Identity of Ballachulish slate quarriers (late 19th century)

[Doddie]

I have been trying to date an old photograph (with names) of a group of slate quarriers from Ballachulish. I have narrowed the date down (sort of) to between 1881 and 1891. I want to see if I can get any closer. One way of doing this is to try and identify the individuals concerned and try to discover thier back story via censuses and death dates etc. The only fly in the ointment is that most of the names are very common so it is hard to establish if I am researching the right individual at any given time. By a stroke of luck the names of those in the photograph are accompanied by their Gaelic 'nicknames' which I have been able (again, sort of) to translate. I am hoping if I mention these names - with Gaelic translations in brackets - they may ring a bell with somebody out there. Here goes....

Dugald McColl (Pink Eye), John Robertson (Strike), Ewan McKenzie (Wink), D. Cameron (The Tailor),
Ronald McDougall (Rails/Railway), Dugald Livingston ('Doctor' Dugald) and Alex McDonald (Big Straw?)

I hope (with everything crossed) somebody can help me date the photograph with this information.

Regards

Doddie

[Rosinish]

Hi Doddie,

Is it possible to post the pic please with names in order to try & work out circa ages of each in that 10 yr period?

I'm wondering about D Cameron (Tailor) which is a trade of it's own being a Quarrier ?

Couldn't see a D Cameron 1881 or 1891 as a Tailor or Quarrier or similar on freecen (using surname only, all areas) in case he was born elsewhere rather than Argyll & not in Argyll on census night.

It's possible it hasn't been transcribed yet.

Annie

[Doddie]

Hi Annie, thank you for getting back to me so promptly. I will try and post a copy of the photo a.s.a.p. You'll need to bear with me as tech isn't my strong suit. The photo appears in a small booklet called The 300-Year Story of Ballachulish slate by Barbara Fairweather. The window of time I have established at present for the photograph is based on the fact that one of the quarry workers featured was listed in the 1881 census for the area but by the 1891 census he was living in the Govan area of Glasgow. Not very scientific, I know, but wouldn't you know it, the combination of christian names and surnames featured are so common and in almost all cases they are slate quarries - the drawback for a researcher of having a region with such a dominant industry!

Regards

Doddie

[Rosinish]

Dugald McColl
John Robertson
Ewan McKenzie
D. Cameron
Ronald McDougall
Dugald Livingston 
Alex McDonald

Hi Doddie,

A search on here shows some possibles but needle & haystack come to mind....

http://www.clanlivingstone.com/Births_Appin.htm

1843, Mar 6, Dugald, son of Charles Livingston, Laroch and Dorothy McColl his wife born 5 Mar.
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1863, 28 Sep, Dugald Livingston, Ballachulish, Ann McEachen, Ballachulish (Marriage)
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Erected by Dugald Livingston and his wife Ann McEachern In Loving Memory of their three children who died at Ballachulish in their infancy
Also their son John died 25 Oct 1896 aged 31 years
The said Ann McEachern died 1st Feb 1914 aged 78 years
The said Dugald Livingston died 24th Sep 1926 aged 88years
His son Donald died 19 Aug 1920 at Victoria BC aged 52 years Interred in Ross Bay Cemetery BC
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Sacred to the Memory of Dugald Livingston died Sept 15th 1902 aged 62 years and his wife
Margaret McKenzie died Apr 16th 1897 aged 54 years
and their daughter Lilly died 18 Feb 1884 aged 10 months
erected by their son Angus.
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1868, Jan 6, John Livingston, tailor, Laroch Bridge, Mary Cameron, daughter of Donald Cameron, quarrier, West Laroch (Marriage)

Annie

[Herann]

D Cameron tailor could be Duncan Cameron who was born in 1881 and was a tailor to trade. He moved to Aboyne about 1927 with his sister Isabella. He was a son of Angus Cameron and Mary MacLean.

[Doddie]

Hi Herann, sincere apologies for not replying sooner - preoccupied with other things so haven't been on top of things as I should. Thank you for your post. Will investigate Duncan Cameron further and see what more I can come up with .

Regards

Doddie

[Catsalsus]

Hi
I live in Ballachulish and have set up a Facebook page called Glencoe and Ballachulish Genealogy, Ancestry and Family History.  Please post any questions on there, it is a new site so I'm working on getting locals to join so they can answer any questions https://www.facebook.com/groups/1519450044833703/

Also there is a Facebook page called Ballachulish Quarrying Stories , which as the name suggests has lots of information about the quarry and the workmen.

Catherine