When an idea or a phenomenon becomes widely familiar, it is easy to forget that it came from somewhere, that there is a specific historical moment (of indeterminate duration) before which the thing did not exist.
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Among the few positive things we humans may do that other species don’t is to create Places. We can quibble about the details, but most people who have thought seriously about the matter would recognize a few necessary components in any satisfactory definition: places, like landscapes, do not occur naturally; they are artifacts. A place is not a landscape; places are contained within landscapes. Place is a possibility wherever humans linger, but it’s not inevitable. Sometimes we just occupy space. Places can be created intentionally or as a side effect of other actions with other intentions. Place seems to be more likely to come into being the longer we stay put, but many nomadic cultures roam in landscapes whose minutest features are named, recognized, and given a place in the story of a people and a world.
Place has something to do with memory.
Saturday 29 May 2010
Monday 15 March 2010
Glasgow and the Highlands – SS Dunara Poster
"Dunara Castle every ten days to Colonsay, Iona, Bunessan, Tiree, Struan, Carbost, Colbost, Dunvegan, Stein, Uig, Scalpay, Tarbert, Finsbay, Leverburgh, Lochmaddy, Kallin, Carnan, Lochboisdale, Barra." The cost of sailing to Skye and the Outer Hebrides was £5 with a cabin or £1.15 "steerage" class (equivalent price today is around £60 / £34).
SS Dunara Castle - from Glasgow to St Kidla
The S.S. Dunara Castle, named after a ruined castle on the north west coast of Mull, was built by Martin Orme. Her maiden voyage was on 21st July 1875. The 423 ton steamer originally had two funnels, but was refunnelled in 1899. As well as carrying cargo the Dunara Castle had accommodation for 44 cabin class passengers. She sailed weekly between Glasgow and the Hebrides in the summer months, and during the high season the trips were extended to St. Kilda. She was used in the evacuation of St Kilda residents in 1930. Most of the crew were Gaelic speakers from the highlands and islands, with three generations of one family serving on the steamer. The Dunara was scrapped in Glasgow in 1948 after 70 years of service.
above from Am Baile webiste
above from Am Baile webiste
St. Kilda Mailboats
By mid 19th century there was increasing contact with the outside world: A steam yacht - the Vulcan - visited St Kilda in 1838. From 1877 the SS Dunara Castle (brought supplies--twice? a year) began regular summer cruises to St Kilda, and was soon joined by others such as the SS Hebrides (tourist ship as per brochure below).
The gradual loss of self-sufficiency and morale had begun - this was to end with the evacuation of the islanders in 1930.
Brochure advertising cruises to St Kilda Photograph: Glasgow Museums
Posting the mailboat in 1897 Photograph: Cherry Kearton
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