Melness Community Website - Drowning near Talmine on 23rd December 1882 Page

Drowning near Talmine on 23rd December 1882.

Drowning at Talmine in 1882 and contemporary Reports.

Talmine Green and wreck of the Reaper Photo © Iain Morrison 2008

Drownings
Inscription on Grave Stone
Northern Ensign Dec 1882
Northern Ensign Jan 1883
John O'Groat Journal Dec 1882
A Stroma Yowl

Drowning near Talmine on 23rd December 1882.

Hugh Mackay and his wife Ann lived with their family at Clashbain, Skinnet. Hugh was a native of Melness and Ann’s father was the miller at Clashbain Mill in Skerray. Their family consisted of Angus, Hector, John William, Hector Uisdean, Henrietta and Jean. Hugh, Angus, 22 years and Hector, 20 years, fished out of Talmine in a 19 foot, Stroma built, Yole, with their three partners, namely John Macleod aka the Gibble, 29 years, William Macpherson, 21 years, and Mackay Mackay, 28 years from Skinnet.

About the 20th of December, 1882, the Yole crew prepared their equipment and four lines, for short line fishing, using lugworm. A gale force north wind, accompanied by some snow, stopped them from going out in the following days, until the 23rd December when the storm had abated. A thawing wind from the south west was blowing across Talmine Bay when the full crew of six hauled their boat down from the green, at Lower Talmine, over the sandy beach and into the water. The crew were in good heart at the prospect of making a catch before the New Year. They passed the Auchimore Yole, still with its mast raised, on the sand, beached above the high water mark. The older members of the crew commented that the owners of that boat Willie and Alistair were going to make a second trip that day. The young ones were joking amongst themselves and exchanging greetings with Sandy Mackay, aka Bacca, then a teenager, who was working over at the Talmine beach house. Bacca was helping his father John Mackay, aka the Gedder, and John Gow who were carrying out general maintenance on the salmon coble and other equipment, outside the beach house.

Talmine Bay showing the skerries of Dhu-sgeir Beag and Dhu-sgeir Mhor Photo © Iain Morrison 2008

Talmine Bay showing the skerries of Dhu-sgeir Beag and Dhu-sgeir Mhor Photo © Iain Morrison 2008

Hugh Clashbain and his crew pushed their boat out into the water and climbed aboard. The brothers Angus and Hector took the oars. The rest of the crew were busy sorting out the baskets containing the short lines. The wind was quite strong and it was very cold and the crew began to pay out the four short lines, each about sixty fathoms. They were soon out beyond Talmine. At a point between Dhu-sgeir Beag and Dhu-sgeir Mhor, the Yole capsized. It is suspected that two of the younger members of the crew had tried to change places and this may have upset the trim of the boat.

The salmon fishers had been keeping a casual watch on the progress of the Yole, through the gap between Eilean Creigach and the rocks of the shore and they saw the tragedy unfold. The Auchimore Yole was quickly commandeered and hastily hauled into the sea.

The sail was set and then they discovered that the bung had been taken out of the boat. The sea was beginning to fill the bottom of the Yole. The floorboards were new and the sneck holding them was stiff. John Mackay booted through the boards and forced a scrap of wood into the hole and sealed it. In no time at all the salmon fishers sailed round the east side of Eilean Creigach and realised that two of the Yole crew were straddling the keel of the upturned boat. Gravestone Ferryfield Cemetery, Auchuvoldrach, Melness Photo © Iain Morrison 2006

Gravestone Ferryfield Cemetery, Auchuvoldrach, Melness Photo © Iain Morrison 2006

They could not see any of the others. The wind had pushed the Yole northwards beyond Dhu-sgeir Mhor and towards Eilean Nan Ron. As they sailed closer, they found Hugh Mackay and John Macleod straddling the Yole. Macleod, somehow, had a grip on Mackay Mackay‘s hair just keeping his head clear of the sea. There was no sign of Willie Macpherson, Angus and Hector Mackay. The rescuers brought their boat expertly alongside the Yole. With some difficulty they brought the three survivors aboard their craft. Mackay Mackay was badly injured, bleeding from the mouth and he had crushing injuries to his chest from the gunwale of the boat during the capsizing. A brief search for the others proved utterly futile. On the way to the shore Mackay Mackay died from his injuries. More extensive searches around the coasts and islands failed to find any trace of the unfortunate drowned fisherman.

Hugh Clashbain’s sons Angus and Hector are remembered on the family gravestone at Ferryfield Cemetery, Auchuvoldrach, Melness.

William Macpherson was just out of his teens and single. All of the families were deeply affected by the tragedy and Ann Mackay died 7 years later, broken hearted.

The death of the four young men was a big loss to the community and their loss was deeply mourned by everyone.

It was very fortunate that brothers, Donald and Alistair Mackay, Skinnet had left their new Yole, above the high water mark, earlier that morning. In the 1820’s the family had been evicted from Achimore, beside Lochan Dherue, south of Kinloch and they were always called the Achimores. Their boat was in very new condition having recently been purchased from Banks and Simpson, Boat Builders of Stroma, Caithness.

This story was related to Alex George Mackay, Skinnet, in the 1930’s by local fishermen and written up by John P Macdonald.

Inscription on Grave stone:
Erected by their family in loving memory of HUGH MACKAY, Clashbain, Melness, who died 13th February 1919 aged 92 years. His wife ANN MACKAY, daughter of John Mackay, Strathen, Skerray, who died 15th May 1889 aged 53 years.
Their sons ANGUS and HECTOR, aged 22 and 20 respectively, who were drowned near Talmine, 23rd December 1882, and JOHN WILLIAM, born 3rd September 1868 died 11th February 1870.
Also their nephew, Robert Horsburgh Mackay, who died at Watten, Caithness, 15th April 1893, aged 35 years.

NORTHERN ENSIGN NEWSPAPER – THURSDAY DECEMBER 28th 1882
DROWNING CALAMITY AT MELNESS
A sad calamity occurred at Melness on Saturday by which four men lost their lives. It appears from the few details which have reached us, that Hugh Mackay, Skinnet, Melness, Accompanied by his two sons, Angus and Hector, and William Macpherson and Mackay Mackay, had been out in a boat fishing with small lines. The Boat was capsized by a squall of wind. Hugh Mackay was rescued, but is still in a weakened condition. Mackay Mackay died after being brought ashore. The bodies of the three others have not yet been recovered. Hugh Mackay is a brother of Sergeant Mackay, Watten.

NORTHERN ENSIGN NEWSPAPER – THURSDAY JANUARY 4th 1883
THE DROWNING CASE AT MELNESS
In addition to particulars given elsewhere, another correspondent says:- The boat with six men, went out fishing, and in hauling in the last lines, a sea struck the boat and upset her, and all the occupants were thrown into the water. Three of them succeeded in getting to the keel, but the other three went down and were drowned. The men who clung to the boat were tossed about for nearly an hour, and the boat went over with them three times. At last the occurrence was observed from the shore and with all speed eight or nine men volunteered to go to the rescue. They performed their work most manfully and with great difficulty took the three men off. They were in a very exhausted state, and one of them, Mackay Mackay expired a few minutes after he was landed. Hugh Mackay was unconscious for four hours after the rescue, and the other survivor, John Macleod was in a very weak state, but he was able to walk home.

The Men who volunteered to go to the rescue ought to have their names recorded and be rewarded for their brave and courageous act. They were John Gow, Talmine, Naval Reserve Seaman, son of Donald Gow, Elder, Skinnet. John Pope, son of Captain James Pope, Talmine, John Mackay Macalister, and his three sons, Robert, John and James; John Munro, Skinnet, James Gunn, Talmine and Paterson Macleod, Skinnet. Great Praise is due to Mr John Sutherland, merchant there, for ministering to the comfort of the survivors, and those who rescued them, and also to Mr Crawford, House of Tongue for his kindness in visiting the bereaved and helping them in their need. Four or five boats have been engaged in searching for the bodies, but they have not succeeded in finding them. The sad affair has cast a gloom over the whole district.

John O’Groat Journal
December Thursday 28th December 1882
Boat Accident at Tongue:
We learn through Sergeant Mackay, Watten, that a sad boat accident occurred at Tongue on Saturday last, whereby, four men were lost.

How the accident occurred, we have not ascertained, but it would appear that one of the small line boats had capsized, and that Angus and Hector Mackay and William Macpherson were drowned, and that Mackay Mackay was rescued, but so exhausted that he died after being brought ashore.

Hugh Mackay, Skinnet, was saved, in a very weak condition, however. Angus and Hector, who were sons of Hugh Mackay, were young unmarried men of 22 and 23 years of age. We do not know if Macpherson was married. Mackay Mackay has left a widow, but no family. This painful accident has cast a gloom over the whole of Tongue.

Stroma Yowl The Millar in Wick Heritage Photo © Iain Morrison 2006 Use courtesy of Wick Heritage

The 19 foot Stroma Yowl is on display at Wick Heritage Centre . The Millar had originally been a Stroma Boat called the Girl Kathleen which had been towed from Stroma to Eilan Nan Roan by the Steam drifter Sunbeam. It was probably the last surviving Communally owned boat in Scotland. The Islanders had clubbed together to purchase the boat and it was used in the evacuation of the island in 1938.

After the evacuation some of the former islanders used the boat for fishing and returning to Island Roan to clip the sheep they kept there, as well as taking lambs away. Sometime in the 1950's the Millar required some repairs and it was taken to a boat builder in Castletown, however, the Millar required extensive work and the owners couldn't agree and so the boat lay in Castletown deteriorating until 1979 when it was found and taken to Wick Heritage and restored and put on display. Unfortunately the upper section was repainted in non original lurid colours so spoiling the originality of the Yowl.