Issue 211 - May 2010

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CONTENTS

- A Giant of His Time - Duncan McNab McEachran (1841 - 1924)

- Lakeland Marine
- CARRADALE PRIMARY SPORTS RELIEF
- I HAVE A CALL FOR YOU - Getting 60% off Vodaphone Mobile Phone Calls
- Scotland's Heritage Paths
- The Heritage Paths Map
- KINTYRE CIVIC SOCIETY NEWSLETTER
- JAMES (HAMISH) MACKINVEN (1921 - 2010)
- FEBRUARY AND MARCH RAINFALL
- HEAD-ACHE RELIEF
- ADMIN - NO RELIEF ?
- EKCC BLOG
- ROAD RELIEF
- RELIEF FROM WIND
- KINTYRE CRIME PREVENTION PANEL AGM
- Carradale Golf Club - Ladies Section
- NOT CRICKET
- South Kintyre Seniors' Forum
- AN CROIT UPGRADE ?
- TRIP ROUND THE BAY ?
- ‘THOSE WERE THE DAYS’ - ACCIDENTS & ENGINES - John MacMillan
- UP & UP
- KINTYRE WAY RELAY
- UNCHARITABLE LANGUAGE

A Giant of His Time - Duncan McNab McEachran

Having read a recent article by John O’Neill in The Kintyre Antiquarian and Natural Historian, on the history of Dentistry in
Kintyre, I decided to see what information there was on my own profession, Veterinary Medicine, in Kintyre.

As a student ‘seeing practice’ with George Lewis MRCVS in Campbeltown, one of the best country vets I have had the
pleasure to work with, I heard of the problems his father often had in the day’s of pony and trap especially since he had been
wounded in the war. I also found an earlier article in the same journal, by F.R.Sutherland, in which he described the early
practitioners in Kintyre following the establishment of the profession by Royal Charter on 1844. All of these people were
incomers however, and nowhere did I find any mention of the Kintyre man who was one of the founding fathers of world
Veterinary Medicine.

Duncan McNab McEachran was born in Longrow, Campbeltown in 1841 He was the son and grandson of Campbeltown
blacksmiths and farriers. His father was David McEachran, who according to the 1851 census also farmed and employed four
men. His mother was a Miss Jean Blackney, a name not found in any other Kintyre records. After studying at Campbeltown
Grammar School, he entered the Edinburgh Veterinary College, then the only one in Scotland, and now known as the Royal
(Dick) Veterinary School, in 1858 at the age of 17. He graduated in 1861 and began his illustrious career.

After a year or so in Scotland, where job opportunities were precarious, he took the route of so many of his Kintyre
compatriots of the day, and emigrated to Canada in late 1862. He settled in Upper Canada, the area now known as Ontario, in
the town of Woodstock, and there he started his own one man practice. He specialized in horse practice, as was the tradition
of the day, especially for the son and grandson of farriers. Possibly even more significantly, he was a McEachran, who were
always known as ‘the horse people’. He gained an excellent name for his skills and as a result, in 1863, a fellow veterinary
surgeon, Andrew Smith, who had attended Edinburgh Veterinary College with him, asked him to help set up the Upper
Canada Veterinary School (later the Ontario Veterinary College) in Toronto. This school continues to this day, though now in
Guelph, Ontario, as one of the leading schools in North America.

The two men were assiduous in promoting animal health among farmers and politicians through lectures and newspaper
articles and in 1867 they published the first Canadian veterinary textbook The Canadian horse and his diseases.

McEachran was also interested in diseases of cattle and pigs and wrote a number of articles and reports on the major
infectious diseases affecting the Canadian livestock. After a disagreement of methods of teaching, however, he left the
Ontario college and proceeded to Montreal, in 1865 where he again opened his own private practice. He was subsequently to
set up the province’s of Quebec’s first school of veterinary medicine in 1866. This was at a time when Canadian agriculture
was already beginning its excellent reputation for stockbreeding particularly in the dairy industry and McEachran was one of
its leaders. His Veterinary School was closely aligned to the world famous McGill University from the start, and was the first
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in the world to demand educational qualifications, and not just ability to pay the fees, from his students. So high were his
entrance and his qualification standards that in the first nine years only ten students graduated. Such was their ability however
that the school became recognised as the best in North America if not the world at that time. It was eventually absorbed into
McGill University and McEachran appointed Dean of Veterinary Medicine, a position he retained until his retirement in 1903.
In 1905 he was awarded the honorary degree of D.Sc. by that University in recognition of his contributions to science.

His contribution was not restricted to science alone however, among his other achievements were the introduction of a
quarantine system for Canada, which is still the basis for one of the highest standards of animal agriculture in the world, and
the establishment of a control system for the horse influenza epidemic in New York, which in the 1870’s was paralysing the
city’s transport system. Because of his advocacy and development of animal health policy and regulations, leading to the first
national health regulations, in 1885 McEachran was recognized by the country’s political leaders and became the first chief
veterinary adviser to the Government of Canada. So successful were these that they became a model for other countries and
for his contribution to national policy development, McEachran was awarded the honorary degree of LL.D in 1909.

In conjunction with the world famous medical epidemiologist, Sir William Osler, he also established the requirement for his
students to take courses in the medical school as well as the veterinary classes and he is generally considered one of the
founders, with Osleri, of the discipline of Comparative Pathology. His educational philosophy, which was based on the
similarity between human and animal medicine, as well as on instruction in basic science as well as clinical experience,
anticipated the teaching model that most Western schools of veterinary medicine would adopt subsequently. It is still the basis
of 21st Century veterinary teaching courses throughout the world, but few are aware that the founder of modern veterinary
education was a blacksmith’s son from Longrow.

(Authors Note: In my discovery of this remarkable son of Kintyre I have to acknowledge the valuable genealogical assistance
of Sadie (Galbraith) Muir. Ronald J Roberts, Ardnacross March 2010)

Lakeland Marine
On Sunday, 14 March, Lakeland arranged for visiting trips to the fish farm to see the first introduction of salmon to the cages.
Around 8 trips were made accounting for around 50 people. Catering was provided courtesy of Ann Currie and a good day
was had by one and all. It was also very pleasing to see that Lakeland had honoured its commitment to employ mainly
Carradale based people and in addition to the manager, who is an existing experienced Lakeland employee the other 3 full
time jobs went to locals. There is also a healthy team of part time workers, also mainly from Carradale

CARRADALE PRIMARY SPORTS RELIEF

Hi Geoff Ive attached a photo of the Primary 4-7 pupils with their sport relief socks after completing their mile. Primary 4-7
and myself ran the mile, which was just over 16times round a 100metre track marked out in the playground. Primary 1-3
walked the mile with Miss Crawford, Miss McMillan and Mrs Elliott. Sponsor money is still being collected, but so far the
Primary 4-7 pupils have raised £182.50 for sport relief. Thanks Lynn

I HAVE A CALL FOR YOU - Getting 60% off Vodaphone Mobile Phone Calls
Some 'eagle-eyed' Antler readers with long memories may remember that, back at the end of January, BT told customers that,
from April 1st 2010, not only were they changing the Evening Call period, long now from 6 pm to 6 am, to 7 pm to 7 am,
which may catch many customers out, but too told customers that they were increasing the cost of 'call set-up' charges by 0.6
pence AND increasing the cost the cost of 'Daytime UK Call Charges', i.e. from 7 am to 7 pm, by 0.5 pence per minute.

The increases may seem 'trifling' but they could have considerable effect on people who only occasionally use their phones,
the first minute of a Daytime U.K. Call now going to cost nearly 19 pence and every minute thereafter going to cost another 7
pence, which, without even taking into account the cost of BT's Line Rental charges, is practically the same as making a call
from a mobile phone.

Like death and taxes, it is impossible to escape the cost of BT Line Rentals, now £170 a year and, BE WARNED, it is NOT
A GOOD IDEA to try and save £4.50 per quarter by paying BT 'Direct Debits' as these two examples prove.

In the first case, a pensioner, whose overhead telephone line crossed a main road, found out that, her telephone line being
snapped by a high-loaded lorry, BT immediately debited the cost of repairing her broken line to her account and took £90 out
of her account without telling her and, in the second case, another pensioner had £400 debited from her account, without
notice, when BT attributed repair costs for totally unrelated work to her account, both pensioners only refunded after long
battles with BT and the funds only restored to their accounts after some seven or eight months battling.

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Few 'Residential' BT customers keep a check on the number of phone calls that they make in a year and think that they are
getting a fair deal if they sign up for BT's 'Unlimited Anytime' plan, which costs £4.99 (plus VAT) a month. In truth, if people
kept a rough tally of their outward phone calls, many people would find that they make little more than 300 or 400 outward
phone calls every year and BT's supposedly 'fair deal' is something of a 'con' for those people with computers and thus
somewhat too held to ransom because of their need for a line connection for their computers.

IF you have a computer, you should consider signing up to one of the three Swiss-run Connect Telecom's 'prefix-dialling
services, 1899.com at http://www.1899.com/index2.php or Call 18866 at http://www.call18866.co.uk/index2.php or 18185
at http://www.18185.co.uk/index2.php

Each of these 'prefix dialling' services has its own merits BUT, once you dial the prefix and then the required telephone
numbers in, you can talk for an hour, or a week, or a year, without the need to re-dial, for just the cost of the 'connection
charge', currently just over 8 pence, a far cry from BT's call charges ! Connect Telecom accounts are paid by Direct Debit and
bills are e-mailed out when you reach the dizzy height of about £2.00 to £3.00 of call charges, in most users' cases about half-
a-dozen times a year and, for relatively light users of telephones, the cost of their telephone calls will fall to far less than what
they might pay for BT's 'Unlimited Anytime' plans over the full period of any year.

Anyone in business too can use the Connect Telecom services and one local businessman has quipped that the savings now
effectively mean that BT gives him a fortnight's free holiday abroad every year !

AND SO, to getting 60% off Vodaphone's Mobile Phone Charges and, as most Kintyreans know, few mobile phone services
offer any really complete coverage across the peninsula, BT and Vodaphone perhaps better than most, but at a price.

Like most BT 'Residential' customers, few mobile phone users have any real idea of how many mobile phone calls or text
messages they use over the course of any year, many users are sucked into contracts and call plans that they don't fully use or
need and, if you think that 'fair deals' in the mobile phone industry are virtually non-existent, then consider this.

Supermarket chain ASDA went into the mobile phone business in 2005, their partner is Vodaphone and Vodaphone covers
most of Kintyre most of the time BUT, there are no nearby ASDA supermarkets, so few people know about the ASDA-
Vodaphone deal, which is a 'Pay-As-You-Go' deal, with 'Top Up' payments being made at any local Post Office or Pay Point,
such as are at Campbeltown's County Garage and Hydro Board showroom and at Tarbert's Co-op.

ASDA SIM Card packs can be bought online at http://www.asdamobile.com/sim_pack.html for just 50 pence and are
delivered, post free, by Royal Mail, a couple of days later.

ASDA (Vodaphone) charges are just 8 pence (20 pence) per minute for calls, giving one 62 minutes of calls against just the 25
minutes that one would get from Vodaphone for £5 and texts are just 4 pence (10 pence) each, giving one 125 texts against
the 50 texts that Vodaphone would give you for £5 and pictures cost just 25 pence (36 pence) to send.

To add to the pleasure of setting up the ASDA mobile phone connections and using their service, ASDA's call centre is run
by a very friendly team in Kilmarnock and they can also send one out extra 'Top Up' cards, post free, which come by Royal
Mail just a few days later.

Finally, nothing to do with phones or phone charges, but rather to do with Kilmarnock.

If anyone is looking for spare parts for 'white goods', washing machines, cookers, fridges and freezers, or vacuum cleaners, the
website to look at is UK Whitegoods http://www.ukwhitegoods.co.uk/ and they have a most friendly helpline which is run
by a team in Kilmarnock.

The company's warehouse may be 'south of The Border' but spares are generally delivered a couple of days later into Kintyre
by Oban Express.

Scotland's Heritage Paths

The Scottish Rights of Way and Access Society (Scotways) has sent out copies of ‘Heritage Paths in Scotland’ to all members. East Kintyre
Community Council has long been a member and a single copy is in the hands of the Convener, Shelagh Cameron, but the text is copied below for
Antler readers. Printed copies of the text and a backing map can be obtained from Scotways at 24 Annandale Street, Edinburgh EH7 4AN. Tel:
0131 558 1222.

People living in Scotland have always moved around the country to find the resources they needed for living, to trade, and to
move animals to summer grazings or to sale. Growing population and prosperity, along with stronger governance of the
nation, led in time to wider networks of travel, linking main settlements. Routes of travel have always been governed by
terrain, by the location of fords and the bridging of main rivers, as well as the need to avoid undrained, boggy ground.
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Our busy main roads follow some of these early routes of travel, which can occasionally be seen as discontinuous fragments
alongside them. Other once-important routes are now relegated to being parts of the quiet rural-road system, or part of our
rights of way network, away from the public road network. Many important old routes have only a fragmentary presence on
the ground or remain only in the historical record, sometimes backed by folk memory.

These older routes are often divided into categories, based on their origin or most distinctive use (e.g. Roman roads or drove
roads) and this approach is followed in the map. However, most of them would have carried many different kinds of traffic
over the centuries. Collectively these routes are a record of how people moved around Scotland in the past - a record that has
evolved over time to serve new social and economic needs. They are an important part of our cultural heritage and pass
through the diversity of Scotland's fine landscapes. They deserve better recognition and care.

ScotWays intends to raise awareness of this part of our historic record by recording heritage paths and by promoting public
use of those that can still be followed or visited. We aim to help secure their long-term care through people enjoying and
appreciating them.

The Heritage Paths Map

This map shows a selection of the old arterial routes through Scotland which would have been used for a variety of purposes.
More information on them is shown on the website: www.heritagepaths.co.uk The map is not usable for route finding.
Consult our website and other guides and use an appropriate OS map if you wish to explore any of these routes on the
ground.

Each route in this map has been categorised into one of the following path types :

- Roman roads;
- Medieval roads;
- Trade routes;
- Drove roads;
- Religious routes (coffin, kirk & pilgrimage routes);
- Industrial paths;
- Military roads;
- Other rural routes.

This is by no means a definitive list of historic path types but it includes most major categories. Many routes could fit into
several categories. For example, Dere Street was used long into the medieval period but is best known for its older Roman
origins.

Roman Roads
The Romans penetrated surprisingly far into Scotland and built direct roads to facilitate the movement of troops and their
baggage and to aid subsequent military campaigns. Roman roads are the earliest form of built roads in Scotland and the Gask
Ridge system in Perthshire is thought to be the earliest land frontier in the Roman Empire.

There were three major invasions and two main arteries were built to allow the Roman troops to secure the area. These roads,
Dere Street and the Roman road that runs parallel to the M74, are both represented on this map, and many parts of both of
these roads are still accessible. Roman activity has been found much further north than the Antonine Wall in central Scotland
or even the Gask Ridge system, and evidence for a Roman road has been found in Aberdeenshire, as shown in this map.

Medieval Roads
The Roman roads were well built, so many of them continued to be used for centuries afterwards, but during the medieval
period there was a flourishing of road building in Scotland. They were built to a high standard for the period. Major routes,
including Dere Street, were termed 'Via Regia' (King's Highway).

Many medieval roads are still accessible and appear on this map. In some cases, like the Girthgate, little is known about them.
Others are quite well researched, like the Causey Mounth.

Coffin, Kirk and Pilgrimage Routes

Religion has prompted the movement of people for a variety of reasons. Coffin roads were used by people to carry the coffins
of their neighbours for burial in consecrated ground. The coffins sometimes had to be carried for long distances. On Sundays
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many people had to walk over hill tracks to the parish church and, particularly before the reformation, pilgrims travelled to
sacred sites throughout Scotland.

Many of these routes still exist as accessible paths. Some, like the Bunavullin Coffin Road and St Duthac's Way, are very long
walks, and testify to the commitment and endurance of the people who used them regularly.

Drove Roads
Droving became a huge industry in Scotland from the 17th century to the 19th century and drove roads were used to take tens
of thousands of cattle from remote parts of Scotland to the urban markets. They often followed long-standing routes on
natural lines of passage. There were markets all over Scotland but most cattle were taken to the large Trysts, first in Crieff and
then in Falkirk. Many cattle were then ultimately taken to markets in London.
Many of these roads originated in remote parts of Scotland and were never incorporated into the modern road network. Good
examples are the Lairig Ghru, the Road to the Isles, and Glen Tilt, all of which are included on this map.

Military Roads
Post-Roman military roads started to be built in 1725 and the construction continued throughout the century. They were
created to help with the movement of Hanoverian troops around Scotland because of the lack of good quality roads in the
Scottish Highlands during the Jacobite rising of 1715. Ironically it was the Jacobites who made the most use of the new roads
during the '45 rising.

There are many iconic long-distance military roads like the Corrieyairack Pass, which linked Dalwhinnie and Fort Augustus,
and the road to Fort William incorporating the Devil's Staircase. There are also some less well-known military roads such as
the road to Stranraer, and the road at Corgarff, Aberdeenshire, which has three original bridges still intact.

Trade Routes
Being a country with a large coastline it is understandable that many of these routes were for the conveyance of imports and
fish from ports to inland markets. Some of Scotland's trade routes are very long, such as the Herring Road between Dunbar
and Lauder. It is difficult for us today to imagine fishwives carrying huge creels of fish for such a distance. There are other
routes that must also have presented a huge challenge to fishwives, such as the Fish Road to Ullapool.

Industrial Paths
During the industrial revolution a huge number of paths, roads and tracks were created for the movement of goods and
people. Most notable of these are the great canals and tow paths that cut across Scotland. There are many local paths which
were used by workers to access mines, quarries, factories and other work-places (for details see the website).

Other Rural Routes

There are many other historic paths throughout Scotland, used for communication between settlements and townships, which
do not fit easily into any particular category. These include postie paths, shieling paths, Victorian stalkers' paths, and coach
roads, amongst many others.

Some of the longer distance rural routes shown in this map are the Whisky Road through the Ladder Hills (above Glenlivet)
that was a thoroughfare for whisky smugglers, and the Loch Maree Postie Path - a challenging route that skirts Slioch.

KINTYRE CIVIC SOCIETY NEWSLETTER

Annual General Meeting, 2010

This will be held at the Ardshiel Hotel, Campbeltown on Wednesday 21st April at 7.30 p.m. The guest speaker after the AGM
is John D. Stewart, a senior partner in Stewart Balfour & Sutherland and former coxswain of the Campbeltown lifeboat. Mr
Stewart joined the lifeboat service as a crew member in 1979 and will talk about the history of the RNLI in Kintyre and some
of the characters associated with it. Although many Kintyre residents and visitors will have toured the lifeboat station on
RNLI open days, this will be a golden opportunity to hear more about life on the raging seas. There is an open invitation for
those who are not members of the Society but who are interested in the Society’s aims, to attend the AGM and Mr Stewart’s
talk; membership of the Society costs £8 for families and £7 for individuals.

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Outing 2010

This year the Society is arranging an outing for its members on 15th May to the Knapdale area, which is often by-passed by
visitors in their anxiety to get to Oban. It is hoped to include a visit to Carnasserie Castle, the Arduaine Garden, Tayvallich
and, in the early evening, the Scottish Beaver Trial sites. It is now nearly a year since beaver families were released at three sites
at Loch Coille Bharr, Loch Linne and Creag Mhor Loch, and at two sites the beavers have settled in well, building dams,
constructing burrows and felling trees. Unfortunately at Creag Mhor Loch, the family was disturbed and disappeared. This is a
trial project by the Scottish Wildlife Trust and the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland to reintroduce the European beaver.
Bookings may be made at the AGM or by telephoning Mrs Gustava MacAlister on 01583-421270.

JAMES (HAMISH) MACKINVEN (1921 - 2010)

In terms of the current popular vernacular ‘where do you start with a man like Hamish’? The simple answer is that you make
every possible use of a multi-talented and cultured man.

Born in Campbeltown at a time when motor vehicles were uncommon and only the privileged had a bicycle, he enjoyed the
simple pleasures of the town and of its rural environment - narrowly escaping with his female acquaintance the bomb which
fell on Low Askomil Walk in World War II and killed two people. As was the tradition he shopped for his family and did jobs
which could not be carried out by his war-disabled father.

On leaving school he worked as a reporter on the ‘Campbeltown Courier’ and subsequently with the ‘Daily Express’, but like
many others was soon drafted into the services and eventually saw service as an RAF medical orderly in Burma where, in his
own words, he was ‘caught up for fourteen weeks in the Japanese siege of Impala’. A ‘three years walk to Rangoon’ led him to
meet Duncan Brown, later owner of the Toy Shop in Longrow. During his service he continued his literary interests by
contributing to the South East Asia Command weekly newspaper. On one of his many subsequent visits to Campbeltown he
admitted that he had also planted trees in Saddell forest. Even if his future career depended on the product of the paper mill
he decided that planting trees hadn’t the same appeal as planting ideas in minds.

Eventually he worked at the Press Council in London and, through his keen interest in socialist politics, was appointed as
Press Officer to the Labour Party and Press Secretary to the Clement Attlee Government soon after their election success in
1945. Consequently he became very friendly and familiar with most of the political figures of the post-war period – Aneuran
Bevan, Ernest Bevin, Herbert Morrison and John Smith amongst others; he was very much the Alastair Campbell ‘spin
doctor’ of his day.

As a socialist of the old school he remained true to the tenets of the Labour Party and even acted as a deputy editor of the
‘Daily Worker, but despite his devotion to the Labour cause, he was only too aware of the problems facing the new Labour
Government causing Ernest Bevin to comment that ‘the most conservative man in this world is the British Trade Unionist
when you want to change him’. However it is generally agreed that his close friendship with Aneurin Bevan assisted in the
acceptance of plans for the development of a National Health Service in 1948.

Subsequently an association with Sir Edward MacColl and friendship with the sometime Scottish Secretary of State, Tom
Johnstone, led to his appointment as Press Officer to the new North of Scotland Hydro-electric Generating Board; an
appointment which provided an opportunity to foster the extension of electricity to remote highland regions and islands. He
remained actively involved with the ‘Hydro Board’ for over thirty years. Even in the last ten years Hamish was the guest on a
half-hour television interview about the development of the Board’s services. Hamish also produced two films for the Hydro
Board – ‘Peterhead Power Station’ (1982) and ‘Over the hills to Skye’ (1975) and a number of publications.

Appointments aside, his private journalistic interests were wide and deep. Articles appeared in a number of publications apart
from the ‘Campbeltown Courier’ and the ‘Antler. ‘Scots Magazine’ readers were often treated to fascinating accounts of rural
and national life. He certainly had a literary and aesthetic eye for the ladies and was keen to pursue any avenue which increased
his knowledge and understanding of the complexity of human existence. Among his more well-known articles were those
dealing with Fessenden, the cross-Atlantic telephonic pioneer, Archibald Mackinnon the painter of the Davaar Crucifixion,
and others supporting the establishment of the Jaeger clothing factory. His research into the life of the ‘Suffragette General,’
Flora Drummond led to the identification of her grave in Brackley Cemetery and fund-raising for the erection of a
commemorative headstone.

On his yearly or more frequent visits to the town he would seek out his friends and informants, invite them to one-to-one
meals at a local hotel to discuss the past, the present and the future. Some of those who met him on these and other occasions
elsewhere - Duncan Ritchie, Alan Harrow, Donald & Ruth Kelly, Donald Leys, and Duncan & Effie MacMillan, accumulated
a reservoir of anecdotes which will remain with them and may one day overflow into the channel of public delight.
Unfortunately, as with all gifts from older generations, little was recorded at the time. What will not be lost is the affection for
a feisty man who had the power to interest and an ability to bring a local and personal dimension to the world of politics and
business.
7
In recent years he was not happy with the way the Labour party changed its emphasis and would dearly have loved to see a
return to its traditional values. In fitting style, his life ended as he would have wished – watching BBC’s ‘Newsnight’ on the
television on Thursday 19th March 2010 and almost certainly regretting the loss of national political integrity. The last
telephone call I received from him was following the issue of the February Antler when he expressed his interest and pleasure
in reading Donald Kelly’s description of a trip aboard the Dalriada. His interest in Kintyre remained throughout his life and
set an example to those engaged in trying to record and cherish the local heritage.

His funeral was private and held in his adopted city of Edinburgh. He leaves a devoted, caring wife, and a daughter Joanna
and a son Peter from his first marriage. G. P.

FEBRUARY RAINFALL
February continued to be cold and frosty. There were snow showers or flurries on the 16th, 21st and 24th although the snow
didn’t lie for long. The snowfalls were very localised and varied over short distances. Snow cover varied between Grogport
and Carradale, and in turn between Carradale and Campbeltown.

There was a wet start and end to the month. Apart from 11mm on the 15th and 6mm two days later on the 17th, the weather
between the 7th and the 20th was dry.

Total recorded rainfall for February was exactly 100 mm (about 4 inches)…. an almost identical total to that of 103mm last
month. This makes it the driest start of any of the ten years for which we have records.

For those interested in the detailed statistics for the start of the year (i.e. the combined rainfall of January & February) the
figures are below :

Year 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
Rainfall in mm 298 617 280 571 389 267 383 270 248 203

Although there is now some warmth to be felt behind the glass when the sun is out; and encouraging signs of emerging spring
bulbs, it continues to be cold with temperatures dropping rapidly after mid afternoon and overnight with frequent heavy
frosts to keep us on our toes.

Past experience shows that long range predictions are invariably inaccurate but a reliable local source and weather “guru” is
reported to have forecasted a drought this summer. Time will tell whether this will prove to be a reliable prediction.
Meanwhile, we still await the arrival of Spring. M.L.

MARCH RAINFALL
The cold dry start to March was followed by a more typically wet and windy spell but temperatures were steadily climbing to
herald warmer Spring days. After the clocks went forward the month ended with exceptionally cold, wet, weather. This was
indeed the “sting in the tail” … a reversion to wintry conditions with the return of snow showers and blizzards swept in on
north-easterly gales.

The total rainfall in March was 145mm- just about average. However, the distribution was very unusual; only 7mm had been
recorded by the Ides of March (15th), 78 mm had accumulated by 29th March, the remaining 67 mm was recorded by 39mm
on the 30th and 28mm on the 31st.So in summary almost half the total for the month fell in just the two final days.

Weather conditions as borne out by statistics here and nationally, show the winter to have been the hardest, coldest and the
most severe for many years.

Despite the recent torrential downpours the rainfall figures for the first quarter of 2010 (Jan - March) are the lowest since
we’ve been record keeping.

(The quarterly total for 2010 is 348mm the previous range had been 375mm (2001) and 802mm (2002) and a previous average
before this year of 511mm as a quarterly rainfall total.)

With such fluctuating weather patterns and statistics it is not surprising that, having been caught out by inaccurate long term
forecasts, The Met. Office has decided to abandon long range predictions.

My hope (and it’s not a forecast) is that we have a good summer here in Kintyre. We deserve it after the winter we’ve had.
Here’s hoping ! M. L.

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 HEAD-ACHE RELIEF
Do you fancy a job attracting a salary of £66,909 as Head of Roads and Amenity Services? If so, please apply to Argyll & Bute
Council which is seeking to become Scotland’s leading authority; an advert appeared on the front page of the Sunday Times
Appointment’s section on Sunday 28th March.

“You will lead a team which will deliver service provision which includes: roads operations, design and network management;
waste management; street-scene and marine/airport operations. With a proven track record at senior management level, you
will be able to demonstrate excellent management, negotiating and presentation skills”.

Significantly, the advert followed the graphic tradition of Strathclyde Regional Council when Argyll & Bute was presented
with the familiar Argyll+Bute Council icon, only in this case the environmentally green foreground of the anonymous
landscape didn’t provide an ideal setting for the miniscule white lettering.

Marks out of ten - publication 10, promotion of ABC 8, cultural content 6, colour-scheme 4, possibility of attracting a
dynamic post-holder capable of solving Argyll and Bute’s massive road problems with out having a permanent headache 2.

ADMIN - NO RELIEF ?
Despite reassurances at the last community council meeting, agenda notices for the April meeting were again not posted 10
days before the meeting as required by the accepted constitution, and draft minutes failed to appear at the traditional posting
sites or in press boxes within the 14 days period of grace following the March meeting. Is there a personal problem here or is
it a matter of commitment ?

Argyll & Bute Council recommended that draft minutes should be made available to all residents, not only to those who
attend community council meetings, preferably by sending them to the local press and putting them on a dedicated web-site.
(see EKCC blog on page 4)

Perhaps it is that the publication of unaltered minutes in the February and March Antlers shocked councillors who considered
that ‘draft’ minutes should only be read in cold windy bus shelters, or from the Hotel frame during rain storms, when climatic
factors would distract residents from serious consideration of the issues involved ?

EKCC BLOG
News has reached the Antler that at last, thanks to to Tom Adams, East Kintyre Community Council news may be available
on an Internet blog-site. With Johnny Durnan still having to resort to taking photographs of the EKCC agenda and minutes at
bus shelters for the Carradale Goat web-site, this will allow computer literate residents to have two sources of information.
That just leaves the majority with no Internet access ignorant of what is being done in their names and of blog-site’s correct
address.

ROAD RELIEF
Reports are reaching the Antler that some drivers are perceived to be travelling at excessive speeds on unrestricted and
restricted roads in Carradale. Some time ago the community council was asked by residents of Port Righ to derestrict their
road south of Tormhor.

One of the ABC Councillors at the meeting said he could see no good reason why the restriction should not be extended to
Dunvalanree, but the community council would need to recommend the proposal to the Council .

When pressed the Councillor tentatively agreed that a cheaper and less time consuming solution might be for the sign at the
south of the village to ‘disappear’.

No discussion took place over what might happen if a driver subsequently exceeded the unofficial speed limit at Port Righ,
and no further action was taken by the community council.

Now it seems that some residents living on the road have noticed drivers exceeding the 30 mph limit and driving at dangerous
speeds on the officially unrestricted part of the road.

Perhaps the community council should consider this subject again and relate it to earlier complaints about speeding from
Dippen Bridge to the Carradale West 30mph sign at School Park.

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FOOTPATH RELIEF

In recent months those who take the down-hill path from Lochpark to the Oman’s shop for their daily paper are taking their
lives in their hands. The path has a chequered history and was the subject of an initiative nearly two years ago when estimates
were sought for its restoration.

With the new community council elected, and formally inducted, is it not time it was reconsidered before someone comes a
cropper between the ‘devil and the deep blue sea’ ?

RELIEF FROM WIND

Whenever in the past you have visitors and are desperate to take them somewhere with an environmental theme in mind, you
might have taken them to see one of the wind-farms in Kintyre, but in recent times it has not been unusual to find some
turbines out of action.

Now, it seems that due to repairs and other factors, this may no longer be the wise thing to do. While wind-farms in general
have almost always had bad press from ‘landscape environmentalists’, according to the latest research it seems that the
environmentally-friendly production of electricity is not all its cracked up to be.

Although European requirements and subsidy have always been the driving forces, the record of producing cheap electricity
by mechanical means seems to be suspect. A report in the Sunday Times of 21st of March says that “more than 20 wind
farms produce less than a fifth of their potential maximum power output. One site, at Blyth Harbour in Northumberland, is
thought to be the worst in Britain, operating at just 7.9% of its maximum capacity, and another at Chelker reservoir in North
Yorkshire operates at only 8.7% of capacity”. While these are said to be earlier less efficient designs, even the most up-to-date
rarely reach anywhere near maximum output and most manage less than 25-50% capacity.

So how can we impress visitors to Kintyre without forcing them up Deucheran or Beinn-an-Tuirc to see advanced technology
being used for questionable business ventures.

How about an extension to the ‘Investors in People’ awards encouraging residents to display their most recent Home
Efficiency rating, part of the Householder’s house-selling pack on a placard in their front garden, or a second sign claiming
that the owners lawn is maintained without electric or oil-based powered mechanical appliances’.

Even Fung Shui house designers could reconsider their preference for front and rear entrance not to be in line with each other
on opposite sides of the house, and positively encourage visitors to pass straight through without causing the hosts to use
fossil fuels during their stay.

Simple but expensive power production by mechanical means is not the whole answer but if The Scottish Government
continues to resist nuclear assistance, will a warm wind blow away expensive electricity bills.

KINTYRE CRIME PREVENTION PANEL AGM

The AGM of the Kintyre Crime Prevention Panel (KCPP) recently took place within the Conference Room at the Police
Station. The Chair, William Durance, delivered a report on the Panel's activities over the past year. Successful projects were
completed, and there are currently projects ongoing. Office bearers elected for the next year are: Chair - William Durance,
Vice Chair - Eva MacDonald MBE, Treasurer - Walter Bell and Panel Secretary is Police Constable Lindsay Wallace. The
Panel will continue to meet on a regular basis in the Conference Room at the Police Station.

Carradale Golf Club - Ladies Section

The winner of the Winter League was Mrs Margaret Campbell. The Runner-Up was Mrs Sylvia Irvine.

NOT CRICKET - KINTYRE FORUM by ‘I DON’T BELIEVE IT’

Wed Mar 31, 2010 8:33 pm

‘Carradale CC will be heading down to Loughborough on the 21st of April to have a coaching session with the England
cricket head coach Andy Flower and the team at the National Centre of excellence’.

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‘Too shy to talk much’

What a pity this bit of information or rumour didn’t get past Carradale’s Eastern Bloc Sports Censor. It had 48 views when
observed on April 1st and could have had another 460 had it been sent to the Antler, but perhaps it was really was an early
April Fool announcement. It seems that the reason that earlier efforts to attract news of the Cricket Club have failed is that
the organisation has its headquarters at an unknown address in Campbeltown !

South Kintyre Seniors' Forum

Our meeting on Tuesday 9 March in Kinlock Hall, Campbeltown was in lieu of the usual 'second Thursday1 March meeting,
and consisted of listening to our Chairman George McMillan's musical group giving what I believe may have been their first
'public' performance. We enjoyed it very much, thank you George and your fellow instrumentalists. No business meeting was
held so there were no minutes taken, but I have written thanking the Group on our behalf. I.T.

AN CROIT UPGRADE ?
ACHA residents in ‘An Croit’ on Carradale’s Quay Brae are about to have a visit from a company contracted to see if the
houses are in need of improvement. At the transfer from the Council some residents expressed a wish for ACHA to
undertake improvements and this is the first step towards assessing their needs.

TRIP ROUND THE BAY ?

Travellers from Ayrshire to Ireland had an unexpected pleasure at Easter, when, because of a ship in distress and a broken
down tug, the ferry cruised around from 9 pm until 6 am waiting to dock. Compensation came in the shape of a free
breakfast, whether or not you managed to keep the evening meal down.

‘THOSE WERE THE DAYS’ - ACCIDENTS & ENGINES - John MacMillan

I had two misadventures on board the ‘Rolling Wave’. After letting go the anchor in Lochranza to wait for the ‘Fairy Queen's’
return I was going aft to stop the engine when the boat moved suddenly, maybe from taking up slack in the anchor rope. For
support my right hand came against one of the wheelhouse windows which I accidentally pushed up out of its locked position.
It dropped down catching my three right-hand middle fingers between the top window frame and the metal locking strip.
which protrudes up, across the bottom of the window opening. To this day I have never been in such pain. Wheelhouse
windows were designed to lock-up when lifted by a leather strap, and the metal strip fastened and across the bottom window
frame protruding down, passes over and drops behind a similar strip fastened across the window opening protruding up. I
pushed the window up and over to let it drop. The throbbing kept me awake all day and, to avoid disturbing the crew, I stayed
in the wheelhouse. Working was difficult for a long time as the nails turned black and eventually came off. I was too
embarrassed to tell anyone.

Later on we were in Campbeltown with a good shot from the Brown Head and after readying the net the deck was slippery
with scales and spawn. What happened I don't know, but suddenly I was in the water (harbour) looking up at the ‘Rolling
Wave’s was keel; I can see it now. Father saw me go over the side and as the boat was lower in the water, reached down and
caught my hand, when, with a lot of kicking I came to the surface. In disbelief and great embarrassment I was pulled over the
gun-whale. My oilskin trousers were snug around the top of my rubber boots which kept them from completely filling.
Fortunately I did have some dry clothes and with a very large jacket, was able to winch the catch ashore. Angie Mitchell
thought it was funny and would not let me forget what he called ‘my swim’. Angie left the boat fishing a short time thereafter
to attend merchant Marine Radar School in Glasgow. We did not meet again until 50 years later when I visited Carradale,
learned that he was living in Ardrishaig but did not secure an address.

After driving up and quite a search, located his apartment with Capt. Angus Mitchell on the nameplate. He was at home and
it took a while for him to recognise me, then we had a great reunion. He sailed first as second radio operator and soon went
up through the ranks with the same shipping company to become Captain. His wife accompanied him on many trips visiting
countries around the world. He was working as a bartender then. Three years later, on my way to Carradale, found different
nameplate on what I thought was his apartment. After asking at the Bar found that he passed away the previous year.

I don't remember who replaced Andy as cook but there was some talk that the ‘Rolling Wave’ was to be sold, although
Robert never said. About that time Willie Galbraith assembled a men’s choir which practised in the Mission Hall. Although I
did not have much singing voice attended with George and Alec McMillan (the square). Two songs we practised were ‘Flow
Gently Sweet Afton’ and ‘Coming Through the Rye’. The other songs and choir members I don't remember. However one
evening at practice Willie, who owned the ‘Cluaran’ asked if I was interested in looking after the ‘Cluaran’s’ engine for a full
share and if Father might be interested also, as his crew was ‘called up’ for the Navy. I was receiving one half share on the
rolling wave and there was talk of its sale. After some discussion with Father, we met with Willie in his shop located across
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Shore Road entrance, the next day and agreed to transfer. The ‘Rolling Wave’ was eventually sold and Robert left the fishing
to work in Glasgow. Many years later, when he lived in Tormhor, widowed and with poor eyesight, we reminisced about our
time on board the ‘Rolling Wave’.

The ‘Cluaran’s’ skipper was Dennis Macintosh, with crew of Duncan McSporran (Campbeltown), Father, me and Angus
MacDonald cook. Our neighbouring boat was the ‘Dusky Maid’, a former shark boat, with skipper Johnny Galbraith (dodge),
crew of Neil McDougall, Sandy Jack, Colin Effie. and Alec McMillan (the square) as cook. I knew very little about the
‘Cluaran’s’ engine, a four-cylinder Gardner with air start, but after one season knew almost all there was to know. Willie
Galbraith, myself and Angus MacDonald sailed to the Maidens, Ayrshire, where the engine was overhauled by Andy Marr,
Marine engineer. Most of the Maiden’s boats were equipped with Gardner engines. I participated in the overhaul as much as
possible. We stripped the engine to its crankshaft, removing the fuel pump, water pump, oil pump, compression pump and
generator and shipping them ashore to be reconditioned. I received instructions on using a micrometer to ensure that the
crankshaft tolerances were within ‘specs’. Rebuilding then began. Installing all new bearings, piston rings, new liners and
grinding them in by hand. Grinding in new valves and replacing timing and gear chains - new gaskets throughout and all bolts
and screws torqued to the proper specs. All the pumps were returned and installed and the exhaust system was renewed with
the silencer behind the wheelhouse and the cooling water through the port side. A new clutch with Feroda facing was
installed. This new material was designed to make engaging each gear easier and smoother. We removed the propeller at low
tide with great effort due to corrosion, to be refurbished at a local machine shop. The last job was pressured testing the air
reservoir. This required drilling a series of small holes to a precise depth - air would leak if metal corrosion or fatigue was
present; it tested okay. The Maidens is a tidal harbour and with enough water, the new engine was started. It produced quite a
melodic sound instead of the gurgling sound when the exhaust and water were through the stern. After adjusting the fuel
pump pressure and battery charging rate etc., Andy’s instruments were showing an increase of 4.8hp due to less back-pressure
in the exhaust. I enjoyed my stay in The Maidens; it was just like being on holiday.

The Cluaran’s fo’csle was comfortable with bunks instead of hammocks, as in the ‘Rolling Wave’. Also more space and a larger
stove with larger cooking surface. We were invited out to dinner (tea) at the home of several local fishermen. The Sloan family
in particular I remember. Angus was always in good spirits and whistled a lot, which was considered by some to be bad luck
when on board, not Willie or me. His favourite tune was the ‘Australian Ladies Pipe Band’. I visited Angus about three or four
years ago at his home in Kames on the Kyles. He remembered being in The Maidens but unfortunately could not remember
me nor Father being on the crew.

After a trial run with Andy on board we left The Maidens at half speed to break in the new parts. We were running before a
freshening southerly breeze and after an hour or so, as the sea increased and drag came on propeller, the clutch started to slip
and the engine raced. We were still running at half throttle as the sea increased further, the slipping became more
pronounced. The gearbox began the heat and the gear oil was glittering from bronze filings scraped from the rivet heads that
secured the Ferodo clutch facing, when the clutch slipped. Willie decided to go into Lochranza and if possible call Andy
Marr. Fortunately he was able to reach his office on the Pier-Master’s telephone, but he was not there. However, it was
decided that we would return to The Maidens. After the gear had cooled, we left to catch the early-morning tide into The
Maidens. The wind became fresh from the Northwest and running about three quarters throttle into a slight swell, the clutch
stayed engaged all the way. We were fortunate the problem developed when it did, otherwise in a calm sea the clutch would
not have failed, but no doubt would fail, possibly at a less opportune time. Andy was waiting with a replacement clutch faced
with Kevlar, another new material and another first for Andy. He said that fortunately he made no other applications. With
this disbelief and dismay the gearbox was dismantled. We worked into the night removing filings from all the gear box parts
and with everything together and additional diesel, pumped from a tank track, left again on the morning tide. Without
incident we tied up at Carradale Pier and Willie drove me home. On the run back after increasing to full throttle the engine
sounded quiet, all parts at their proper temperature and the exhaust giving a melodic trumpet-like sound. The clutch worked
well thereafter.

Mother was very upset at the deteriorated and oily condition of my clothes, underwear included. She felt that they could not
be cleaned properly even with a lot of hot water, which had to be heated, and extreme scrubbing on the scrubbing board.
However I thought that it was a small price to price to pay for the education received. It was later to be very invaluable in my
career as on completion of a course at Ryerson University in Toronto for auto mechanics, I received 100% on the final exam,
thanks to Andy Marr.

The next day with Father we boarded the Carradale bus driven by Andy McKinlay, and with Dennis Macintosh, who we met
at his shop on the pier head, sailed the ‘Cluaran’ into the burn (Waterfoot). With chain astern and rope ahead installed the
‘legs’ in preparation for scraping and cleaning. It was a busy place with most of Carradale fleet being scraped etc. First we
washed down the bilges, including ballast, after removing all the boards. Willie Galbraith hired two fellows who painted all
the boards and bulkhead grey and the sides black. They also painted the hatch cover boards grey. Duncan McSporran left
our crew for a berth at Campbeltown, ‘Crimson Arrow’, I think. That increased our workload substantially. We scraped and
varnished and painted for almost four weeks, walking back and forth to home across the hill each day. Carrying our bedding
home the first day. Between the odd cup of tea, Angus worked in the fo’csle sanding, varnishing and painting. During wet
days we all worked with Angus below. He also painted the numbers, name and post. I painted the waterline. Supposedly we

12
had steady hands. After painting all the fittings with aluminium paint, the ‘Cluraran’ was ready for sea and another fishing
season, looking very smart.

CHANGED CIRCUMSTANCES

Leaving the burn to start another fishing season with Dougald Campbell in place of D. McSporran, we came on the ‘Dusky
Maid’ stuck in the sand, due to her deep four foot. Sandy Jack threw a rope to us as we passed which father made fast behind
the wheel house. Sandy Jack did not get his end secure before the strain came and it spun around the Sampson Post cutting
great grooves and creating a cloud of smoke. After a few choice words from the ‘Dusky Maid’ the line was secured and we
pulled her free.

Later that year we left Tarbert early one evening for Campbeltown to pick up a new net. On the way south we were looking
for signs of herring and a shot on a gannet just past Skipness point. Dennis thought the ground was bad and without
stretching the net too much the boats came together and we started lifting the net. I could feel the sole catching once or twice
as it was being winched onboard and the net was torn in several locations. However the bag was whole and we hauled about
35 baskets of good quality herring on board the ‘Dusky Maid’. We continued south but the ‘burning’ was poor and father
suggested having a look with the light (searchlight) I got the light up on deck and after plugging it in held it over over the
starboard bow. Father was beside me on the port bow, our usual locations. Slowly steaming in along Carradale Point .and
across the Bay, in shallow water and past Waterfoot there was nothing to be seen. Just past Rubha Darach we came over a
scatter and from Dippen Bay past Torrisdale Bay it was almost solid green with herring. The ‘Dusky Maid’ was lying out in the
Bay and we came together to let go the anchor until morning. After a cup of tea, just before day light we lifted the anchor. It
was a quiet morning and as the sun came up we could see dark spots leaving the shore as the herring headed out into deeper
water. The ‘Dusky Maid’ shot off outside of what appeared to be the largest spots and after picking up the end we held the
net open for quite awhile as additional spots came off shore. After coming together and with the sole onboard there was only
a few herring mashed, when after hauling the net only for a few minutes it came to the surface blowing out on top of the
water with a big shot. We pulled the corks in close and with very little effort was able to dry them up. They were good quality
herring, mixed with a few sprats, which we hauled aboard both boats.

After some discussion it was decided to go to Ayr because there was work as there would be no buyers and possibly no boxes
in Campbeltown. It was a good trip over, slight southwest breeze, and the sample was well received. We raised the mast and
started discharging immediately, father and Dougald in the hold, Dennis and Angus on the truck and pier, I winched. I don't
remember the total cash nor the price we received. After hosing everything clean and with the mast back in place we tied up
alongside the ‘Dusky Maid’ to wait until morning. Both boats received a barrel of diesel then we left into a stiff northwest
breeze. Father and Dougald placed a cover over the hatch with several loops of chain to hold it in place. As Dennis was not
well and below I was steering. The ‘Cluraran’ was not good into the wind; the ‘Dusky Maid’ on the other hand, with deeper
draught and sharper hull design was well suited for head-on weather. That day she left us out of sight. The ‘Cluaran’ handled a
bit better with the sea on her shoulder and although she rolled a bit did not bottom quite as badly. We arrived in
Campbeltown just behind the ‘Dusky Maid’ after getting into the lee of the land and calmer water. Then it was home for the
weekend.

Another time going into Campbeltown for the weekend with Dennis at the wheel we hit a pier piling stern-on springing the
deck for about 3 feet down each side. It barely marked the stern. The clutch went into reverse gear but the throttle
disengaged at the fuel pump, therefore the revs could not be increased to slow us down. A cotter pin that secured the throttle
shaft at the fuel pump broke off allowing the shaft to move out of place. The deck was caulked for Monday's fishing.

The next year during the autumn we were fishing out of Tarbert but without father. He was ill at home in bed. After two
weeks he was not improving and there was talk that he would be transferred to Glasgow because his breathing was becoming
difficult. That Sunday Neil McKinnonn, Torrisdale Glen came in to help him shave and he seemed quite cheery. On the
Monday morning he did not look good and I was reluctant to leave by bus for the fishing, but mother persuaded me to go as
she said there was nothing I could do by staying home. It was very difficult to say goodbye - I feared the worst. We were tied
up asleep in Tarbert after discharging herring when Willie Galbraith woke us up with the sad news that father passed away the
night before in a Glasgow hospital.

The shock was immense, although I knew before leaving home that his condition was deteriorating. Two days later after a
short service in the church he was buried at Waterfoot beside the graves of his mother and father - the Rev. J. A. Argyll Baker
presiding.

Father and I were very close not only because of the close quarters onboard, but personally. He taught me how to mend torn
net's and all the instincts that fishermen have. We were together so much, gathering wilks, planting potatoes, fishing from the
‘Fiona’ (punt) etc. Also we walked back and forth to the fishing, mostly to the pier for years. On these walks he would talk
about, how as a young man with several friends, they would move hay out of McKinnon’s barn up Torrisdale Glen to have a
dance at New Year. He loved dancing and although he was a big fellow he was very light on his feet. Another favourite at

13
New Years was singing, particularly after a couple of drams, as he had a good baritone voice. One favourite he sang was
‘Fishing for the eels in the old bog hole’. It took me a long time to get over his loss.

The herring market seemed to collapse not long after. Except for some being sold for fish meal, we were dumping back as
much as we sold us, maybe more. One such time I remember dumping from outside Tarbert almost to Carradale pier, going
at winch speed. I think there was a quota system established but my memory of the details is vague. Then Willie decided to sell
the ‘Cluaran’. I think like you get attached to home, place, etc. the ‘Cluaran’ was like that. With some great, exciting and some
very sad memories. I don't know where she ended her life.

From then on ‘I grew up’ very fast from schoolboy to bread winner in no time and received great support from Uncle
Donald, father’s brother. He was crew on the ‘Stella Maris’. Fortunately Dugald Campbell's and I got a berth on the ‘May’
with Bertie Oman and his other crew were Donald Brown from Campbeltown and Donald McAlister, Grogport as cook.

The ‘May’ was powered by a 44hp Kelvin, same as the ‘Rolling Wave’ and by then I was well acquainted with the operation.
The ‘Ina Bell’ was our neighbour with Willie Oman as Skipper. The only crew I remember was Angus Paterson, former
schoolmate, who became a great friend and whose memory I will cherish always.

The market for herring worsened selling some, dumping some and it was not long before both Oman’s boats were for sale. I
came across the ‘May’ in Oban on a visit several years later. She was converted to lobster fishing with her gunwales extended.
I ended my herring fishing with Gilbert McIntosh on the ‘Polly Cook’, slim, trim and fast with a 66 hp Kelvin.

Looking back several years to our crew receiving a lift from Tarbert to Carradale with Sandy Galbraith on the ‘Amy Harris’
after having an 88hp Kelvin installed; that was big power back then.

TORONTO BOUND

One sunny summer day over a cup of coffee, made with milk, Mother asked if I was interested in going to Canada that was
quite a surprise and I did not know she was corresponding with a brother in Canada and another in New Zealand. I passed it
off without much thought although I did get the atlases out to look at Canada. Then I was not aware that mother had brothers
abroad, they were never mentioned, although we visited with her family in Hamilton and they spent many summer holidays
with us. A couple days later we had a more serious discussion about the family moving to Canada or New Zealand. The
decision was then made for family to emigrate to Canada as it was closer, less cost and possibly better job opportunities. I
would go first and pave the way. It took three months to arrange passports, transportation and passage. Then became the
mammoth job of assembling containers. I was still at the fishing for that three months and with the help of Norman
McAlpine we repaired and stencilled our Toronto address on a variety of containers. We had two large wooden boxlike
containers with lids and Donald Campbell, the Glen, donated several more. I was in Canada when the final packing and
shipping took place, but it must have been a huge undertaking. Norman McAlpine and family emigrated to Canada but
returned to Scotland when the war started. They emigrated again after we did and lived in Paris, Ontario and are buried there.
He may have influenced our decision on where to emigrate. They lived in Paisley and stayed at Bridge End in Carradale during
summer vacations, with many picnics on the beach at South Dippen. Mrs. McAlpine was a relative of father’s. It was time for
me to leave, after many emotional goodbyes and a visit to Waterfoot. I boarded the bus with Uncle Donald who accompanied
me to Southampton.

We stayed one night in Glasgow and after taking the train to London stayed one day as Uncle Donald wanted to visit fish
market. It was a huge building where all kinds of fish and shell fish were being auctioned. Several bags of wilks but only a few
boxes of herring. I could not locate the market many years later during a visit to London. After a short train trip we arrived
in Southampton.

Uncle Donald was not allowed into the dock area and after a very emotional goodbye and check of documents, I boarded the
Queen Elizabeth. I was on the rail when the lines were cast off with great fanfare, a salute from the Royal Family and a
Glasgow pipe band playing ‘Will Ye No Come Back Again’, the giant liner, small by today's standards, was nudged by tugs
from her berth to begin her maiden voyage, as a passenger liner to New York.

As we moved out of Southampton I remembered one night when, not very long at the the fishing, we were behind Arran,
when a large shape passed in the distance, outbound without lights - only a loud hum and big wash. I later found out it was
the Queen Elizabeth leaving for New York to be fitted out and to escape being bombed when in Port Glasgow. Both the
Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth made many trips, without escort, back-and-forth to New York as troop-ships. It was
reported, never officially, that the Queen Elizabeth on one return trip ran into and possibly sank a British destroyer that
attempted to cross her bow, misjudging her speed west of Ireland. She did not slow down due to the threat from submarines
and her bow was filled with cement in the Clyde for return trip to New York and repairs.

14
Occasionally my memory takes me back to walking through a sea of bluebells and smelling their scent, as I crossed through
the wood to and from the Square, finding primroses along the road to Creag creamha with our family during Sunday walks
and sitting for a while on Hill 60 (small hill at Torrisdale Bay)

Walking to school as the heather bloomed along Carradale brae and the rhododendrons gave a brilliant show along the
shortcut. Watching the potatoes come in to bloom in the garden, hearing the owls hoot when out posting a letter in the
evening. Listening to the cuckoo call on the morning breeze. Startling the meadow lark when walking home from the fishing,
past the whins in a golden hue, saw the hillside move as the rabbits frolicked at dusk, looking out on Kilbrannan Sound, and
watched the waves coming ashore on Dippen Bay – those were the days.

John MacMillan, 24 Golden Oak Drive, SS 33, Midhurst, Ontario, L0L 1X1, Canada.

AN APOLOGY

41 words were mislaid in John’s April account. The section on page 6/7 should have read - “I left school at 14 to become
cook on the ring-net fishing boat ‘Rolling Wave’. I think that I replaced Archie Paterson who was called up for the Navy. We
arrived home from the fishing one morning to find soldiers in full battle gear marching up the road towards Carradale. Several
were at the house with blistered and bleeding feet being treated by my mother. Maybe it was wrong to get involved but it was
difficult to ignore the plight of these soldiers who were in agony and could no longer walk. Coarse woollen socks, salt water
and stiff leather boots were not well-suited. We later found out that the soldiers came ashore from landing craft around
Peninver and Saddell in a training exercise”.

UP & UP
There seems to be a surge in domestic building in Kintyre. With Park Square rebuilding and other parts of the town seeing
much improved housing, now its the time of Waterfoot to have Barrell field, quivering in front of an impressive new
structure, and the west road giving way to a house embracing 14th century German architecture. No doubt it will enjoy the
best that 21st century can do for it. But while the Brothers Grimm might well have influenced the designer, is it more or less
likely to attract an ABC architectural award ?

KINTYRE WAY RELAY

The Editor had hoped to receive an article on the ‘Mad Day Madness’ planned for Saturday 1st May from the event
organisers. Despite twice reminding them of the need to submit information well in time for the May issue so that it could be
published well before the end of April, nothing had arrived by the time the Antler was full. However pamphlets are available
in local shops and application details are available from www.kintyrewayrelay.co.uk

UNCHARITABLE LANGUAGE
SIR,

What a sad reflection it is on today’s society when an institution such as The Great Ormond Street Hospital needs to accept
charity from the O2 event, where presenters endeavoured to outdo each other with a series of lewd and vulgar anecdotes in
the guise of comedy.

Martin Mears, Daiglen, Shore Rd.,Carradale.

With the plethora of antics surrounding charitable ‘performances’ is it not time to review what is appropriate behaviour in a public arena? Bruce
Forsyth’s ‘Roasting’ on April 7th brought another inappropriate, if mildly amusing, Americanism to our screens. Ed.

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