IMAGES OF COLL

A fascinating collection of old photographs is now on permanent display in the Business centre having had their first 'airing' last summer in New Pier Store Gallery.

The photographs have been reproduced from the originals here on the island with the help of modem computer technology and the ability to produce high quality photo prints at the business centre.

Most of the photos in the collection were taken by 'old' Robert Sturgeon, father of the late Robert McIntosh Sturgeon of Tigh na Mara. The camera used was of the type that required a hood, tripod and magnesium flash, the final images being preserved on glass plates, about 6.4 inches in size.This sort of equipment would have been in use any time between 1880 and 1930 but the most likely date for the majority of the photos in the collection is around 1904.

For some years now the plates had been in the safekeeping of the late Katie Sproat and her son Archie, whose help in this initiative has been invaluable.

The work of preparing the collection was also made easier by the prior efforts of John Crawford. John has been responsible for these and many other photos being stored in the Scottish Ethnological Archive of the National Museum of Scotland. One or two of the photos have also appeared in publications such as 'To See Ourselves'.

The identification of places and individuals in the photographs has proved tantalising and, at times, difficult. Buildings such as the Coll Hotel, Kilbride, the Garden House and the Smiddy are relatively easy to identify but some ninety years on, the people depicted are not easy to put a name to. The photos are all digitally stored on computer and can be reproduced as high quality prints up to A3 in size. Alternatively, a catalogue of miniature prints can be produced and orders can be placed Coll Business Centre.

From information provided by the Business Centre