Liosta freumhan sgìre Nis

Gheibh sibh cothrom air na claran seo tro Tasglann nan Eilean SiarRecords made accessible through Tasglann nan Eilean Siar.

Unless otherwise stated, the following archive collections are stored in Stornoway. Subject to their physical condition making them suitable to travel, they may be made accessible through the Comhairle’s library and museum service across the islands. Full catalogues are available on request.

SUSBAINT

1 Local Government Records

2 Schools

3 Deposited records

4 Other sources

1 CLÀRAN RIAGHALTAS IONADAIL

Barvas Parish Council

Established in 1845, Parishes (or Parochial Boards as they started out) were responsible for raising and administering poor relief. Barvas Parish Council was abolished in 1930 with its powers transferring to Barvas District Council.

Minutes 1884-1930

Applications for parochial relief 1914-1930

General Registers of the poor 1884-1930

Lewis District Committee

The District Committee was established in 1890, undertaking functions on behalf of Ross and Cromarty County Council. Its main responsibilities included roads and bridges and various local amenities that fell outwith the Parish Council’s remit. The Committee was abolished in 1930.

Minutes 1890-1930

Lewis District Council

Lewis District Council was established in 1930 to serve as local agents for Ross and Cromarty County Council. Responsibilities included public health, nursing, housing, roads, harbours, water supply and drainage but excluded police and education. It was abolished in 1975 with its powers transferring to the newly formed Comhairle nan Eilean.

Minutes 1930-1974

Abstract of accounts 1929-1965

Cash books 1934-1962

Assessment cash books (District rate) 1944-1950

Lochboisdale Pier & Harbour cash books and ledgers 1926-1961

Lewis Combination Poorhouse, Stornoway

The poorhouse was situated in Stornoway and covered the districts of Barvas, Lochs, Stornoway and Uig and was built in 1894.

Minute books 1893-1970

Letter books 1914-1933

Cash books 1953-1968

Visiting Committee Reports 1926-1962

Garden Records 1941-1967

Graveyards

The graveyards are owned and maintained by the community:

Barvas : Records held by cemetery clerk

Habost: Records held by cemetery clerk

2 SGOILTEAN

NB: Log books are closed to public access for 35 years; admission registers for 100 years from the last entry in the volume

Barvas School Board / Lewis District Education Sub CommitteeEstablished in 1872 and function in various guises until 1975, the functions of the School Boards were absorbed into the Education Department of Comhairle nan Eilean Siar in 1975.

Barvas School Board Minutes 1873-1919

Lewis District Education Sub-Committee Minutes 1919-1975

Airidhantuim: Admission registers 1889-2012, log books 1904-1985

Cross : Admission registers 1937-2008, log books 1896-1986 [Records

held by Comann Eachdraidh Nis]

Lionel: Records held by school

Skigersta: Log books 1892-1965 [with Tasglann nan Eilean Siar, further records held in Lionel School]

3 CLÀRAN EILE

MacAulay Rhodesia Trust (found within James Shaw Grant collection) 1952-1961 (closed until 2061)

This collection contains minutes from the meetings of the Trust where applications for financial assistance from islanders were discussed. These date from 1956-1961. It also contains correspondence between members of the board and applicants and also members of the board and Barclay’s Bank. These are dated 1953-1961.

4 FREUMHAN EILE

There are many collections of useful archives held in private or voluntary group hands relating to the Ness area. There is no statutory right of access to these records but many custodians are willing to aid researchers. The following organisations may well be worth contacting for help with your research. Further details can be found at http://www.tasglann.org.uk

Comunn Eachdraidh Nis

Ness Comunn Eachdraidh have new premises in the old Cross School. A mentioned, they hold records from the days of Cross School on which they held an exhibition in the summer of 2011. They also have photographs on their website which is in sections, for example, crofting, the home, education, the sea and the army along with others. The website can be found at www.c-e-n.org

Local churches

Church records can be a useful resource for researchers. Where they survive they are still held by the churches