ID:SLD_182_077DESCRIPTION:The specialised needle loaded with twine with which the fisherman repairs a tear in his net.
Fishing nets require constant maintenance, no matter which part of the world the fishermen live in or what type of fishing they are involved in. Here at the quay at Isle Ornsay on Skye's east coast, poor weather has kept the fishing boat tied up, but the nets can be checked and repaired.
Nets were made by hand by knotting twine to create a mesh. The introduction of net making machines speeded up the process and the use of synthetic fibres in the 1950s greatly improved the strength and longevity of the nets. Despite this, modern nets can still be damaged by snagging on rocks or the seabed, or tangling in weed or equipment, and have to be mended by hand.
The village of Isleornsay, also known by its Gaelic name Eilean Iarmain, is situated on a sheltered harbour off the Sound of Sleat, protected by the island of the same name. It was founded in the early 19th century on a sheltered bay overlooking the island which provided a protected harbour for fishing vessels. The village became a commercial centre for the area under the auspices of the Macdonalds, the local land owners. The quay was constructed in 1805 with other buildings close by including a general store, stables, a grain store and later an inn, now Eilean Iarmain Hotel. Most of the buildings were bought by Sir Iain Noble in 1972, and were then restored or converted, forming the hub of his aims to revitalise the Gaelic language and culture. The bay is a haven for visiting yachts which now outnumber the fishing boats.
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:IsleornsayDISTRICT:SkyeOLD COUNTY/PARISH:INVERNESS: SleatPERIOD:1980sSOURCE:Skye and Lochalsh Archive CentreCOLLECTION:Olivia James CollectionAsset ID:39522KEYWORDS:
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