Clan Donald Magazine No13 (1995) Online
Glencoe and North Lorn Folk Museum
by Barbara Fairweathen Curator
I have been asked to write an article on
the Glencoe and North Lorn Folk Museum. There has always been a
close link between the Museum and the Clan, though we are strictly
an area museum rather than a clan museum. The original museum
building was opened by D.J. Macdonald, the Clan Historian. It was
another MacDonald, Mrs. Macdonald Clarke (a descendant of the
murdered Chief) who opened the present larger building to which we
moved in 1972. Clan members helped to get the project under way by
holding ceilidhs in the glen and passing artefacts on to the museum.
The last time I wrote for the magazine
our thoughts were on the 300th remembrance. The museum has changed
its direction since then. Our outlook and actions have varied very
much since that date. It was a question of "would we join the Museum
Council or not?" In many ways we were hesitant as we felt we would
have to respond to every objective in a uniform way. One change was
that we became recognised as a charity. Under the change we can no
longer sell or dispose of items we no longer need. We must first get
permission from the council. The object is offered to any museum at
a price set by the council; if it is not sold, it is returned to the
museum which may then sell it. In return we can apply to the council
for grants. Many objects are offered to museums, at times, in
perfect condition but sometimes they have been damaged by well meant
"improvements". We may get the full cost or sometimes 50%. It is a
great help to small museums. Many firms give most generously to this
work. It helps to save many priceless items of Scottish heritage and
many less spectacular. Those of you who have' visited the Glencoe
Museum in the past may remember the large MacDonald genealogical
chart. We had an arsonist set fire to the museum and the chart got
damaged from water and smoke, and we could no longer show it. By a
grant from the council the chart was restored, the money coming from
the Gordon Fraser Charitable Trust Paper Conservation Fund. As it
happens we have no regrets about joining the council. The museum was
so interested in the chart, they asked if they might use a photo of
the repair work being done, for publication. We have had nothing but
help from them. This past year we have had a further grant to get a
fine piece of old weaving repaired, through the generosity of a
grant from The Cloth Workers Foundation. We also had a survey done
through the help of the Royal Bank of Scotland.
Cleaning and restoring items are not
always straight forward. As an instance it is permissible to polish
medals but coins should not be so treated. I have been told is is
because coins are not normally polished but medals can be. Then
there is quite a lot of discussion as to whether pewter should be
polished with anything but a dry clean cloth. Some say using a metal
polish brings the pewter to look like poor silver. Old materials
have to be tested as so many of them do not suit modern technology.
On the 29th of June Mrs.Grant (the President) and I were in
Edinburgh. The museum was recognised for I was given the M.B.E. It
came to me as the one who started the museum. Certainly all the
workers past and present are covered by the award. It was a splendid
day and we have a memento of it in a professional video of the
scene.
1994 was the tricentennial of the
opening of the Ballachulish Slate Quarry. There had been some work
done in 1693 in the West Quarry but it did not develop as well as
the East Quarry. The East Quarry brought some considerable fame to
the district. To celebrate this anniversary we commissioned the
making of a model of the quarry showing its workings. We republished
"A Short History of the Ballachulish Slate Quarry". It is larger
than the original. We had two copies made of grave stones from the
island. One was of a boy killed in a quarry accident when working
there. It was reported that a dove dropped a strand of ivy on his
brow as he lay dying. This story is depicted on the grave stone. It
was the custom for slate workers and others to use slate for many
purposes: fields can be fenced with slate, floors flagged with
slate, paths made with it. The men of this area used to make boat
houses of slate. These are now listed buildings, as they are not
known in any other part.
In 1994 the Museum republished "Places
to see in North Lorn", "Eilean Munda", and "A Short History of
Glencoe", and introduced one new book, "The Cook in her Kitchen".
This book was written round a recipe book begun in 1770. The
manuscript belongs to Mrs. Reid who is a member of our committee.
The book is a family recipe book and is printed with all its
assorted spellings and directions - as, when writing on the amount
of sugar to use, "as you will" or perhaps "what pleases you". Apart
from this there is some brief history connected with food and the
old tools. Not only did the household cook and preserve but they
made many of their own medicines, their own soap, and lighting from
rushes, etc. Recipes were exchanged among friends. In the recent
edition the recipes for most medicines are omitted as their safe use
by an amateur is not recommended. There was a great deal of brandy
used so I fear they would not suit the N.H.S. Mrs. Barrow, a local
artist who is also on the museum committee, illustrated the cook
book with attractive drawings of the tools of the past.
In 1992 we were troubled by our burglar
alarm going off from time to time. It might go off in the daytime
and it certainly went off at night. During 1993 we had a thorough
check. It appears that Glencoe electricity comes in uneven surges of
power and this caused our alarm to go off. Once the cause was found
we went ahead with installing an adjustment to end the trouble. I
would like to say how much we appreciated the attitude of the
village, who made no complaint at the noise of the alarm - which I
can assure you was terrific. I am happy to say that this year we
only had one false alarm during the season. Another problem faces
us. There has been talk of having yellow lines in the village. At
one time it was to be on both sides of the street, but I think it
may only be on one side.
I would like to thank all Clan Donald
members for their help in the fortunes of the museum.
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