EGGSTRA EGGSTRA! READ ALL ABOUT IT!!

Well, here we are, December already, just where did the year go?

And the island has enjoyed some superb weather of late, with clear blue skies, warm (well, almost) sunshine and barely a ripple on the water. Not that the inhabitants of Corncrake Towers were able to take advantage of the fine spell; the entire Corncrake team was away for its duration on a jolly (a technical term for some serious off-island investigative research).

After almost a week of unbroken sunshine, it was almost inevitable that the wind would pick up, which it duly did, leading to the cancellation of the ferry on Friday the 25th. As usual, this had a detrimental effect upon the plans of would-be travellers, but our hearts went out to Jo and Lucky, the New Zealanders who have been managing The Colonsay for most of the season. For Jo and Lucky had secured tickets for their once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see the All-Blacks take on the might of Scotland at Murrayfield on the Saturday. And so they were reduced to watching the game on TV with the rest of us in the Hotel bar as New Zealand struggled against a far superior Scotland team. The final score is of course irrelevant...

And it has been a busy old time around Corncrake Towers of late too. Every now and then, the national Press pick up on one of our wee stories, such as the closing and re-opening of the Hotel or the Princess Royal's come-uppence on Oransay. This time it was the story of the recent visit to the island of HMS Ocean (see our last Issue), and so the Corncrake telephonists have been run off their feet, the phone ringing as often as three times in one day. In particular, the national Press's interest seemed to lie with Wattie and his eggs, and so our Photographic Desk has almost taken up camp at Uragaig as requests came through for a photo of Wattie at home, one of Wattie with his hens and even one of Wattie with his ducks and hens :

All this activity increased your Editor's determination to find out just what makes Wattie's eggs so special. One school of thought is that this perception is simply the result of a cunning Marketing campaign by Walter over many years and the manipulation of the Demand curve by prudent restriction of the Supply chain. Ach but this cannot be true - have you seen the colour of those yolks and have you ever tasted that taste? Walter was however not for giving away any secrets, no matter how many drams we plied him with. And so (for the moment at least), the secret of the Uragaig ducks and hens remains with the wily old fox...

PS - There is a postscript to this story, but it's a secret, so try to keep it to yourself. Walter's eggs have now become such an item that each egg box is now adorned with the legend "Walter's Eggs" :

ROYAL (PICNIC) PARTY

It seems like only yesterday that the royal yacht 'Brittania', as part of an annual Hebridean cruise, could regularly be found anchored off Colonsay as the royal party partook of a beach picnic, game of golf or just a stroll across the machair.

Indeed, it was on one such visit that the musicians that travelled with the Queen were also allowed ashore, and like the crew of HMS Ocean recently, were soon safely ensconced in the conviviality of the Hotel bar. As the afternoon drove on, old Dugie, for we believe it was he, enquired of one of the assembled throng exactly what they did aboard the royal yacht. On being told that all those who had come ashore were members of the Queen's musical ensemble, Dugie gasped in response "has the woman not heard of a hi-fi at all?"

Anyway, back to the point. The Brittania is of course no more a sea-going vessel, having been de-commissioned at the end of 1997, and is now to be found as a floating museum in Edinburgh's historic port of Leith.

So, without a boat to call her own, what does the Queen do when she wishes, to celebrate her 80th birthday, to relive the "good old days" and have one last Hebridean cruise?

The simple answer of course (and ten out of ten if you're there already), is to hire a former CalMac car ferry to do the job. What else?

Not that the vessel formerly known as the 'Columba' is just any old CalMac cast-off. The vessel, now refurbished in grand style and renamed the Hebridean Princess, has been offering luxury Hebridean cruising experiences to the well-heeled for some 15 years now. Here she is, snapped earlier this year as she made her first visit of the season to Colonsay :

Buckingham Palace confirmed recently that Her Majesty, who is 80 next year, is to charter the ship next year for a cruise round the Hebrides. Although a spokeswoman would not say when the voyage would be – or exactly where it would take the Queen – it is thought that it will probably take place near the end of the summer. Peter Williams, director of sales and marketing for the Hebridean cruising company, said: "We are delighted by the news but we have been asked by Buckingham Palace not to make any further comment." He even diplomatically declined to say whether the royal party would be making their own culinary arrangements or would settle for the £6000-a-head cost of a normal luxury cruise.

The palace spokeswoman also said: "The Queen will be taking a private cruise next year and as such will meet all the costs herself. As a private holiday, we will not be releasing any details of the proposed itinerary."

But when you're on the beach next summer, just see if the people next to you are using tupperware. Always a dead give-away, we are led to believe...

A TENDER SUBJECT

Although the tendering process for the routes currently operated by state-owned CalMac has not officially got off the starting blocks (or should that be off the slipway? - Ed.), serious contenders for the routes are beginning to emerge.

The Scottish Executive recently confirmed that it had received 10 expressions of interest in the Gourock/Dunoon route, which is being tendered separately, and 7 in CalMac's remaining 25 routes.

The seven are understood to be CalMac itself, Western Ferries, V Ships, Serco Denholm, Red Funnel, the Irish Continental Group and the Isle of Man Steam Packet company :

CalMac, the current operator, will become two companies, with one bidding to operate the routes and the other leasing vessels and piers to whoever wins the tender.

Western Ferries has 80% of vehicular traffic on Gourock-Dunoon route. Is also interested in reviving the Campbeltown to Ballycastle route.

V Ships is the world's largest ship management company.

Serco Denholm has MoD contracts at Devonport, Portsmouth and the Clyde.

Red Funnel has been running ferries between the port of Southampton and the Isle of Wight for more than 140 years.

Irish Continental Group owns Irish Ferries which operates Dublin-Holyhead, Rosslare-Pembroke, Cherbourg and Roscoff.

Finally, the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company operates from the Isle of Man to Liverpool, Heysham and Dublin.

According to the executive, an invitation to tender will be issued in the spring with appointment of the new operator next autumn. The contract for Gourock-Dunoon would start in spring 2007, and the contract for the rest of the network in the autumn of that year.

Meanwhile however, one observer of the tender process, Dr Alf Baird, head of maritime research at Napier University's Transport Research Institute, has noted that apart from the Gourock/Dunoon route, "things would appear to be stacked in favour of CalMac retaining its network of routes. The way the specification has been written effectively describes CalMac's existing operation."

Time, as ever, will tell. The Corncrake will of course be first with the news.

GRAND ILLUSIONS

And back we go to the story that seems to run and run. You know the one we mean. Yes, its the one about THAT film, 'I Know Where I'm Going'.

We are indebted to reader William Lindsay, who advises that the film was one of the main reasons he and his wife first came to Colonsay. Such Romance! You must remember...

William (and indeed a second reader, Ross Lambert - many thanks to both) have pointed us to the British Film Institute's Classics book on the film, by Pam Cook. Apparently in this Pam says "the degree of accuracy in his [Junge's] reconstructions is astonishing, with the baronial hall at Sorne Castle, the foyer and dining room of the Western Isles Hotel and the telephone box beside the waterfall all appearing completely authentic - so much so that it is often difficult to distinguish between the Denham sets and the actual locations."

So the scenes involving the telephone box may not be real after all ! This is just too much!!

This startling and upsetting news merits another wee look (last one ever, honestly!) of the Carsaig kiosk :

Just imagine if Kevin hadn't taken his camera to Carsaig that day - just what WOULD we all be talking about?

William goes on to tell us (see Letters section) that filming at the Denham studios was married to location footage, including that of the Corryvreckan. And in the book there is apparently a photograph of Powell (Director), Hillier (Photography) and Junge ( Production Designer), all dressed in oilskins on location by the sea in Scotland, presumably Mull. Then William drops a further, this time surely fatal, bombshell - " the one thing I can't find anywhere in the book is any reference to Colonsay!"

Jings, crivvens and help ma Boab! Seven curses! The film is ALL ABOUT the romance of Colonsay! (and of course the romance of that thing called love. Och, go on, we're sure you can remember if you try...)

Colin Troup has also written to advise us that immediately after our last Issue, the Western Isles Hotel in Tobermory was put up for sale. We just hope that it had nothing to do with our revelation that Roger Livesey didn't even stay there ...

PICTURES AT AN EXHIBITION

In Issue 125, we reported that Brian Hindmarsh, author of the excellent "Colonsay - Elements of an Island", was about to have an exhibition of his work at Bradford University, the title of the exhibition being "Elements of a Scottish Landscape".

Regular contributor to The Corncrake, Alan Davis, has recently had the opportunity of attending the exhibition, and has been kind enough to compile the following report of his visit, complete with photographs, for Corncrake readers :

Elements of a Scottish Landscape - Brian Hindmarch

"On Tuesday 22nd November I went down to Bradford with friends Rob and Dave, both Colonsay visitors, to see Brian's exhibition of almost forty photographs, etchings and drawings. After a busy and foggy trip down we were pleased to arrive and found Gallery 11 with very little difficulty.

It was lovely to see some of the photographs we were familiar with from Brian's lovely book 'Colonsay - Elements of an Island' as well as those which were on show last year down at the pier.

There were several new pieces on show featuring not only Colonsay but also images from Tiree and Barra as well as the Scottish Borders which he explores with reference to the writings of John Buchan.

'Morning came over the moors with bird-song and the glory of fine weather. The streams were still rolling in spate, but the hill-pastures were alight with dawn, and the little seams of snow were glistening like white fire'

Brian joined us for a coffee and guided tour after his morning lectures and was able to explain some of the techniques he used in the production of his work. We were particularly taken by a wonderfully atmospheric etching of the rocks at Eilean Dubh - you could almost hear the surf crashing and the screaming of the seagulls in a place which is seldom visited, except by the more adventurous.

 

Our visit soon came to an end and whist signing the visitor's book it became apparent from the comments that the exhibition had touched many folk who seemingly knew little of the area or landscapes he had so beautifully depicted :

'Very beautiful and inspiring'

'Wonderful study of form, colour and contrasting textures'

'Very soothing in a hectic day'

'Brian you geezer you, fabulously impressive - always good to see a tutor's work'

The exhibition continues until Friday 2nd December and I would highly recommend a visit."

Alan Davis.


Our grateful thanks go to Alan for thinking of all our Readers who are not in a position to travel to Brian's exhibition.

TINKERING WITH THE MACPHEES

Following recent correspondence within these pages concerning MacPhees and travelling people, your Editor's eye was caught by a recent article in the Sunday Herald by Ajay Close. The article primarily focused on Martin Taylor, the world famous jazz guitarist, who has recently made a television documentary about traveller culture and its vital role in preserving traditional music.

Travelling people have long been central figures in Scottish folklore but we know as little about them today as we did 500 years ago. Perhaps even less. The terminology doesn’t help. In England, "gypsy" is acceptable, but in Scotland not, the term "traveller" being the preferred label. The communities north and south of the Border also speak different languages - in England, a variation on the Romany also spoken by Roma people in France and the Sinti in Germany; in Scotland, Cant is the language of the travelling people. In Ireland, travellers speak a third language, Shelta.

How far this reflects any ethnic distinction between the groups is unclear. The Roma left Northern India 1000 years ago for a nomadic life in Europe. They were tinsmiths (hence the word “tinker”) and horse people who lived apart from the settled community. But the Scottish travellers believe themselves different from the Roma. The story handed down over the centuries was that they came from Ethiopia, and only later intermarried with the Roma who travelled North. A third ingredient in the genetic melting pot were those Scots defeated in clan warfare who took to the road rather than swear allegiance to a rival clan chief. This, of course, is where the MacPhees (of all spellings) come into this particular picture.

But back to Martin Taylor who, it transpires, is from traveller stock on his father’s side, which could partly explain why he has recently formed a gypsy band, 'Le Nouveau Trio Gitan', with French gypsy guitarist Christian Escoude and David Reinhardt, grandson of jazz legend Django - this development has its own pleasing symmetry, since it was Django’s music which first spurred the boy Martin to pick up a guitar. A simple twist of fate...

But there we go, digressing again. Don't worry, it's just an age thing apparently.

Part of Martin's documentary (still to be screened) focuses on the legendary superstitiousness of the travelling people and a number of superstitions are discussed. The most interesting one however, at least from a Corncrake point of view, came from Martin himself when he disclosed that in his family it is considered to be tempting providence to say the word or name "MacPhee" before mid-day!

So, does any Reader know the origins of this superstition, or indeed anything at all that they could share with other Corncrake readers about the history of MacPhees as travelling people?

By the way, it is still conmmon practice on Colonsay not to say the name MacPhee before mid-day, but this usually follows a Darts match the previous evening...

THE HUMOURS OF KILORAN

The Corncrake is of course a totally non-political publication. We are also aware of the adage that people in glass houses shouldn't throw stones. Nevertheless, we were of the opinion that this little story of ghosts in the White House was deserving of a wider public. So here it is :

The Four Ghosts of the White House

One night, George W. Bush is in his White House bed, but is having a restless night. He awakens to see George Washington standing by his bed. Bush asks him, "George, what's the best thing I can do to help the country?"

"Set an honest and honourable example, just as I did," Washington advises, and then fades away...

The next night, Bush is astir again, and sees the ghost of Thomas Jefferson moving through the darkened bedroom. Bush calls out, "Tom, please! What is the best thing I can do to help the country?"

"Respect the Constitution, just as I did," Jefferson advises, and then dims from sight...

The very next night, sleep still does not come easily for the President. He turns at one point only to see the ghost of FDR hovering over his bed. Bush whispers, "Franklin, what is the best thing I can do to help the country?"

"Help the less fortunate, just as I did," FDR replies and fades into the mist...

Bush is still not sleeping well the following night when he sees another figure moving in the shadows. It is the ghost of Abraham Lincoln. Bush pleads, "Abe, what is the best thing I can do right now to help the country?"

Lincoln replies, "Go and see a play, just as I did"...


Apart from that, there is of course always ongoing humour on the island, especially when adversity is involved. Recently, our 'man of the roads', George Leppard, suffered the misfortune of his tea flask being run over by a JCB, and George is a man who likes his cup of tea during the working day. A few days later Davy Sutherland, ever the comedian and jokerman to the island, was heard to ask if we had heard about poor George. Replying no, we hadn't, Davy went on to explain that poor George was off work with a broken flask...

MY COLONSAY PHOTOGRAPH

When reader William Lindsay was writing to The Corncrake concerning 'I Know Where I'm Going', he took the opportunity to kindly forward some photographs that he took on Colonsay only a few short weeks ago. So deep are we now in the bowels of Winter however, that the photographs appeared to be from a time long, long ago. Such short memories some of us have. Something to do with the ageing process we're told. Just what isn't?

One of William's photographs was a splendid sunset, but given the fact that our last two photographs in this feature were of setting suns, we thought a change was the order of the day, so the sunset shot has been kept for a future Issue.

And so to William's photograph that has been selected for this particlar Issue. It is looking seaward from Balnahard Bay :

Yes, another timeless classic. Almost like a painting. Which, coincidentally, is something that William and his wife Angie indulge in, and they have even offered to send us samples of their artistic output. "My Colonsay Painting" - do we feel a new column coming on?

P.S. - William's great great grandmother, Catherine Shaw, was apparently born on Colonsay around 1818. Can any Reader help William fill in the gaps in his family tree? And on the subject of family trees, our 'Genealogical Letters' section also contains a plea for assistance from John Stroyan Smith from Somerset who is keen to trace his Stroyan ancestors from Colonsay. If any Reader can help either gentleman, their e.mail addresses are to be found in the 'Genealogical Letters' section of this very Issue.

NATURE NOTES

Our last two 'Nature Notes' columns have had clouds as the subject, courtesy of Julia Page's illuminating 'Isle of Sky' article. And popular the cloud columns proved, judging from the positive feedback received from Readers.

So when regular contributor Alan Davis, inspired by Julia's article, forwarded another cloud photograph, it seemed entirely appropriate to continue the cloud theme.

So, without further ado, over to Alan :

"It was lovely to see Julia Pages's lovely photographs over the last two issues of The Corncrake - so much so, that even though I know little about clouds, [what an admission for an ex Geography teacher], I thought that I would send in one of my own.

Sailing back from Colonsay up the Firth of Lorne to Oban on a Sunday last July, it was a lovely evening so I ventured forth from the bar to be confronted by this fabulous view - Flying Saucers over Mull perhaps? - no, I hadn't had that much to drink :

When I arrived home I dug out some of my trusty [or should that be dusty?] old text books and found that the clouds I had seen were called Lenticularis Clouds after their lens-like shape. Apparently they form in the lee of mountain ranges and their appearance has in the past accounted for several false UFO reports.

If Julia reads this I am sure she can offer a much more detailed explanation of their formation - but thanks anyway for opening our eyes to a wonderful aspect of Colonsay's natural beauty that many of us, until now, have taken little notice of."


Great, Alan, many thanks for that. And yes, Julia has certainly opened our eyes to a greater appreciation of Colonsay clouds. Indeed, there have been some wondrous examples even since Julia's article first appeared; alas however no cameras were to hand on these occasions. Perhaps one day...

In the meantime, if any Reader has any interesting Colonsay cloud snaps that they might wish to share with a wider audience, we would be glad to hear from them.

POETRY CORNER

A few years ago, your Editor had the great fortune, nay, privilege, to hear the poet Alastair Reid deliver some of his poetry in a wee hall at the Wigtown Book Fair. There is always something very special about hearing a poet speak his own words, and the evening has been a remembered treasure ever since.

There was one occasion earlier this year however when we would love to have been present when someone else was reading one of Alastair's poems. The occasion was the open-air wedding (yes, it rained!) in Birnam of Scottish folk singer and musician Karine Polwart to fellow-musician Mattie Foulds from Cape Breton. For, as part of the giving-away of his daughter, her father read two poems, Burns' "My Love is Like A Red, Red Rose" and Alastair's "Play The Tune Again". Wow!

We don't quite yet have the technology for the spoken word to be a feature of The Corncrake, but the poem still makes mighty powerful reading :

NOW WHERE COULD THAT BE?

Before we reveal the location of our 'Where?' shot from our previous Issue, we must firstly return to Netta's 'Where?' photograph from Issue 126, it being carried forward due to no Reader being able to identify the spot :

And, after a further fortnight, we must reveal that, locals apart, no one outwith the island has correctly identified the location. Do visitors not venture to Uragaig (other than for Walter's eggs) any more? For indeed that is where you would come across the scene pictured above - at Port an Tigh Mhóir, to be more precise. So now you know. One up to Netta!

Moving swiftly on, we come, rather unsurprisingly, to last Issue's photograph :

This one, snapped by the Photographic Desk on a recent visit to the 'Rhodie Boys', Jim and Sid, did however prove to be a little less tricky. Quite a number of you, including Marion Peutherer and former residents Geoff and Hazel Wilson, correctly identified the 'outhouse' by Avenue Cottage.

Well done then, but don't rush to the top of the class quite yet, for we now have another location for you all to identify. This one is a little bit more tricky, but correctly identifying the two individuals apparently walking on water, ( known in some parts as ice), may just give you a little bit of a clue. And yes, we know, it's just like 'Look Back in Album' all over again. Just stop complaining and get on with it :

Entries as usual to : editorcorncrake@yahoo.co.uk ; by telephone : 01951 200336 ; or by post to : The Editorial Suite, The Corncrake, Corncrake Towers, Scalasaig, Isle of Colonsay, Argyll, PA61 7YW, Scotland. Entrants are encouraged to obtain all their essentials from Colonsay Stores

LOOK BACK IN ALBUM

And so we come to that part of our proceedings where the retention of a few memory cells comes in handy, for the ploy here is to identify a few faces from the annals of recent, or sometimes not so recent, Colonsay history.

Our regular Reader, God bless him/her, may recall that our 'Look Back' photograph from Issue 127 involved the presentation of prizes. But who was presenting the prizes, who was receiving, and why? And, for that matter, where and when? :

Taking the presenter of the prizes first, a glance at the photograph would suggest that the prize-winner is giving the lady a curtsy. Good grief! Could it be the Queen?? Well, nearly right, you're on the right track thinking of royalty...for, the lady in question is none other than the Queen of Glassard herself, Sheena Pelling!

Receiving the prize, and looking really great from the back, is the man who supplied The Corncrake with the photograph, John Clark. To the left is of course his wife Diane, and thereafter, moving to the right of the photograph, we have John's brother Angus sporting a magnificent-looking trophy, Para 'Clock', Iain 'Seaview' MacKinnon and finally young Clyde Lawson.

And for those obsessives amongst you, the man between Angus and Para Clock (we are reliably informed although we can only see his hair and his shoulders), is none other than Di 'The Potter' Alexander. So there you have it. Oh, almost forgot. The occasion was a sheep-shearing competition on Scalasaig Farm. And the year? Well, if you guessed 1978, you'd be wrong. It was in fact 1977, so there.

So, moving on, we now come to our 'Look Back' photograph for this Issue. And this is one especially for all our more mature Readers, for we step back some sixty-odd years to a scene of corn-cutting on Scalasaig farm. Unfortunately the photograph shows the ravages of time, and to get a closer look at the participants, we had to crop the photograph, thus missing out the splendid-looking horse pulling the reaper. Yes, no tractors in those days. So, how many names can we put to the faces? :

SNIPPETS

It is believed, contrary to what may be read elsewhere in these pages, that The Corncrake does indeed have a regular Readership. And those who may be counted as such may be distressed to learn that local resident Betty Galbraith has suffered another fall.

Back in Issue 114 (1st May 2005), we reported that, following a fall at home, Betty was off the island, and at that time recuperating at the home of her daughter Mamie in Oban. Alas, we must report that Betty recently suffered another fall, on this occasion on to the concrete just outwith the door of her home at Kiloran Farm Cottages. The result has been fractured bones in both her wrists as well as cuts requiring stitches to and around her lips.

As we write, Betty is thankfully making slow but steady progress in Oban Hospital, and it is hoped that she may be able to leave hospital during the course of the next week or so. At that time it is thought that Betty, rather than returning home, will stay with Mamie for at least the Christmas and New Year period, until she feels strong enough to return home to Colonsay.

Until that time, I am sure that all Corncrake readers, currently numbered at some 2,500 per Issue, send Betty all their best wishes. We look forward to seeing her safely back in her Kiloran cottage early in the New Year. Aye, another house to First Foot upon her return!

The Earl Haig Fund Scotland was founded in 1921 with the aim of providing practical help in time of need to all who served in the Armed Forces and their dependants. The Fund is a registered charity and the principal means of raising money is through the Scottish Poppy Appeal which takes place every November in the week leading up to Remembrance Sunday, when services are held at war memorials throughout the country to pay tribute to the Fallen.

Davy Sutherland has been the official island fund raiser for the Poppy Appeal for some 15 years, and the sums that Davy has been able to raise have become almost legendary. This year however, Davy has topped all previous totals and for the first time ever the cheque that he has forwarded to the Poppy Appeal has been in excess of £2,000! Enough to raise a 'thumbs-up' from the 'wee man' :

In fact, Davy's cheque this year was for the magnificent sum of £2,200 and he wishes to say thanks to all islanders and visitors who have made this achievement possible. In particular, he wishes to say a big 'thank-you' to Alan Davis who very kindly donated a £190 royalties cheque from sales of his book, 'Colonsay's Fallen'.

We do wonder if the people at the Earl Haig Fund truly appreciate the scale of Davy's achievements over many years (in the year Davy started only £99 was raised on the island), given that the resident population of this remote outcrop is only some 120. Anyway, a big 'well-done' to Davy from all of us.

As we mentioned in our last Issue, connoisseurs of the Corncrake written word will undoubtedly recall our breaking-news story from Issue 123 that there was to be a special "Information Meeting" in the Hall on Monday 26th September but that, unfortunately, a cancelled ferry meant that the meeting could not take place. We further advised that fortunately, the meeting had now been re-scheduled for Wednesday 30th November.

Well, unfortunately (again), our breaking-news story this Issue is that, unfortunately, the meeting in question could not take place as, unfortunately, one of the main participating speakers could not make the trip after all. Fortunately, The Corncrake will, as soon as the meeting is re-scheduled, bring that piece of breaking-news to you as well. What fortunate people you are!

Education has certainly changed since your Editor was at school. In those days, you hardly ever got the chance to lay down your quill, such was the pressure the "dominie" exerted over his charges. And the only education we got outwith the four walls was the annual 'Nature Ramble', a walk of some 150 yards to look at some flowers growing in the ditch. Aye, ten minutes a year was it, in fact five if it was raining.

Nowadays things are so different. In Issue 127 we told of the pupils of Kilchattan Primary School escaping the confines of the school to be treated to a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity of a guided tour aboard HMS Ocean. Now we learn that this was not the only time that they have been able to spread their wings lately!

For all the pupils were recently invited to the kitchens of 'The Colonsay', there to hone their culinary skills :

Here we see the children, using prime Colonsay beef, learning the art of making meatballs. The recipe, we are led to believe, (for we were not invited to a tasting...), also involved fresh produce, including herbs, from the gardens of Colonsay House.

The resulting feast, we are reliably informed (as we never got the chance to taste it ourselves...), was delicious. For, once the meat and herbs had been introduced to each other according to Annabel's secret recipe, and then cooked, all the children sat down to a lunch of 'Spaghetti and Meatballs', all prepared by their own fair hands :

And judging by the empty plates, this educational diet can be classed as a resounding success!

New Colonsay Vehicles - Part 1.

Every year our regular visitors arrive on the island to discover that a significant number of islanders are driving a different vehicle to the one that they were seen in on their previous visit. Worse, and more confusing still, is that often a vehicle in question is still on the island, but is now being driven by someone totally different. This phenomenon can be attributed to a number of factors, not least of which is the fact that many island vehicles, in terms of life span, can only be kindly described as being just that wee bit past their prime.

Irrespective of causes, many visitors find it very, very confusing. In the early days of their holiday, they frequently find themselves waving to strangers. Indeed, visitors often find that they only get up to speed on cars (geddit?) when it's time to leave, and then the whole process starts again the following year.

This problem could be eradicated for ever however, if there was a regular column in The Corncrake giving the details of the latest moves in the motoring merry-go-round. So, with a brand new vehicle arriving on the island this very week, why not start with that? So here it is :

And not content with simply a photograph of the vehicle in question, we give you one with the driver as well. So, on your next visit, when you see a brand new Postbus coming toward you, you know that you are safely waving to Keith. Or Keith. Mind you, with several journeys per week across the Strand at low water, the vehicle in question might not be looking so terribly brand new...

Well, regular Reader, did you solve the puzzle posed in the last Issue? You know the one we mean. The one about who was going to be celebrating a very special birthday on 1st December. You didn't? We even provided photographic clues :

 

If the photograph on the left did not sufficiently resemble a current child of the island, the one on the right should have given you a clue as to what the person in question can now be found doing when wearing one of his several island hats. Oops! Just gave away his sex there as well.

Well, if you're still puzzling over this one and don't want to know the person's identity just yet, you had better look away now, for what follows is a slightly more recent photograph of the man in question :

Yes, the birthday boy is none other than that man George Leppard!

We believe that George would like a new bunnet for his birthday, as he eventually had to give the one he's seen wearing back to Archie. And as for the 'special birthday' itself, it would perhaps not be appropriate for The Corncrake to mention just which one it is. We would however wish George "all the best" as he leaves his thirties behind.

CAPTION COMPETITION

So, here we are again, every Reader's opportunity to exhibit their unique wit by submitting a pithy caption to complement a carefully selected photograph (actually any photograph that we can get our hands on). And the photograph from Issue 127 was one taken aboard HMS Ocean during her recent eggstraordinary visit. Fortunately for those pictured, this was not one of the photographs selected by the national Press for their subsequent coverage of the event.

So who has won this time round? Well, we can now reveal that after the recent deliberations of Our Independent Panel of Judges meeting in The Hague (yes, it's getting that serious...), the winner is one Netta Titterton of this parish, who submitted the following :

So, our hearty congratulations to Netta, who now becomes one of that elite band of people who have won our caption competition on more than one occasion. There'll be some partying in Creagoran this weekend!!

Which brings us quite neatly to the photograph for this Issue's competition, which our winner has provided from her photographic treasure chest. And with Christmas looming on the horizon, Netta has selected one with a festive feel :

Entries as usual to : editorcorncrake@yahoo.co.uk ; by telephone : 01951 200336 ; or by post to : A.N.Other, The Corncrake Caption Competition (Issue 128), c/o The Editorial Suite, The Corncrake, Corncrake Towers, Scalasaig, Isle of Colonsay, Argyll, PA61 7YW, Scotland. Calls may be monitored for quality control purposes.

WHAT'S ON IN COLONSAY

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TOPICAL LETTERS

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REGULARS

GENEALOGICAL LETTERS Dear Editor, I have just found your marvellous Corncrake website while researching my gr. grandfather William Stroyan present on Colonsay in 1881 at Machrins. His father Peter Stroyan was the tenant of Sir John McNeill as is shown on Peter's Probate doc. dated 24th February 1883. He died on the 8th March 1882 and he owed Sir John £294.2s in arrears And £706.4.7d for the half year to whitsunday 1882. His doc also shows he had assets at Kiloran of £1169.1s and at Oronsay of £969.2s which tends to show he was the tenant at Oronsay & Kiloran and his Son William was at Machrins on his behalf. Peter Stroyan farmed at Meikle Laight, Inch, Wigtownshire, and at East Dindinnie, Leswalt, Wigtownshire + various other tenancies he had thro' & with his father in law , William Murray of Old Luce,Wigtownshire. William Stroyan was the father of 5 children born on Colonsay whose mother was one Margaret McPhee, a domestic Servant at Kiloran, and to link in with another article of yours, her father was the "splendidly named" Kinales McPhee who was a Hird and recorded on his death certificate as a shepherd. The last born of the 5 children was Elizabeth in 1891. In 1901 they were all with grandmother Flora , at Kiloran. Flora McPhee died in 1906 and her grandson William Samuel Stroyan was at her side in Kiloran. After that we appear to have lost them until a Stroyan in Brish Colombia spoke up and said they are buried in Alberta Canada, that is William Stroyan, Margaret McPhee, son William Stroyan & and his wife Mary Kilpatrick :   Can any of your readers help me further with these tracings? Meanwhile I congratulate you on your newsletters and also congratulate those responsible for the Colonsay website . I hope to visit Colonsay during 2006. Aye yours John Stroyan Smith Somerset England. retvet@tesco.net Dear Editor, Thanks for taking the time to reply. We can send more photos if you wish, and even photos of paintings that Angie has done from our Colonsay adventures. I hope you don't think I'm an expert on IKWIG (or anything else for that matter). I think the documentary on the USA-released Criterion Collection DVD, referred to by Norman MacAfee, is probably the best source - so I'll need to get a copy to settle my own curiosity. Finally (and so it seems with everyone who writes to The Corncrake), apparently I have ancestry from Colonsay. My great great grandmother, Catherine Shaw, was born there around 1818. Regards, William Lindsay. williamlindsay@btinternet.com EDITORIAL POLICY Corncrake is published to keep all our friends in touch with life on the island. Contributions are invited and welcomed. Fortnightly editions will carry details of coming events, special offers etc. Please send letters and proposals for specific articles to the Editor Brief genealogical and related queries are also welcome from Colbhasachs overseas, as are obituaries and family traditions relating to Colonsay emigrants. This publication will hopefully develop to reflect the interests of the readership so please feel free to make your contribution. The magazine section needs articles on flora, fauna, geology, fishing, crofting etc.