Saturday, August 4, 2007

KERR in Achmelvich & MACLEOD in Pollan, Assynt


My folks were most recently from Pollan and Achmelvich. I believe that they were cleared from Loch Beannach, and Bad a Grinnan to Achmelvich circa 1820.

The last generation to live in Achmelvich at Redbrae, included my grandmother, Kathy Kerr (Christina Kitty Kerr was her birth cert name), and her sisters, Chrissie (another Christina), Fanny (Frances Margaret) Minnie (Williamina) , and their brothers Neil, who died as a teenager, and Murdo, who was blown up on the Somme and buried alive, but was rescued, and survived. All the children moved to Glasgow or Edinburgh in the post WW1. We still had some relatives living in Pollan at this stage too. Would anyone have known them, or of them? I understand that the family were known as Didems, but that is anecdotal.

Photograph above shows Murdo Kerr on his wedding day. He married Edith Allen just after World War One. Murdo was badly injured in the war and met Edie, his nurse, while convalescing in Norfolk.
* * * * *
The Pollan part of the family lived there from at least the 1750's, with my GGGGgrandparents being William McLeod and Janet McLeod. Both died between 1841 and 1851. I only have estimated birth dates from the 1841 census. Their children were Catherine, Murdoch (my GGG grandfather) Hugh, John and William. We have good information on Murdoch and Hugh, but nothing on the others.

The Bad a Grinnan and Loch Beannach families were the same line through a marriage in 1806 of Niel Kerr of Loch Beannach and Christy McLeod of BAd a Grinnan. Christy's parents were Donald McLeod and Elizabeth McDonald. I don't know who Neil's family were, but Alexander became the eldest boy's name through the next few generations. They had children Mary, Grace, Catherine, Alexander, Johanna, Donald, Ann. the Donald matching Christy's father's name, but no match for Elizabeth...

Again, would anyone know any of these families, or have links to them?

My best to all

Edward Paxton,

England

No comments: