Baillie family detective work

Wednesday 13th September

Weather: showery with sunny breaks and a stiff breeze but not the 70 mph winds forecast - I could have had a good nights sleep, all that worrying for nothing!

Ferry coming in to Lochranza

A lovely drive with spectacular scenery through the north part of Arran  - very rugged mountains, lots of water tumbling down the sides and rushing streams, unfortunately because of very narrow roads no where to stop for photos - seems to be same the problem in most places. The ferry was coming in as we arrived in Lochranza and once again we were last on and the crossing was very smooth. Turned onto the wrong road and ended up doing an unplanned 3 hour tour of the Kintyre Peninsula with lunch at Cambeltown - a terrific trip with 'wow' scenery around every bend.

Spent the afternoon exploring where the Baillie family had lived in the 1860's and 70'. William Kerr Baillie was Bruce's g.grandfather on his grand mother Shaw's side (she was Agnes Kerr Baillie) and he had been born in Scotland in 1855. In the 1871 Census the family were living in Kilmichael Glassary - we will stay in a nearby B&B tonight. The village consists of one street off a main road, a church which was there before 1860, and a newer school. Nearby is the town of Bridge End and an old Pub, the Horseshoe Inn which would have been a staging post in his time We had an enormous meal there for dinner. There would have been only a few residences in Kilmichael Glassary in the 1860's, but we don't know which house would have been theirs. William was 16 and an apprentice forester, most likely to his father Thomas. Two years later William migrated to Australia - perhaps being a forester with Dad was not such a good idea. 

Possible Baillie home

Kilmichael Glassary Church

In the 1881 Census, father Thomas - still a forester, and the rest of the family (a couple of more kids by now) are living in the South Lodge on an estate called Ormsary. We found or way to Ormsary, the estate still exists and is a huge concern - cattle, forestry, fish farms, with a large mansion, and after a chat with the very pleasant manager and consulting an 1873 map we were able to find the South Lodge. All rather exciting. It would have been much smaller in their day, only three rooms had windows according to the Census - it was fairly obvious where extensions had been added in later years. 

South Lodge

Thursday 14th September

It's late (11.40pm), the Wi -Fi connection is very slow and I am very tired so entry will be brief.

Travelled to Oban, caught ferry for 1 hour crossing to the island of Mull - known as the Ross of Mull - blowing a gale but crossing smooth because fairly sheltered water. Drive of only 49 miles to Fionnphort took 2 hours - narrow road with many passing lay-bys but about 50 cars going in the opposite direction, 4 buses and a semi-trailer - must have stopped 30 times! Views on trip wonderfully rugged and spectacular but once again nowhere to stop. Guesthouse, Staffa House is terrific - very comfortable, new enthusiastic owners, view from our room of nearby cove and pink granite rocks and also across strait to the island of Iona - which is where we are off to tomorrow after we have had a cooked breakfast in the glass conservatory! Wind is rattling the windows and many showers but hopefully will settle overnight, Merilyn, now well asleep, is loving it because a small herd of highland cattle walked past whilst we were having dinner at the pub (2 minutes walk down the road) AND tomorrow we are going to Iona!!