Peter and John Livingston slate quarriers at Belnahua

[Canadian Livingstone]

Hi All,
Life in the highlands was was often difficult for our clan in the years following Culloden but many persevered, migrating about Argyllshire,finding work and establishing themselves in an occupation or trade to sustain themselves and their families as best they could. It was either that or finding employment in the industrialized lowlands or if all else failed emigration to North America or Australia. The Slate industry in Western Argyll in the 1700's and 1800's clearly offered Livingstons and other highland families in the area an opportunity to continue to forge an existence for themselves in their Western Argyllshire homeland and an escape from abject poverty.

As you may have seen from earlier postings a number of Western Argyllshire Livingstons found work in slate quarries at Ballachulish but there other locations in Western Argyllshire where good quality slate could be found. Belnahua was the smallest of several slate islands in Western Argyllshire were slate was mined adjacent to the Isle of Luing in Kilbrandon and Kilchattan Parish but actually part of Jura Parish at this time. In the census records then you may see the place of birth of someone living on Belnahua or Belnahuay Island as being Jura Parish. John Livingston age 45 b. abt. 1796 slate quarry worker and his wife Christian Flemming is recorded in the 1841 Census on Belnahuay Island with with sons Peter age 14,John age 7 and Donald. Sons Peter Livingston and John are slate quarry workers born on Belnahua Island and and appear there with brother Donald and another sibbling a sister Isabella beginning in the 1861 Census. In 1871 they are residing at Belnahua Cottage no.1 for Slate workers. John and Isabella's death records indicate that their father John Livingston was also a slate quarrier. By 1881 the three unmarried siblings Peter, John and Isabella have left Belnahua and are living in a cottage at Alma in the Cuilipool area on the Isle of Luing where John and Peter are now lobster fisherman in their later years. They all seem to have died in theCuilipool area in the early 20th century.

In this excellent photo of the ruins of the Belnahua slate workers houses you can get some sense of what their dwelllings were like and where they were located.
http://www.redwebforum.com/isles/belnahua/Home.htm

In the 1871 Scottish Census John Livingstone's son JOhn born abt. 1835 and son Peter are recorded as residing at Belnahua House No.1 with their sister Isabella Livingstone. They are both slate quarriers. A little further away, occupying Belnahua House No.22 is Angus Livingston age 60 born abt. 1811 slate quarrier and his wife Helen. Their sons Donald age 23,John age 16 and Allen 14 are also working at the slate quarry.

Over on the nearby Isle of Luing which we have also discussed at length in earlier postings,we have according the 1841 Census at settlement of Colipole actually Cuillipool Neil Livingston age 75 born abt. 1766, Archibald Livingston age 50 and Hugh age 25 all of whom were slate workers at Cuillipool. Cuillipool the largest settlement on the Island of Luing in the 1800's had at one time a large slate quarry operation.

At Easdale near the Isle of Luing according to the 1841 Scottish Census a John Livingston born abt. 1786 and his son Donald born about 1826 were likewise employed as slate quarriers.


Seil, Luing, Easdale and Belnahua are referred to as the Slate Islands apparently with good reason.
regards,

Donald

[Greg Livingston]

Donald, that link did not work. It looks like they have changed the web address.

[Canadian Livingstone]

Hi Greg,

Thanks for that. I will check it again.

regards,

Donald

[david.livingstone]

Looks like the 'H is case-sensitive.

http://www.redwebforum.com/isles/belnahua/Home.htm

[Canadian Livingstone]

Hi David,

Thanks for fixing it. I appreciate your quick response and Greg's on that one. I figured I had screwed it up somehow. Great picture actually and the site refers to an excellent book on the subject of the Islands in the area and the historic slate industry.Quite surprised the ruins of the old worker houses or cottages have held up as well as they have over the years. If we ever come into contact with descendants of these Belnahua Livingstons someday they may find this photo particularly of interest, but given that Ginger's Livingston ancestors over in Ballachulish,Argyllshire and others we have from at the Forum that had Livingston family who worked the Ballachulish slate quarries it is probably of general interest to an number of clan members both at present and in the in the future. Also regarding Belnahua, Our Clan Secretary Jill Richmond had Livingston ancestors that lived in the 1700's on the nearby Isle of Luing.

regards,

Donald

[Jill Richmond]

Hi Donald,

The only information I can find about my family's time on the Isle of Luing is a baptismal record for my 3times great aunt Mary was baptised there in 1785. Archibald Livingston and Mary McDougall were listed as her parents, and the family was listed as living at Bardrishaig, which is not far from Cullipool. Mary was born about 1782/3. There is no record of the marriage of my 3times great grandparents, and at some time between 1785 and 1791 the family went over to Craignish on the mainland where they remained for fifty years.

For those interested in the slate islands the following links might be useful:
http://www.isleofluing.co.uk
http://www.slateislands.org.uk

Jill

[Canadian Livingstone]

Belnahua one of the smallest of the Slate islands in Hebrides was part of Jura Parish I noticed, but was nearby to Cullipool on the Isle of Luing that was located in Kilbrandon and Kilchattan Parish.