Timeline
Some key dates in the history of Uig and the Isle of Lewis. Further suggestions welcome.
before 4000BC |
First settlers arrive in small boats and live as hunter-gatherers on the shore.
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c4000 BC |
Neolithic societies: the first farmers in Lewis erect the ceremonial stone circles at Callanish.
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c2000 BC |
Bronze age societies: Beaker Folk and a changing society as the weather worsened, sea levels rose, and the individual becomes more important.
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400 BC |
Iron Age people built complex defensive structures: brochs, wheelhouses and souterrains.
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c563 |
Irish monks appear on the Uig coast seeking isolation and build small churches.
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c800 |
Viking raiders arrive, settle in and dominate for 450 years.
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c1150 |
The Uig Chessmen are made, probably in Norway.
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1266 |
The Western Isles are ceded to Scotland.
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c1500 |
John Roy Macaulay does battle with the local Macleods.
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1611 |
The Macleods era ends and the Seaforth Mackenzies take control, bringing many mainland families to Lewis. A degree of stability ensues.
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1613 |
Neil Macleod, pirate and ally of Domhnall Cam, is captured and executed.
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1645 |
At the Battle of Auldearn, 300 Lewismen fight at Seaforth’s behest and all but three are killed.
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1755 |
The first Scottish census put the population of Uig at 1312.
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1756-63 |
Seven Years War; 140 Lewismen on active service in America.
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1778 |
The 78th Regiment of Highlanders is raised, including 200 Lewismen. Hugh Munro becomes minister at Uig.
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1792 |
Old Statistical Account tells of a fairly prosperous community, engaged at kelp-making and trading in the Baltic.
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1793 |
First Battalion of the 78th is raised: Saighdearan Mhic Coinnich Bhodhair. The parish of Uig is advertised for letting as a sheep farm.
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1804 |
Second Battalion raised: Saighdearan Mac a’Mhinisteir. First Uig clearances as tenants are removed from Kinlochroag, Scaliscro and Cleit a’Thog
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1811 |
Lotting of the Island, from runrig to croft, begins.
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1824 |
Religious revivals in Uig; Mrs Stewart Mackenzie brings the evangelical minister Rev Alexander Macleod to Uig.
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1825-28 |
Uig small tenants are deprived of their pastures and wintering islands.
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1826 |
Timsgarry cleared to make the Glebe.
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1827-33 |
Thousands attend open air services at Baile na Cille
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1829 |
The new church at Baile na Cille is built.
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1835 |
Strome and Scaliscro are cleared; pier built at Carnish.
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1837 |
Villages around Traigh Uig are cleared to create Ardroil and Timsgarry farms; many go to Ness, and some to Canada.
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1838 |
Mealista is cleared; many emigrate to the Eastern Townships of Quebec.
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1841 |
The Island of Vuia Mhor is cleared; inhabitants move to Geshader, Balallan and Cape Breton.
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1843 |
The Disruption, and Rev Macleod leads his congregation to the Free Church, but himself leaves Uig soon afterwards.
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1844 |
The Mackenzie dynasty ends in bankruptcy and Lewis is sold to James Matheson.
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1845-7 |
Potato crop failure leads to destitution; relief meal is given by the Proprietor, but added to the accounts of the inhabitants, and wages paid on work schemes were reclaimed as rent.
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1846 |
The Free Church and Manse at Ceannlangabhat are built.
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1848 |
Reef is cleared of 32 families; evictions from Valtos and Kneep. Some move to Deanston, an experimental crofting township which fails by 1851.
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1851 |
The Chamberlain tours the district to settle on who is to emigrate, willingly or not. Hundreds are given assisted passage to Canada on the Barlow and the Marquis of Stafford. Miavaig and Gisla cleared to create small farms.
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1850-60s |
Relative prosperity, from fishing including for lobster, working away (in Glasgow or on the East Coast) and trades.
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1872 |
The Education Act makes provision for public schools in all districts; they begin to appear in Uig in 1879.
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1872 |
Mangersta cleared, at the request of the inhabitants.
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1874 |
The Bernera Riot
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1883 |
Problem of landlessness continues and the Napier Commission sets out to investigate and rectify the issues throughout Scotland.
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1884-5 |
Valtos crofters appropriate Pabbay for grazing; agitation ensue and the marines are called in; eight men imprisoned. The following year six Valtos women remove the tacksman’s cattle from Pabbay and are later fined.
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1886 |
The Crofter’s Act promises security of tenure and fair rents, but the land is still occupied by large farms and townships become increasingly congested. The Deer Forest Commission and the Congested Districts Board are established to effect improvements.
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1900 |
The Free Church congregation joins the United Free Church.
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1908 |
Cottars from overcrowded Brenish meet in the school to demand the break up of Mangersta, Mealista and Hamnaway.
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1911 |
Mangersta Farm broken up for crofts.
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1912 |
Dewar Commission investigates the state of health care in the Islands, leading to a forerunner of the National Health System.
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1913 |
Reef Raiders, frustrated at undelivered promises of land, raid the farm and drive the farmer’s stock away. They are tried in Edinburgh and jailed but a public outcry ensues and they return home as heroes
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1914 |
In August, virtually the entire able-bodied male population of Lewis joins up. Some three hundred Uigeachs fight in the Great War and 58 are killed.
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1918 |
Leverhulme buys the Isle of Lewis; he is opposed to crofting and resists land reform.
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1919 |
1 January: the blackest day in the history of Lewis, as 200 men returning from war are lost within sight of Stornoway as the Iolaire founders. Ten from Uig are drowned.
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1920 |
Raids on Carnish.
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1921 |
All the Uig farms are finally broken up for crofts. Leverhulme’s schemes end throughout Lewis and he offers the island to its inhabitants.
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1924 |
Hundreds emigrate to Canada on the Metagama, and to other destinations around this time.
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1929 |
United Free Church unites with the Church of Scotland; Free Presbyterian Church created
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1929 |
18 June: An Là TB. TB Macaulay visits Uig.
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1939-45 |
World War Two brought fewer shortages that were experienced in other places, but 15 young men were lost to the community, and the way of life changed forever.
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1950s |
Electricity! and transition from the last of the blackhouses to modern crofthouses.
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1954 |
RAF Aird Uig is established.
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1959-61 |
Gisla Hydro Scheme is built.
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1964 |
RAF Aird Uig is closed.
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1970s |
Roads upgraded; Uig School opens to replace the smaller district schools. Some diversification of the economy, but population decline continues.
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1993 |
Gaelic-medium education is re-introduced.
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1998 |
Community buyout puts the Valtos peninsula in the hands of the crofters. Community Centre is built in Timsgarry.
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2003 |
Community Shop is established.
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