Old travel Blog photograph of a vintage car on the road through Strathglass, in the Highlands of Scotland. In 1801, William, the 24th Clan Chief of Chisholm, began the clearances in Strathglass. In the period of one year, half of the clan were evicted. Many left for Canada and Nova Scotia. After William's death, his son was still a minor; but his wife Elizabeth continued with the evictions for one sole purpose, to pay for her son's, the future 25th Chisholm, education at Cambridge. Bishop Chisholm had pleaded with her to end the evictions: " Oh! Madam, you would really feel if you only heard the pangs and saw the oozing tears by which I am surrounded in this once happy but now devastated valley of Strathglass, looking out all anxiously for a home without forsaking their dear valley; but it will not do, they must emigrate ! " She promised the tenants, who had gone to her for help, to come up with a solution. But she never did. Two sheep farmers, Thomas Gillespie and William MacKenzie, had convinced her that she should continue with the “improvements” to her land. The evictions continued with the Cambridge educated son, Alexander. He followed in his parents’ footsteps and totally depopulated Strathglass. It was said that only one Chisholm remained. Bard and poet in the old Gael tradition, Donald Chisholm, wrote these words: " Our chief is losing his kin! He prefers sheep in the glens, and his young men away in the camp of the army ! " A man of the time described Alexander as wanting nothing so much as to replace all his people, " his family from the beginning of time," with sheep. And, unfortunately, it was true.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
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