to remote hirsels.
But that didn’t stop his studies, and in many ways, this was his most productive period, producing three books in as many years. John’s fascination with the shepherds and sheep farms who displaced the Sutherland tenantry, led to years of research. With his pal, Brian Gibson, he visited former shepherds and took down their stories. The resulting book had the longest gestation period of them all: having started researching the subject around 2008 it was eventually published in 2021.
Recognition for this quiet and modest man came when he was awarded an Honorary Fellowship from the University of the Highlands and Islands: “for his work in history, music and crofting politics to support community education, academic research, public service and cultural work for over 50 years”.
John Macdonald will be remembered for his many and diverse accomplishments, but at his core he was a family man. He was the proud father of Liz, Andrew and Stephen, grandfather to Robyn, Lori, Chrissie and Mac; and great-grandfather to Hugh, Fleur, Edie and Adi.
This tribute could not end without mentioning John’s most significant relationship, with his cherished wife; for many of John’s escapades and achievements could simply not have taken place if it were not for Gena’s unstinting support. Christina Perera.
