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Collachs.
This past year we have no births or marriages to record on Coll, but sadly, four deaths:
John Galbraith on 3rd. May, 1990.
Mrs. Jean MacKinnon on 4th. January, 1991.
Hugh MacKinnon on 5th. January, 1991.
Neil MacDonald on 3rd. April, 1991.
Johnny or Jock Galbraith, as he was always known, died peacefully last May after a long illness bravely borne. He was actually born on the Isle of Luing, but lived and grew up at Langamull on Mull, where he remained until his marriage to Barbara Graham in 1948, when they moved to Cliad on Coll and brought up a family of five there. Apart from his farming activities, Jock was treasurer of the Hall Committee for many years, and also on the Show Committee and a member of the old Coll and Tiree District Council. To his widow, Barbara, daughter and son-in-law on Tiree, his two sons and daughter on Coll, and his daughter Christine, in Sussex, we extend our sincere sympathy.
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The first week of 1991 sadly saw the death of two Collachs within 24 hours of each other, - Mrs. Jean MacKinnon on 4th. and Hugh MacKinnon on January 5th. Jeannie MacDonald was born and brought up at Lonban and went to school at what is now Acha House, but she moved to Bousd after marrying Jimmy MacKinnon, where they farmed for many years. After her husband's death she went to live with her cousins, Duncan and the late Mary-Margaret MacKinnon at Strachur. Jeannie went to spend last Christmas and New Year with her young cousins, Roddy and Mary MacKinnon, at Condorrat, Dumbarton, and it was there that she passed away suddenly on January 4th. We send our sincere condolences to all her family.
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Hughie MacKinnon passed away peacefully on January 5th. after a prolonged illness borne with great courage and cheerfulness. He was born at Broadhill in 1911, went to school at Acha, and moved to Arileod in 1942. In 1949 he married Chrissie MacLachlan, and they set up home at Arileod, but moved to one of the new council houses in Arinagour when they were opened in 1956, and Chrissie became the cook in the new school. As a young man in the 1930s Hugh ran a horse and cart between Arinagour and the West End selling bread, and subsequently in 1937 this service became mechanized when Hugh bought one of the first cars to come to the island. Among Hugh's many other activities he did the West End school bus run from 1942-1984, (see Coll Mag. 1985), he was the Registrar Clerk for the District Council for 30 years and also a special constable. Hugh became the first telephone engineer to be employed on Coll after the manual exchange became obsolete, a job he continued after the radio exchange was installed in 1974 until his retirement. Hugh's well-attended funeral took place at Killionnaig cemetary on January 10th, and we extend our deepest sympathy to his widow, Chrissie, and her sister, Morag, in their sad loss.
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As we were about to go to print, news reached us of the sudden death In Windygates Hospital, Fife, on April 3rd. of Neil MacDonald, late of Green Cottage, Isle of Coll, only son of the late Hugh and Catherine MacDonald. Neil was for 26 years from 1947-1973, the tenant of "The Shop" owned by the Coll Estate, which became known as MacDonald's Stores, and Neil has described elsewhere in this issue his experiences of running the shop during that period. On his retirement he moved to the mainland to be near his sister, Mrs. Park at Fort William, and they later moved to Fife where he died. Green Cottage was subsequently sold and now sadly the little red and green house remembered by so many people in its prominent position in the village, no longer exists. Neil's funeral took place at Killionnaig on April 6th., and although gales were blowing, the weather did not keep mourners away. To his sisters, nephews and nieces (some of whom were stormbound on Coll for 24 hours) we extend our sincere sympathy in their bereavement.
Proverbs of Prudence: - taken from the Coll Almanac, 1890. A handful of good life is better than a bushel of learning. |
