Tour Scotland Winter video of the mountains on ancestry visit to the Island of Arran, Scotland. James, 2nd Lord Hamilton became a privy counsellor to his first cousin, King James IV of Scotland and helped to arrange his marriage to Princess Margaret Tudor of England. As a reward he was created Earl of Arran in 1503. The local economy for much of this period was based on the run rig system, the basic crops being oats, barley and potatoes. The population slowly grew to about 6,500. In the early 19th century Alexander, 10th Duke of Hamilton, born 1767, died 1852, embarked on a programme of clearances that had a devastating effect on the island's population. These improvements typically led to land that had been rented out to as many as 27 families being converted into a single farm. In some cases, land was promised in Canada for each adult emigrant male. In April 1829, for example, 86 islanders boarded the brig Caledonia for the two month journey, half their fares being paid for by the Duke. However, on arrival in Quebec only 100 acres was made available to the heads of extended families. Whole villages were removed and the Gaelic culture of the island devastated.
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