ID:SLD_182_071DESCRIPTION:On Skye's indented west coast Loch Harport, with Glamaig beyond, provides the backdrop to the annual summer job of making hay to provide winter feeding for livestock. Hay making was strenuous and time consuming, and family members or neighbours were often called upon to lend a hand. Up until the late 19th century, the grass was cut by hand using a scythe, but horse and then tractor-drawn mowers or reapers speeded up this laborious task, although on small areas of croftland their use would be limited. The grass was turned to encourage drying, and raked then gathered into stacks. The haystacks pictured have each been topped with a small tarpaulin to keep off the worst of the weather and prevent the hay blowing away. An old fishing net was often used for this purpose.
Olivia James
The images in this collection are a selection from a set of high quality Agfachrome slides taken by Olivia James. Mrs James, a semi-professional photographer, took the photographs on visits to Skye between 1968 and 1989, using a Pentax S1A camera and CT 18 film. They record a variety of locations, people and activities which have now changed or indeed disappeared, and provide one person's view of the island through the camera lens. Born in Elderslie, Renfrewshire on 26th April 1932, Olive Grace James (née Purcell) moved to England in 1944, trained as a teacher and married Richard James in 1956. Her husband's forbears were from Skye and they began visiting on a regular basis in 1968. In addition to the slides, Mrs James has written an evocative account of her memories of places, events and people on Skye which she named 'Skye Magic', a copy of which is held at the Skye and Lochalsh Archive Centre.
'Skye Magic' has been incorporated into her privately printed autobiography 'Neivie, Neivie, Nick, Nack' which she has kindly donated to various institutions including the Clan Donald Library on Skye, the Mitchell Library in Glasgow and the Weaver's Cottage, Kilbarchan.
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Skye and Lochalsh ArchivesPLACENAME:CarbostDISTRICT:SkyeOLD COUNTY/PARISH:INVERNESS: BracadalePERIOD:1970s; 1980sSOURCE:Skye and Lochalsh Archive CentreCOLLECTION:Olivia James CollectionAsset ID:39516KEYWORDS:
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