REFLECTIONS FROM Ross-shire 100, 50 and 25 years ago: The unlikely protector of Gaelic; jail for bigamist and a new boat in Achiltibuie
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From the edition of July 4, 1997
The remarkable of how a young man from South London moved to Wester Ross and made it his life's work to preserve the Gaelic language is told in the first of a new series on Grampian TV.
Roy Wentworth – who stays in Gairloch – told how a climbing holiday in the Torridon hills resulted in him leaving the bustle of Tooting behind to immerse himself in Gaelic.
Roy took a job in forestry development on the shores of Loch Maree as he persevered with his Gaelic studies by visiting old people in the community. "I knew that at the time I started learning the language the local dialect was dying. Words for plants and wildlife, and particularly place names, were vanishing," he said.
Taking notebooks with him as he went around the scattered community speaking to older people, he recorded a language that was in danger of disappearing as the ageing residents died. He produced a dictionary that details his extensive collection of words and phrases.
From the edition of June 30, 1972
An Achiltibuie man who has been a fisherman for 25 years is to buy a new 40ft touring and lobster and creel boat.
Ian Macleod (40), whose wife runs of the Achiltibuie Post Office, ferries tourists on day trips to the Summer Isles and finds his present 35ft boat too small. He will be assisted by the Highlands and Islands Development Board to buy the larger boat which will carry up to 80 passengers a day.
In the off season months from October to March, he will use the vessel for creel and lobster.
Last month, Lochaber and Ullapool Women's Guild and Young Mothers held an afternoon tea and sales table in the Ullapool Village Hall for Christian Aid.
The Rev. W. Maclennan introduced Dr Pat Watters, Ullapool, who told of the tremendous work done by Christian Aid, before declaring the sales tables open.
The Women's Guild sincerely thank all who helped them to send £140.50 to Christian Aid, the paper reported half a century ago.
From the edition of July 7, 1922
In the Dornoch Sheriff Court on Tuesday, before Sheriff Forbes, William Manson, meal miller, Aultgowrie, near Muir of Ord, pleaded guilty to a charge of bigamy and was sentenced to three months' imprisonment.
The procurator fiscal described the case as one of unusual cruelty. Manson's first wife, who bore him 10 children, was alive and lived in Alness, where he was married in 1894.
She left him because of cruelty for which he was sentenced to 60 days. He went to Skelbo near Dornoch, where he married Alexandra L. Thom three years ago, one child being born.
She recently sued him in the Dingwall Court for separation, also for cruelty, and then discovered that he was a married man.
The arrangements for the 'Thistle Day' collection at Garve were successfully carried out by Miss Daisy Wallace, Strathgarve and a willing band of assistants.
The amount received was £5 of which £1 12s 7d was collected in Lochluichart by Miss A. Fraser, Forrest Hill.
