Note of the meeting of the North Tolsta Historical Society at the Schoolhouse, North Tolsta , on Monday, 26 September 2005, at 7.30pm.

PRESENT: D.Murray; R.Murray; A.Murray; M.Murray; A.MacLeod, DJ MacRitchie; D. Lawson; R.Moir; A. MacKenzie; A.A. Smith; S.Egan (guest)

APOLOGIES : John A. MacIver; R. MacLeod; S.MacIver

CHAIR: D.Murray

Welcome : The Chair welcomed Sarah Egan from Hebridean Connections to the meeting.

The meeting was preceded by an informal presentation by Sarah Egan of the Hebridean Connections project as follows:

• Sarah provided a bit of background about the project and showed members the website live.
• It was a Lottery funded project involving four historical societies in Lewis: Uig and Bernera, Kinloch and Pairc.
• It was not a research project but a project to access and organise existing materials/resources from the Comainn Eachdraidh involved.
• The site offered an integrated approach so that there were inter linkages between diverse materials on the site.
• There was a significant Gaelic element on the site, although it was not bilingual; hoping to add to the Gaelic element.
• Inputting information was the time consuming aspect of the project.
• It was a five year project
• Currently employed five FTE; working across four Comainn Eachdraidh at no cost to the CE concerned.
• Hoping to add more members to Hebridean Connections and NTHS would be interested in becoming a member.

• Ness had decided that they wanted to become involved in the project. There would be a meeting of interested parties soon so that they could sign-up as partners - probably in October 2005. Partners would be expected to be involved in the fund raising

• "There had to be a commitment by partners; it was not a one way process."
• Heb' Connections would provide a full time person working on behalf of that Comann Eachdraidh in the community; trained by Heb' Connections but managed by the Comann Eachdradh.
• Second application would be made to the Lottery, probably in December 2005.
• Other members might include North Lochs and Carloway.
• Broadband would be vital to the operation of the project.
• The Comhairle and WIE were supportive of the project.
• The Comann Eachdraidh was given the password to the site for a trial run.
• It was recognised that the site now needed a marketing thrust to raise its profile and people's awareness
• Site is : www.hebcon.no-ip.com
• (password required)

•  Note of the Last Meeting

The Note of the last meeting was approved.

•  Finance

A balance of £2,209.19 was recorded on the evening of the meeting.

It was noted that adults had to pay £10 for the recent study tour of Uist.

3.   Correspondence

• Circular from HI-Arts
• Angus Macleod Memorial Lecture on 18 October 2005 at 7.30 in Pairc School : "Moorlands without Crofters" by Jim Hunter. Those wishing to attend would have to reply to Elizabeth McGowan by 30 September 2005. Donald hoped to attend.
• "Make a Difference" day on 28 October 2005 at the Voluntary Centre, Francis Street , Stornoway. Noted.
• Circular from intermedia services to publicise events.

4.   Bàrdachd

The final selection of poetry (for publication purposes) would be completed in October 2005. Angus would write a foreword and Donald Martin from Comunn na Gàìdhlig (CnAG) would also be asked to write a few words in support (Gaelic in the Community managed by CnAG being one of the funders).

The cover of the book was being designed by Ruairidh Moir of the Young Historians. He would produce a number of designs and the Committee would choose one.

The Committee would also need to agree on a title for the book.

5.   Young Historians

The project was to all intents and purposes completed. There were LEADER+ funds that could still be claimed, although the deadline for claims had now passed. Angus would check with Rona at LEADER+ whether we could still claim further funds if we could come up with an eligible project.

Ruairidh Moir was working on a fishing/fishing boats history (with Alex Angus's help) which was almost completed and which we would want to produce in the form of a publication. Ruairidh would get a quote for the work and Angus would follow this up with Rona.

6.   Tolsta Head Walk

Angus, Donald and Susan Rabe (from the Western Isles Countryside Access Programme (WICAP) walked around the route again. The Walk would be waymarked with posts provided by the WICAP as well as some basic directional signs. A gate would also be provided by the Programme to facilitate access to the Traigh Mhòr. The fencing would be undertaken by the contractor who had done the fencing previously as it was important to maintain the quality and standard of the current fencing (for Common Grazing purposes).

NTHS would provide a sign (on a flat board) at both end of the Walk and produce an information leaflet. It was vital that we stressed the danger at certain areas of the Walk, i.e., to stay away from the cliff edge and to ensure that walks, especially with children, were supervised.

NTHS would ask the Community Council to front the application as it had public liability insurance while NTHS did not. Donald John (Chair of Community Council ) agreed to bring this before its Committee.

•  Tolsta Weddings - Photographic Project

Anna was progressing this project. The idea would be to produce a power point presentation with photographs and little bit of information about each one. Any further information or photographs could be forwarded to Anna.

•  Caidreachas Eachdraidh

•  Core Funding

Donald had attended the meeting on 12 September 2005. Core funding had been discussed, and Caidreachas members felt that a minimum of £5,000 per Comann Eachdraidh was necessary. A short consultative exercise had been circulated to Comainn Eachdraidh by Richard Langhorne and Angus had responded to this (on behalf of NTHS). The Cairdreachas would discuss the matter further at its meeting in October 2005.

It was noted that a Comhairle Members seminar had been held in September 2005 on the subject and a report of their deliberations would be decided on at the Comhairle's October 2005 series of meetings.

8.2   Pròiseact nan Sgeulachdan

A short talk was given to the Caidreachas by Chrisella Ross. The project was progressing very well.

8.3   James Shaw Grant

There was a wealth of material by JSG at Acair and a Graduate placement would put these in some order in due course.

9.   Windfall Films/Ben Lomond

Donald had now done his 'piece' on the plague bomb trails for radio and television. The radio programme had been broadcast and the television programme would be on BBC4 on 19 October 2005 (or so) - to be confirmed.

It was noted that some furore had been created in the media over the story, for what was essentially 'old news' that had been in the public domain for some considerable time.

•  AOCB

10.1   World War 1

Some research was being carried out on "internees in Holland during WW1". A list of internees from Tolsta had been forwarded to NTHS, some of whom had been identified and some not. There were several others known to be internees who were not on the list. Donald would respond with a full list.

•  Genealogy

A couple of genealogical enquiries had been received from William MacLeod "Holmlea", Branahuie and from Anne Smillie in New Zealand .

•  Young Historians

It was important to keep the Young Historians' database going. It was noted that there had been 5 births and no deaths in the village since the last recorded statistics.

•  Date of Next Meeting

No date was set for the next meeting.