Biographical Sketch
Genealogy of the Loch Lomond MacDonald'
Farming in the early days
Dominion Coal Company cut lumber at Silver Mine
Describes the operation, log bridge built across the river
The log drive to the sawmill...
Describes the process of hauling logs to the river
Logs provided lumber for company houses
Started school at age of 10
His first teacher, Jessie Morrison
Far from school, boarded with his aunt...
Describes the school, how it was heated, the discipline
Left school after grade 5
Started working at the Steel Plant, 1926
During Depression, little work - plant worked 2 days a week
Women were hired during the War (WW II)
Work on the farm - what the women did - the day's routine

Food - fish, how it was preserved
Making farm implement
Hay making in the early days
Dairy proucts - keeping milk cold
The arrival of cream separators, their care
His father was postmaster, 1912
Carried mail to Salmon River, $1 a trip
Discusses operation of the post office & mail route
First post office at Loch Lomond
News papers - Sydney (N.S.) Weekly Post, Family Herald
Wages at the Steel Plants after the War
Describes work at the Plant
United Steel Workers Union didn't get started until after 1941
The Plant Council...
Life on the farm - kerosene lamps, wood stoves...
Water from the well - never frozen because of its depth
When the mine started, the well went dry
No social activities in his youth
Church history - lay preachers in the earliest times
Present church built in 1910
United Church at Loch Lomond opened 1929
The first ministers...
Dissension and division over the union
Choir made up of older people
Prayer meetings held in school once a week
Gaelic the only language spoken at home; few could repeat it
His thoughts on Gaelic Today
He and all his brothers & sisters, born at home, delivered by a midwife, Peggy Currie
Never felt that his likfe lacked anything
Discusses food on the farm; potatoes & turnip the only vegetables
Implements manufactured in the forge
Four blacksmiths in the area, he gives their names; none today
Names 3 merchants that were in the area at the time
Pioneer craftes, processing wool
Describes his trip to North Uist, his search for information on Malcolm "The Carpnter"
Describes the Presbyterian Church in Scotland, his impression
Describes a Gaelic service he attended
Sunday laws stricty bserved there
Some more genealogy
His mother's weaving - she was self taught
Mary MacLean whom he visited in Scotland
Reads in Gaelic

File consists of an audio recording; mentions first contact between Mi'kmaq and Gaelic settlers.

Brief biographical sketch of Hugh MacKenzie and his contributions to Cape-Bretoniana and Mr. MacKenzie is interviewed by Cathleen MacKinnon

Hugh MacKenzie: Early history of Christmas Island (N.S.), MacNeils vs. Mi'kmaq, Scottish Immigrants to C.B. Brought only bare essentials with them, Funiture and Clothing in the early days

Early method for making dye

Recipe for making soap

Faill iu faillin ho ro eile - Milling song

Recipe for making tea. Early settlers made tea from herbs and roots

Medical care - sick and elderly were cared for by relative and neighbors

His prayers were answered ... Anecdote

Difficulty getting food...

Mi'kmaw with scalping knife...

Dat's me father

Schools scholars in the days...

Asthma and sore throat cure

Superstitious practises

Meeting the red haired woman means bad luck for the rest of the day

The black cat superstition...

Discussion on second-sight

I feel a heavy weight on my back...

Second-sight story

Stop here a minute...something is going to happen right here

I saw my brother's funeral...

Hallowe'en customs/B. New Year with rhymes

Reiteach - matchmaking

Brief sketch of MacKenzie family...

The ship "Harmony"

The Scottish pioneers were ingenious

Oran and amadan bhoidheach...Song-lament tells of a man who mistakenly shoots his sweetheart

MacNeil Boating Songs (Kishmul Castle)

Gu bheil angille dubh-dhonn

Oran an t-saighdear - Soldier laments his second induction into the army

Tha mi fo lean dubh 's mi m'onair composed by Bard William Ross

Song lament

Tha mo glean air au Chieetan [SIC]

Tha mise fo mhulad 's an am...

Mary's Dream

O nach till thu ruinn a rithis...Jacobite song

Soraidh leibh 's oidhche mhath liebh

Thanks Hugh MacKenzie

Articles include:

“Uisdein MacGhilleasbaig Chléirich” about the treacherous nephew of Donald Gorm MacDonald in the 16th century.
“An Righ agus an Ciobair” a folktale.
The Irish Famine.
A mystery ship
Train service in Scotland
Folklore of Kintyre
Calendar customs
A comical conversation between the “Red Cat” and “Peigi”
The Poetry of Fr. Allan MacDonald
A comical conversation between the “Red Cat” and “Peigi” corncerning Gaels’ impression of non-Gaels.
The New Year tradition of A’Challain. Reprinted from Teachdaire nan Gaidheal, 1829.
A comical conversation between the “Red Cat” and “Peigi” The Brahan Seer, Coinneach Odhar.
A response to a letter sent in 1848 to a Gaelic periodical, in which a man expresses concern regarding women’s fashions,
Highladn regiments fighting in WWI and WWII.
The folktale “Na Tri Fainneachan”
Wise Fool tales of Gilleasbuig Aotrom
The loss of self-sustenance in the Highlands
Concerning the Glasgow and other Fairs.
A letter to the editor from a man in the Highlands complaining about women’s behaviour and the cost of living going up.
Educational reform in Scotland.
An man who lived in Oban’s school log book.
The Massacre of Glencoe
Biblical stories
The Crofter’s Commission Report
A Gaelic textbook used in Harris
Gaelic poets
The life and works of Gaelic scholar, Ewen MacLachlan

Fonds consists of reproductions of a letter and reply to The Casket regarding an article, "Early Days in Cape Breton" with special reference to the Gaels, criticizing the way in which they were portrayed in the article.

Fonds consists of:

• papers including correspondence with D.D. MacFarlane, Joseph D. MacKinnon and Fr. Angus MacNeil pertaining to MacNeil, MacSween and MacFarlane genealogies and to Gaelic songs
• list of members of the Caledonian Society, Sydney
• story entitled "Stephen the Spendthrift"
• passport photo of Mr. MacNeil [#79-1192-4172]

His people came from North Uist Angus "Mor" MacDonald & his friends prepared for a year to emigrate

The people who "drove" them out

People who came: MacLeods, Morrisons, MacKinnons, Beatons

His grandfather's family - 10 children, 2 born here

His grandmother told him stories of Scotland

They sailed from Loch Maddy on "The Commerce", weeks & 6 days on the journey

Half the group went to West Bay, the rest stayed at Irish Cove - finally all moved to Loch Lomond area

How they acquired stock - oxen, horses, cattle

Many brands - songs were never published

His experiences going west on the "Harvest" trains

Wages & working conditions

Describes different types of work in the lumber camps

The pioneers' religion

Log churches - snow blew in between the logs

Church services, precenting

Social life - ceilidhs, milling frolics,

Milling songs - the best singers were in Loch Lomond

Weddings - the "drive" after the marriage, as many as 100 wagons

One of the songs they sang during the drive - "Cha bhi mi buan 's tu bhi buan"

Sings a chorus of the song

Item is a complete translation of the 1662 Book of Common Prayer of the Church of England. The full title is "Leabhar na h'Urnuigh Choitchionn, agus Frithealadh nan Sacramainte, agus Riaghailte agus Deasghnatha Eile na h'Eaglais : do Reir Gnathachadh na h'Eaglais Shasgonaich: Maille ris an t Saltair no Sailm Dhaibhidh" which translates as "Book of Common Prayer and Administration of the Sacraments and Ceremonies of the Church According to the Use of the Church of England Together with the Psalter or Psalms of David"

Fonds consists of the genealogy of the Clanranald MacDonalds of Moidart and Morar.

Fonds consists of "The Spanish Treasure Ship of Mull", a story of the "Florida" a galleon of the Spanish Armada which was blown up and sunk off the coast of Mull by Donald Glas MacLean in 1588. The story is closely connected to the story of the "Doideag Mhuilleach" or Mull Witch who was said to have worked for the MacLeans of Duart in using her powers to destroy the ship.

Fonds consists of a character reference for Hector MacNeil, one of the first Scottish settlers of Christmas Island.

This fonds consists of a letter from Malcolm Campbell, Barra, with family news; copy of tombstone of Roderick and Jane MacNeil.

Fonds consists of a facsimile of the original National Covenant of Scotland, with autographs of the principal leading personages, signed 1638.

Fonds consists of three photocopies of character references for Ronald MacDonald, from South Uist who settled at Gillis Lake.

This fonds consists of a reproduction of letters written by Mary, Queen of Scots, a warrant for confining Mary and a declaration of her execution.