A Flight To St. Kilda - by Rev. R.L. Lawson - Page 12
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The images and text of Rev. Lawson's booklet - A FLIGHT TO ST. KILDA - contributed by Ewen McGee whose grandfather was captain of the SS Hebrides from 1899 to 1921.


Pages: Cover | Publications | 3 |  4 |  5 | 6  |  7  |  8  |  9  |  10  |  11 |  12  | 13  | 14  | 15 | 16  |  17 | 18 | 19  | 20 | 21  | 22  | 23 |  SS Hebrides | Photos

                          A FLIGHT TO ST. KILDA                   12

nearly all large black eyes, with hair like a raven, and cheeks “like roses wat wi' dew.”  A clerical friend on board remarked that large black eyes lacked intelligence, but a lady whispered to me that this was because he had grey eyes himself!

I am thankful to say that the St. Kildians have now got a small pier made of cement, on which visitors may step ashore with some degree of comfort, instead of the rough boulders from which they often slipped into the water up to the middle.  Close beside the pier are the four important buildings of the Church and School, which enter off each other (see Illustration), the Manse, the Post Office, and the Store, all of a single storey.  As every one of us had letters or Postal Cards to send away, the Post Office was first besieged.  But alas! the halfpenny stamps gave out, so we had to affix penny ones instead; and these were all of the old Queen Victoria sort, of which they seemed to have laid in a good stock, which they had not yet been able to dispose of. 

Next came the School, which was wonderfully bright and up-to-date.  I think there might be about 25 children present, taught by a lady teacher from Inverness, who seemed to he doing specially good work.  Sewing and cooking are being taught for the first time.  A fair library of books, too, has been introduced.  I saw an essay (on Rain, I think) written in English by one of the scholars, which was quite respectable, and considerably superior to the old model we used to quote at school — “The horse is a noble animal.  It has generally four legs, one at each corner.”  The Government Inspector of Schools had come that morning with our steamer; and in order to let him get away with us, the school had met at half-past six o'clock, which would rather have bothered our Southern lazy heads!

Adjoining the School is the Church, which was also fairly up-to-date.  The old forms had been removed and pews substituted, while oil lamps with sconces were hung round the walls.  The minister who had been sent over to dispense the Communion was the Rev. Mr Ross, formerly of the Cowcaddens United Free Church, Glasgow.  He told me that he had preached every day for the fortnight

Pages: Cover | Publications | 3 |  4 |  5 | 6  |  7  |  8  |  9  |  10  |  11 |  12  | 13  | 14  | 15 | 16  |  17 | 18 | 19  | 20 | 21  | 22  | 23 |  SS Hebrides | Photos