The Bells of Balnahard

In Issue 7 of "The Corncrake", there was an article about the first major "clearance" from Colonsay, in the summer of 1791. In that article, reference was made to a traditional account of the departure of the Bells from Balnahard; it had been hoped that somebody might give the story in the way that they themselves heard it, but nobody came forward and therefore the one available version is given below.

The Bells were famously connected with the north end of the island ("Baille na h'Ard" = "Fermtoun at the Cape") for 250 years and more; after their departure the land was farmed as a single unit but with little success or continuity until the advent of the Hobhouse family c. 1940. Confusingly enough, the name "Bell" is an anglicized version of "MacMhaolain" (meaning "son of the tonsured man") and is the form that was favoured in Argyll; elsewhere (and more commonly) it was rendered in English as "MacMillan".

For background, it may be noted that the setting of the story is between 1791 and 1811 and seems to be associated with the lairdship of Colonel Archibald McNeill, 1773 - 1805. He had inherited from his father and married Lady Georgina Anne, daughter of George, 5th Earl of Granard (of the Forbes family that had settled in Ireland); they had no issue. We are told that he was "remembered as a popular laird."

When Archibald inherited, the American colonies were in an unhappy condition. Taxes had been rejected, and customs duties had also been refused; but the British Government had decided to try to levy just one, token duty - on tea. The Boston Tea Party of 16 December 1773 was the defiant response, leading inexorably to the Declaration of Independence, 4 July 1776. As a result, emigration ceased in 1775 and, despite Britain's humiliating surrender at Yorktown, 17 October 1781, it was not until 1783 that it was resumed. Thus it was that throughout the early years of Archibald's tenure, emigration from Colonsay failed to be an issue. It is not known if he obtained much of a dowry when he married, and it is said that his subsequent military career impaired his finances; certainly there is not much evidence of new building during Archibald's tenure. The inns at Scalasaig and Balnahard are known to have been in existence by 1769, and although the present parish church at Scalasaig was built in 1802 (to hold 400 sitters and at a cost of £444.11.6d), it was at no cost to the Estate. The architect, Michael Carmichael, had been engaged in certain projects at Inverary, and no doubt was engaged by Presbytery through the advice of Argyll's Estate. The new building was on the site of a mediaeval church (shown in Blaue's maps), but the heritor failed to improve on the original and inadequate glebe, and failed to provide a manse.

There is some evidence for Archibald's military career. Intriguingly, there was a (faulty) tradition that he was "Governor of South Carolina", and Loder suggests that Archibald "may have been on the staff of Lord William Campbell, who was Governor at the outbreak of the War of Independence in 1775". Is it possible that contacts from that period lay behind his decision to translate so many of his tenants to the Carolinas in 1791? Almost every significant member of the Argyll Colony (to North Carolina, 1737, aboard "The Thistle") had been closely connected to Archibald's family and their descendants had become very influential. At a later stage in his career, Archibald raised the 3rd Argyll Fencibles (1799) and commanded them as Colonel; it seems that his regiment was garrisoned in Gibralter 1800-1802.

Whilst Archibald pursued his military career, his farming interests were largely in the hands of his uncle and, later, his cousin. The uncle, Alexander, was tacksman of Oransay and a prominent farmer who had developed significant business interests elsewhere. In a typical reference, on 21 May 1764 he attended the public roup in Tarbert, Jura, where Black Cattle and other stock were being sold, the property of the late Archibald Campbell of Jura; Alexander was buying for his uncle at Dunollie, and bought 81 stots at a total of £238.6.6. He died in the mid-1780's and was succeeded in Oransay by his son John, born 1767. (Alexander and his wife, Mary McDougall of McDougall, plus his brother Angus ("Captain in the army") are all buried in Oransay).

In due course (1805), Archibald was to sell Colonsay to his cousin, John, for "a certain, adequate price." We can perhaps assume that John had already commenced the "improvement" of the estate by clearing the old farmsteads. That work was well advanced in the 1790's and it may have been with a view to establishing a fair price that a surveyor was engaged in 1804. The resultant (and surviving) Estate Map is actually dated 1806 but was clearly the result of planning and survey work during the tenure of Colonel Archibald. Archibald died a few years after the sale, although it is not known where he or Lady Georgina are buried.

Neither Archibald, nor his cousin John (some 20 years his junior), can have instilled total confidence in the island population. We know that "a considerable proportion of the inhabitants crossed the Atlantic" in the summer of 1791, and that "a few emigrated from Colonsay to America" in 1792; from the evidence of the master of the "General Washington" it is clear that these emigrations were forced. On the other hand, there were some earlier voluntary emigrations and within a generation there was a veritable flood. Indeed, so great was the drain upon the island population that there was a labour shortage - over a number of years in the early nineteenth century John McNeill ("The Old Laird") was doing everything possible to stem the flow.

In a future issue it is hoped to consider some of those voluntary migrants, firstly to North Carolina and later to Canada. Remaining with our present theme, it is likely that one of the first areas to feel the pressure of "improvement" was the farm at the centre of the following tale recounted by the late Andrew McNeill (in 1997):

"Did you ever here how the Bells came to leave Balnahard? Well, it was like this.... there was some sort of a dispute that they had, something to do with how the land was to be worked that year and they couldn't come to any agreement. Eventually they decided to put it to the laird, so a couple of them went down to see him in Kiloran and they explained the whole matter and asked him to make a decision. "Well", said the laird, "I am very busy just now, but I will think the matter over and do you come back in such-and-such a time (it might have been the same time and place next week or in two weeks) and I will let you have my decision." So, they went away home and came back again as was arranged to see what he had decided. "Well", he said, "I have thought about it carefully and this is what you'll do. Go you back up to your houses and pack up your traps, because there is a boat coming tomorrow to pick you up and you are all going over to Canada." And that is what they had to do. They say that they did not even come back down from Balnahard, but sailed away from the beach there and up to Oban where they joined the ship."

Although it is rather simplified, there are aspects to the tale that are revealing. Importantly, Andrew was not talking in his normal way but was using turns of phrase that were formulaic, telling the story in a certain way that suggested he was simply repeating it as it had been passed down to him. The "not coming back down" (presumably to Scalasaig) makes perfect sense, since the harbour was not yet built and since the strand at Balnahard would be very much more convenient. Above all, the underlying sense of the story is that the emigration was involuntary. It was the result of the tenants having placed themselves somehow at the disposal of the laird, possibly by failing to secure the renewal of their lease or possibly by having allowed themselves to become divided.

It is difficult to place this story in its exact historical context and it is hoped that readers may choose to comment. In my own view, the options include the 1791 and 1792 "clearances" to Wilmington, a slightly later crossing to Pictou aboard the "Hector", or the well-documented voyage of the "Spencer". I have tended to favour the "Spencer" since she did sail from Oban to Canada, and her passenger list does include a good number of MacMillans. The difficulty is that the passengers have hitherto been believed to have been voluntary migrants. There are difficulties with the other ships. The "Hector" might perhaps fit, if there were Bells or MacMillans on board; but the 1791 sailing of "General Washington" was from Colonsay to Wilmington, not Oban to Canada. On the other hand, we know nothing of who was aboard, and it is possible that the mention of Oban and Canada is a mere gloss.

Thus we need additional information on the relevant passenger lists (looking for Bells or MacMillans); and it would be helpful to know if anyone has another version of the story, perhaps one which does not mention Canada or which includes some additional information. Please do get in touch with the editor if you can make any contribution to this subject. Send your message to the Editor.

Since we seem to be leading up to an article about the "Spencer" (1806) it might be useful to clear the decks. There are very few surviving (post-reformation) gravestones in Colonsay and Oransay which predate that voyage and they are thought to be as follows:
COLONSAY:
· James McNeill *
· In memory of Donald McNeill, son of Donald McNeill Schoolmaster, who died March 1795 aged 7 years
· Arch/McNeill / Alexr McNeill *
· 1789/EMV **
ORANSAY:
· 1765 Andr. Pirie and his spose Peggy McNear 1808
· --th May 1791 Here lies the corpse of Ketr. Curie spose to Hugh Curie · In memory of Niell Bell, Merchant who died 1805 aged 40 years
* date deduced from location of grave
** Perhaps MacMhuirrich, i.e. Currie; or MacMhaolain i.e. Bell/MacMillan

Website to explore

A young lady from Edinburgh was in Colonsay this week, descended from "Lady Ann McNeill" and her husband, a Brigadier. The McNeill family tree which we consulted is a rather splendid affair, going back to such origins as Aegbert I, Kenneth MacAlpine, Harald Harfagar etc. On page 49, we spotted a likely candidate in "Malcolm, Lt. Col, Brigadier General, H.E.I. Co's …"; unhappily the manuscript is a bit tricky so until it can be deciphered the jury is out … but it did lead to further research. An account of the 91st Highlanders and the Peninsula War includes an account of the promotion in the field of "the Adjutant, Lieutenant MacNeil of Colonsay" in thrilling circumstances at the passage of the Nivelle - read it at http://www.aboutscotland.com/argylls/91penin.html

No letters arrived for this issue, but one or two people are planning contributions for the Magazine section. We have received a number of messages from new contacts who are researching their Colonsay ancestors (including Donald Blue, born Baleraomin 1853). Owing to virus threats, it would be helpful if new contacts could avoid adding attachments to their initial message. As mentioned in the last issue, an article upon the "Hector", "Spencer" or "Economy" would be very welcome - there is plenty of material available but not enough time to do everything. More contributions, please. Contact
the Editor - byrne@colonsay.org.uk

Photograph shows Donald Blue (front row, far right) as member of Grand Forks Police, North Dakota, 1908. Courtesy of Gary Snyder, whose wife Mary is a direct descendant.

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