THE ISLE OF SKYE

According to some genealogical research I did some years ago, my great-grandfather Stephen Anderson was christened on the Isle of Skye on 15th November, 1831 just over 100 years prior to my own birth.  His sister Isabella was also christened there on 16th June, 1933.  They are the only two of the 10 Anderson children that appear to have been christened on the Isle of Skye but it would seem the family must have lived there for several years.  The youngest four children were christened in Australia.

It would seem that their father James Anderson was a shepherd so he was possibly employed on Skye before returning to Inverness on the mainland.  There is not a lot known about the intervening years.

James and Jessie Anderson and 6 of their children emigrated to Victoria, Australia in 1841 and this was around the time when many people were being turned off the land in Scotland.  The website 'cranntara.org.uk' tells us that the Highland Clearances are a notorious part of Scottish history.  During this time tens of thousands of men, women and children alike were evicted from their homes to make way for large scale sheep farming.  I have no idea whether my ancestors were involved in this clearance but the fact that they left the UK in 1841 makes me think that perhaps they were.

I haven't until now researched the Isle of Skye but upon doing so find it is a rather beautiful place.  I found these delightful pictures shown on 'beauty-places.com' and wanted to share them with you.

Dunvegan Castle:

Coral Bay:

I look at these pictures and ponder the fact that my ancestors once lived here and wonder if this is why I have such a love of the ocean, of mountains and cloudy skies.  Perhaps it truly is in my blood.

This by the way was my birth mother's family....Evelyn Maud Anderson was a granddaughter of Stephen Anderson.  Her father had moved to Western Australia as a young man where he met and married his wife.  They settled here and had 6 children ... 3 girls and 3 boys.  I was of course born here.