Blandy 1844

BLANDY No.1
ALEXANDER MATHESON (died in Aug. 1841) [sic]
First house on west side of Road from Scullomey march [i.e., boundary] … Lot No.3 of Plan 1829 … a very bountiful lot … cheap, and admirably supplied with grazing … a garden …
House is a new tenantry one, slated, divided into three apartments and lofted.
Tenant and family: Tenant died 74 years old in 1841, left a widow now about 69, a son already a Lotter in Blandie (ANGUS aged 41) and another, KENNETH, aged 38, who always lived in family with him, also a daughter married in the South and another married to JOHN MUNRO, a shepherd at Ribigill. Kenneth married 18 months ago a daughter of DONALD MACKAY, Clashvan [i.e. Clashbain Skerray], and has one daughter 7 months old. A servant girl, JANET MACKAY, daughter of GEORGE MACKAY, Scullomey, also in the house. There are thus in family 1 male and four females.
Change of Tenant: It having always been understood that Kenneth was to be tenant upon his father’s death, determined that it should be so, raising the rent 1 [shilling] that is to say, to £5 13s. It being however expressly understood, that Kenneth should provide for and take every possible care of his mother.
Stock: 4 cows, 4 sheep, 2 ponies.

BLANDY No.1
ANGUS MATHESON First tenants house on the east side of it a bay [?] – about 2 acres arable and about the same in pasture, in all 4 acres. Rent £3 11s. 6d. Has a garden. A little more may be taken in and the patches joined. Very little trenched since he got the lot 8 or 9 years ago. Good land.
House: one of the old ones, with Byre communicating with the Kitchen, this communication the tenant has promised to shut up, as it was formerly.
Family: tenant 41 years of age, a good active labourer . Has a wife and six bairns, three sons 16, 13 and 4, and three daughters 11, 7 and 1. Second daughter sickly from her injury and unable to take care of herself. Keeps a servant, WILLIAMINA MORRISON, daughter of WILLIAM MORRISON, tenant, Torrisdale.
Stock: 4 cows, 1 stirk, 8 sheep.

BLANDY No.2
JOHN MACKAY (Mackinlay). Second tenants house on east or upper side of road from Scullomy march [i.e., boundary]..
Lot: part of no.2 of plan 1829, the middle part of it, say, about 1 1/3 acre arable, and in pasture fully 2½, in all about 3¾. A good deal more ground might be advantageously taken in. Rent £3 10s. 5d. Trenched and fenced about 25 falls 7 years ago and about 13 falls under the brae, in all 38.
House: one of the old ones with Byre communicating, the [?] he has promised to put up, as it stood formerly.
Family: tenant 68 years of age, has a wife and five children at home. two sons 28 and 22, and three daughters 24, 22 and 19. Has also a son a tenant at Achtotie. The eldest son now at home generally works in the South at railways etc., and the youngest, an active young man, generally goes as a […] hand to the Herring fishing. Two daughters generally go to Caithness or Harris.

BLANDY No.3
DONALD ROSS Second house below road from Scullomy March and the first from [several words illegible]
Lot: part of No.2 plan 1829 - the east part of it - has about 1 acre and one fourth arable, and in pasture fully 3 acres. Rent £1 17s. 10d., very cheap lot and much good land might easily be taken in. A piece below the road ought to be trenched forthwith. Has taken in about 12 falls including a small garden, cleared away [illegible] etc.
House: one of the old ones, and no partition between House and Byre, which ought to be put up.
Tenant: about 40 years of age and a good active labourer. has a wife and six children, two sons 7 and 5, and four daughters 13, 11, 9 and 3. Talks of taking into the apartment occupied by ROBERT MACKAY, the wife’s brother, and mother from the Glebe.
Stock: 2 cows, 1 stirk, 5 sheep and 1 pony.

BLANDY COTTARS
[1] To the east of Matheson’s lot and within less than a dozen yards of his [fence?].
ELSPETH MATHESON, 54, has a son by [i.e., at home] and unable to work. Her sister MARGARET MACPHERSON aged 39 [or 34], very poor, sew and work stockings. The eldest said to be on Poors’ Roll. Do not beg, and are thought to be badly off tho’ they do not complain. House built partly of stone and fairly good of the kind. It [two words illegible] to the tenant of the lot, and ought to be removed.
[2] House on the east boundary of Matheson’s Lot is occupied by
KETTY MACKAY BRUCE, age about 70, infirm and often bedfast [i.e., confined to bed], and on the Poors’ Roll. Her sister BETTY MACKAY BRUCE [illegible word], 65, always sickly and likewise on Poors’ Roll, or at times thought to be so. Also MARY CAMPBELL of Clashedy, a [illegible] of 60 and infirm, supported [illegible] by their neighbours.
House: a virtual hovel outside of the Dyke, that is to say, with the back wall on the Dyke. Stock: 4 or 5 sheep.

General [Blandy]
A considerable quantity of land might be easily and satisfactorily taken in here, therefore promised to give a pick to the tenant who shall do most in this way before 1st April next, it being always understood, that no permission will be given, unless the improvement is considered by the Factor … of being Ret…[ two or 3 lines nearly illegible]

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