Duncan Livingston, slate quarrier at Balvicar

[Canadian Livingstone]

Hi Jill and Margaret,

Perhaps for a future issue of "The Parnassus" the Clan Maclea Livingstone Society Newletter we should have a article on the history of the local slate industry and the Livingstons of Luing and Seil complete with photos of scenic spots and old Livingston cemetery stones of interest on these Islands. As previously stated I find it quite interesting that so many Livingstones were employed at the slate quarries. I suspect our readers will as well. The book I mentioned that I have about Ballachulish has some great old photos showing the transportation of the slate, cutting the slate pieces etc at the Ballachulish quarry.

regards,

Donald

[Kyle MacLea]

Hi all,

Great idea--I would welcome such a submission! We have had an article on Ginger's Colorado forebears who worked in quarrying, with some reference to their earlier quarrying work in Scotland. But we could use something that harkens back to the Scottish quarriers, and also that this seems to have been common in multiple Livingston/e families.

Anyone interested in writing such an article should get in touch--it could be long or short, could even be divided in multiple issues. Would love to have it!

Kyle=

[Jill Richmond]

Thank you for your kind offer, Margaret. I too have a copy of the book and have found what it has to say about the history of Kilchattan parish very interesting. I hope that you have success in tracing your family further back. I have followed your thread with great interest, but although our families share several names, i.e. Alexander, Archibald, at present there does not appear to be a link between them.

Hope you have a great time visiting Argyll. We are hoping to get up there middle to end of May.

Kyle and Donald: although I have forebears who were quarriers, I do not know very much about the history of quarrying in Argyll. My Cameron 3times great grandfather and 2times great grandfather worked first in Morven, then at Ballachulish, and my 2times great grandfather worked also at Crarae. I feel that Margaret and Ginger know far more about quarrying history than I do.

Regards,

Jill

[smcairnx]

I think an article would be of interest. I was never aware that the islands were called the Slate Islands until I started my family tree research very recently - I've learnt a great deal since then thanks to this forum. I also bought a copy of The Islands that Roofed the World on Donald's recommendation which I found fascinating & would like to know more.

Sandra

[Canadian Livingstone]

Hi Kyle,

Yes my feelings exactly. As discussed in this posting, we have a number of descendants of Western Argyllshire Livingston slate workers from Ballachulish, Luing and Seil who have contacted the Maclea Livingstone Society Forum. I think it a great idea to do an article in a future issue of "The Parnassus" on the "Slate" Livingstons and the slate industy.

regards,

Donald

[Kaye Saunders]

Sounds like a good idea, and depending on when you want it I may be able to help. But it won't be this year I thought that maybe when Ginger and I are in Scotland in August 2013 we can visit the places - Ginger's 3g grandfather (Donald) was a slate worker in Ardchattan, and her 4g grandfather (Dugald - my 2g grandfather) worked in the slate quarry at Ballachulish. Ginger takes the most wonderful photos and I'm sure we could put our heads together...... are you up for it Ginger?

Kaye

[Kyle MacLea]

Ooh... that would be great! We are certainly in no rush--a would wait for some great photos and a good compilation of the available information!

Kyle=

[Canadian Livingstone]

Hi Kaye,

Given Ginger's abilities as a photographer and the excellent article she has written in the past for our Clan Maclea Livingstone Society newsletter "The Parnassus" regarding her Ballachulish Livingston family in America, we would welcome more of her contributions and that of the rest of the "Slate Livingston Group" with roots to Ballachulish and the Slate Islands in the future if anyone is interested. The ancestral homeland of Highland maclea Livingstone in Western Argyllshire is full of much scenic beauty and ruins of historic interest and significance to the clan worthy of many photographs.

regards,

Donald

[jmlivingstone]

Margaret, Sandra & Donald,

I just found an old map of Argyllshire, in The Gazetteer of Scotland, the map is from sometime about 1890 - 1947, & shows Dallermaig, there appear to be maybe two lots of housing at the location.

Google gives the map reference as 50 deg. 16' 28.05" N & 5 deg. 34' 03.27" W, the figure 120 appears beside the houses, I'm assuming 120 is the height above sea level.

The 1890 - 1947 map has Barrnayary Farm & Ardshelloch to the north & Ardmaddy Castle & Barrnacoilich Farm to the south, Allt Dallermaig is slightly south of the location. The location is on what appears to be a sweeping bend on the road.

On the most updated Google map, there does not appear to be housing on the site, on one of the older maps, there is what appears to be a relatively modern house of some sort, on the east side of the road, across from the original housing, this house does not now appear on Google,

John

[smcairnx]

John,

Thank-you for this. I am planning a short visit in July so will put the co-ordinates into our sat nav so we can try and drive by the location.

Regards

Sandra