Mrs Fisher's childhood on Vatersay

Original Track ID

SA1986.153

Original Tape ID

SA1986.153

Summary

Mrs Fisher's childhood on Vatersay.

Morag Fisher, née MacDonald, was born in Glasgow, but moved to Vatersay with her mother and siblings when they got a house next to her mother's parents. Mention of Vatersay Land Raids. Her father continued to work at the docks in Glasgow, where he had a good job. He sent money to Vatersay every Friday. Morag's family eventually got a croft and a better house. The land could not be ploughed and had to be dug with a spade. They had cows, hens and ducks, and always had plenty to eat. They cut seaweed to use as fertiliser, and carried it in creels on their backs. It was a communal task.

Morag and her siblings went to the local school, and she had to milk the cows before school. Her eldest sister was by then in service. Her mother worked at fish-gutting, following the herring fleet round the coast as far as Lowestoft and Yarmouth. There were twenty or thirty fishing stations on Barra then, and big boats came for the cured fish from as far away as Russia. The neighbours kept an eye on children if their mother was away working. Everybody helped each other and shared what they had. Although they never had shoes as children, it was no hardship. Morag's blind grandmother baked, and made butter and cheese.

Item Subject/Person

Fisher, Mrs Morag [MacDonald, Morag]

Item Location

Language

English

Genre

Information

Collection

SoSS

Source Type

Reel to reel

Audio Quality

Good