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Keiss
Keiss maps
Historic maps of Keiss and the local area, hand-drawn by Ordnance Survey and Samuel Lewis. View all Keiss maps
Keiss area books
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Memories of Keiss
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Caithness memories
Childhood Memories of Berriedale
My gran Margaret Ross lived at the "Old Smiddy" in Berriedale where me, my brother Ian and sister Audrey spent every summer on holiday. It's the most beautiful place in the world and I have the most wonderful memories of so many happy times there. One morning I took a donner doon to the water and there was a man with a big net catching fish, I gave him a fright and he says " Here wee man, have a fish". "Thanks mister". I replied, and ran up the road. "Look at my fish the man gave me". I told everyone at the dinner table. My uncle Ernest was the gamekeeper, and he and his men sent chairs flying as they scrambled to get out the door. My gran cooked the 22lb salmon to perfection. They never did catch the poacher!
Visit to Helmsdale
My husband and I were at a wedding in Dornock and took a trip to Helmsdale.
Unknown to me at the time my great grandfather came from Loth, West Helmsdale. His name was Adam Mckenzie, the son of Alexander Mckenzie and Janet Mackay Gordon.
Adam married Isabella Birnie Watson from Pitsligo in 1876. They sailed to New Zealand in 1877 on the ship 'Canterbury', sailing from Glasgow. Their little girl Eleanor died on the journey.
My grandfather was born in New Zealand in 1878, his name was James Watson Mckenzie.
I hope some day to go back to Helmsdale and also go to Loth. We did enjoy the small village and its kind people. I would love to find some relatives, who I'm sure there will be, still living in Loth or Helmsdale
Elizabeth Gair, nee Mckenzie
Two Pieces of INFORMATION
* My father ALICK JOHN MACKAY was born in Dalcharn in 1912. His brothers, my UNCLES, were Phillip MacKay and Jimmy MacKay. My cousin is Kenneth MacKay and Barbara MacKay in Bettyhill. * Alick's son, me, emigrated to Canada in 1966 and immediately found all kinds of people from Sutherland who were in Canada for many years. The lady who previously owned the Bettyhill Hotel lived in Calgary and was 94 years old when she died. Canada's DEFENCE MINISTER, Peter MacKay from Nova Scotia has roots in Dalcharn. His grandfather was born in Dalcharn. James MacKay the explorer from near Helmsdale was born in 1761 and died in 1822. The book on his distinguished life was authored by Helen Widener (Texas) and is called "A Man to Cherish". He was a cartographer to the Louis and Clark Expeditions in the Missouri Region. He spoke several native languages and married a native. He has statues to him in Louisana Territory. See his book at Strathnaver Museum. SLAINDTH. Visit me at bertmackay@shaw.ca or my brother in Inverness... Read more
Fantastic Township
I have very fond memories of Coldbackie. It’s one of those fantastic undiscovered gems in Sutherland. My grandparents bought a croft there in the 1950s and I spent much of my childhood playing at the beach, in the woods, or by the burn separating it to Blandy. Have a look at the link below for more info on the township: My memories on Coldbackie
Mothers Birthplace
My Mother, Alice Rae Gibson Clark Mackay was born in Loch Eriboll in 1902. Ive visited the wee hamlet many times, and met the Clarke family, currently the land owners, who have a home at the crook of the road, amidst an array on old war memorabelia, such as tanks. My Mum lived in a wee house down the lane that goes to the sea. where we, a family of 5 were evacuated from London in 1940. The croft is still there - neglected, and weed covered, but no doubt the little well from where they got their drinking water, is still there amongst the bracken back of the croft. Mother is buried at Balnakeil, Durness, beside her husband Alex MacDonald, late of Lerinbeg, Durness. Beautiful country.
Mother told us tales from the first war, where she and her sisters learned semaphore, so as to send messages to the sailors on the Navy ships that anchored in the loch.
Sea Boots
At the age of four I was too small to "go to sea" but being so keen to take part in all things fishing I was allowed to stand in my granda Ross's (Dote) big sea boots. I was in the front garden at Hilton on Shore Street and was proudly lowered into the boots which were folded down in half. It made a great picture and a wonderful memory for me to this day.
I also enjoyed feeding the gulls (Fulaks) one left a "calling card" on the ribbon in my hair! I decided it was safer to feed the many hens that wondered up and down the tiny street instead,
Granda Skinner
Davie Skinner, Bank ST, Balintore would take me for walks up at the back of Balintore and sit among the yellow broom and look over the Moray Firth. He would tell me stories of the salmon fishing. We would then walk down to the harbour point and watch folk fishing for souyans. We then would go up to "The Sheddie" and sit with all the old worthies putting the world to rights.
