Harkness – MacGillivray Stories

Note: The following is an account of my great grandfather Ruairidh Ruadh, the viking.

Before I started trying to find out about my great-grandfather, I knew very little about him apart from the fact that he lived on Eigg and was the ferryman. My mother did not have a photograph of her grandfather or grandmother. I was therefore greatly surprised when I visited my mother’s cousin, Katie MacKinnon, on Eigg. Katie produced a full-size portrait of my great-grandfather in a large frame. (See the post: Visiting Katie McKinnon).  The photo shown here was created using Katie MacKinnon’s portrait of Ruairidh. 

The ‘Viking’, Ruairidh Ruadh (‘Roderick the Red’)

During the Viking period, much of the Scottish Western Isles and Northern Isles were populated and ruled by the Norwegian Vikings. My great grandfather Ruairidh Ruadh (‘Roderick the Red’) was said, according to family legend, to have Viking ancestors. This. was perhaps partly due to the fact that he was tall, and had a large reddish beard. Of course, one should take such legends and myths with a pinch of salt, but I have discovered that so-called ‘family oral legends’ are often rooted in some element of truth.

I discovered using the ScotlandsPeople records, and historical sources, regarding the story of Hugh. He was the brother of my grandmother Morag Campbell, who died in the hunt for shearwater chicks and their eggs. Of course, we can’t use ScotlandsPeople to research our Viking roots (the Viking Age lasted from 793 AD-1066 AD). But a DNA trace may provide some illumination. In conclusion on this point – a number of Viking artefacts have been found on Eigg, for example near Kildonnan.

The Photo of My Great Grandfather

First of all, I will jump to the conclusion that my great grandfather was a vain man. Perhaps he had the right to be, as the ferryman, he was an important man on the island. His six foot stature, and his large beard perhaps also added to his reputation and status on the island, not to mention his large family and numerous descendants (the Campbells and MacKinnons) that would, at a later point in time, be amongst the few left on the island to carry on the Gaelic traditions. 

I make the point that he was vain, as it is likely that the studio photo was taken in Glasgow at his own expense (and probably quite costly). Perhaps when he was visiting his daughter Morag (my grandmother). He also seems to be wearing a ‘captain’s cap’, symbolizing his position of ferryman of the island.

Today being a ‘ferryman’ is not awarded much admiration. However, 100 years ago on the Isle of Eigg, such a position was most probably treated with respect. At least, I have gathered this from listening to the tales of my mother, his namesake, Rhoda Campbell (MacGillivray). 

My mother’s father, Hector MacGillivray was a ‘mere’ spirit salesman in Glasgow, whereas, her uncles and grandfather on Eigg were at the top of the social hierarchy and well-respected, although belonging to the class of tenant farmers. Also, the family of her father, the MacGillivrays in Acharacle on the neighbouring mainland, were well-respected artisans. 

Of course, there were a number of ‘posed’ photos taken on Eigg during this period, not least the one showing Roderick in centre position, perhaps representative of his ‘social position’ on the island. This was one of the things my mother was proud of.

Also, he can barely button up his jacket, only the top button being fastened – so this ‘captain’s jacket’ was something he had probably worn for many years. His shoes are polished showing that he has a certain pride in his appearance.

Ruairidh Ruadh Campbell seems to be in his seventies in the photo (he died when he was 81 years old). This photo may have been taken some years before his death in 1921, the year of my mother’s birth. Perhaps he had gained the taste for ‘stardom’, when some ‘visiting photographer’ to Eigg had taken photos. When reading the book, written by Susanna Wade Martins, Eigg – an Island Landscape, I discovered the photograph which I have titled ‘Roderick the Red and his Beard’.

A Photo of A Group of Islanders

I’m fairly certain the central figure with the large beard is my great grandfather Roderick. Martins has subtitled the photograph, ‘A group of islanders on the pier photographed about the time of the First World War’ (Isle of Eigg Archive: Flora and Sarah Campbell 198).   

Of course, there is no proof that this is my great grandfather, ‘Roderick the Red’ – but comparing it to the portrait of Roderick – then it seems 95% certain. Embarrassingly, I have to admit that I feel a certain pride about this photo (even if I’m wrong). Roderick is obviously the central figure! He was the ferryman (as signified by his ferryman’s cap). He even has a pocket watch! All the men in the photo are poor crofters or fishermen. But by their appearance and poses they certainly weren’t a subjugated people. This seems to correspond to my mother’s descriptions of her uncles – ‘proud people’. 

Isle of Eigg Photo Archive

As mentioned above, the photo of ‘Roderick the Red and a group of islanders’ is taken from the Isle of Eigg Archive (Flora and Sarah Campbell 198).  When I visited Eigg in 2006, and then again  in 2007, I visited the schoolhouse to look at the photo archive there, the ‘Isle of Eigg Photo Archive’;  but without a ‘guide’ it was difficult to fathom the stories behind the photos.

I managed to look through some of them, but didn’t have enough time to take a closer look. However, I was surprised to find old photographs of my aunts and uncle. I didn’t find any photographs of my mother, but this may partly be explained by the fact that after my mother married in 1940 she perhaps only visited Eigg on one occasion, especially as the family moved away from Scotland after some years. 

Oral sources

As mentioned, this book is based in part on the oral account of my mother, Rhoda Campbell Harkness (nee MacGillivray), and information I have gained talking to relatives, such as my Auntie Violet (Violet Gibson, nee MacGillivray), my mother’s cousin, Katie MacKinnon, and people who I met on the island. Apart from this, I have obtained documents from ScotlandsPeople, and found information in various books about Eigg (see Bibliography). 

However, the narrative structuring of the book is somewhat haphazard. It naturally centres around the family of my grandmother Morag MacGillivray (nee Campbell). In this context, it seems also natural to focus on her father Roderick Campbell. Moreover, I will focus on people, events, stories, incidents and anecdotes where there is information available. 

It seems a good place to start by reporting on a conversation I had with my mother Rhoda Campbell Harkness (nee MacGillivray) who describes Roderick Campbell in the following: 

“Roderick Campbell was more than 80 years of age when he died. He was born in Oban, Argyllshire. He was a sailor in the Merchant Navy; Ferryman on Eigg; and had a Post Office contract for parcels and deliveries. He was educated in Oban school. He had reddish colour hair and beard and looked like a Viking – so he must have had some Scandinavian blood in his veins. … I know he had 2 more brothers – one stayed in Oban, the other moved to Glasgow. He had 3 children (2 girls and a boy). The one in Oban had 2 girls. My grandfather had 11 children.” 

I haven’t looked into the two brothers (Glasgow and Oban). My mother has also said on another occasion that he (Roderick) was born on Skye. My mother’s account seems to contradict the records, but with no birth certificate for Roderick Campbell, it is difficult to be sure. However, the censuses shown above report that he was born on Eigg.

According to my mother, Rhoda, Ruairidh Ruadh (Gaelic meaning: ‘Roderick the Red’) gained his name because of his mass of red hair and beard. She also recalls that on the island they called her ‘Roderick the Red’s granddaughter’ in Gaelic. My mother doesn’t remember the Gaelic expression.

She says that he was a tall man (about 6 foot). Because of his red hair and fair skin, he was said to have had Viking ancestors. However, there is, of course, no proof of this. Roderick’s son, Donald, also called his son Roderick (Roddy). My mother, Rhoda Campbell Harkness (nee MacGillivray), says she was also called after him. My brother Alistair also has Roderick as a middle name. In other words, ‘Roderick’ is the masculine form of ‘Rhoda’. 

Roderick Campbell was a crofter. Like many other crofters born in the nineteenth century, he was illiterate. This can be deduced from the cross he makes instead of a signature on the various birth and death certificates of his ten children (this was a fairly common practice in official records). There seems to be no signature on the death certificate (1881) of his mother, Peggie McLean (see Appendix posted online: https://macgillivray-culloden.com).

According to all three censuses; 1881, 1891 and 1901, Roderick Campbell was born on Eigg. According to the 1841 census, Roderick was living at Sandaveg when he was 6 months old.My mother, Rhoda Campbell Harkness, was born on May 21^st, 1921, which was not long after Roderick, her grandfather, died on March 23^rd, 1921, aged 81 years. This perhaps explains why she was called after him.

My mother also mentions that he used to visit her parents at 81 Plantation Street, Govan, Glasgow, before she was born; so it seems Roderick kept contact with his daughter Morag, and was an energetic person although advanced in years – in that it was a fair trip from Eigg to Glasgow and back.