Strathnaver Museum & Mackay Country Community Trust Moving Times & Museum Tales
Mackay Country Community Trust Ltd.
Moving Times and Telling Tales
Education and migration in the north
During this project we have explored the history of Hostel schooling, Side Schools and the positive contributions made by in-migration in this area. The research work ran from April 2012 for a year. A small bi-lingual team conducted audio and video interviews with people who stayed in the Hostel or lodgings for schooling and with people who have moved into the area – or whose folks did so in the past. The history of the side schools was explored via site visits, local memories and archive work on School Board Minutes and School Log Books. Fieldwork interviewing across the north was carried out by Issie MacPhail from Assynt; Catriona Macleod from Strathnaver; Alda Macleod, Strathnaver; Shona Munro, Bettyhill; Rosemary MacIntosh, Skerray; Sarah Beveridge, Melness and Iain Copeland, Skye. Support in organising events was provided by Sarah Beveridge, Sandra Munro, Shona Munro, Stephen and Rhona Graham, Skerray; Kris Scott, Skerray; Ben Stickland, Skerray, Donnie Macaskill, Strath Halladale and Glenda Cairncross, Scourie.
Training in oral history fieldwork and archiving was provided for Mey Sandison, Tongue; Anna Milligan, Melness; Essie Stewart, Bonar Bridge and Deirdre Ní Mhathúna, Edinburgh. The rest of the team attended for refresher training and new project specific training in order to tackle the work. Some participants accessed training materials and exercises remotely via Dropbox.
Audio and video work in support of the fieldwork and the DVD documentary was provided by Gavin Lockhart and Iain Copeland. Iain also provided technical support and Archive Development input for the team. Transcription was carried out by Mackay Country research stalwarts Catriona Macleod and Isobel Patience who now lives in Halkirk. Research management, training, archive research, analysis and writing was undertaken by Dr Issie MacPhail. Project administration was provided by Ronnie Lansely.
