Strathtongue 1844

STRATHTONGUE No.1
WILLIAM MACKAY First house on the west of Scullomy road.
Lot: No.1 of plan 1829 – then arable 2.1.22 and in pasture 5.0.12, in all 7.1.34 – Has taken in fully a rood since 1829 and little more could now be advantageously done - has likewise drained a good deal and has a good garden – Lot forms the angle between the Scullomy and Thurso road and is all dyked in except a patch to the south of the Thurso road near the bridge – has likewise a share of about an acre of improved ground on the Strath Tongue Common along the north side of the Dalcharn March – Rent £5 14s. 2d.
House: one of the new Tenantry ones – slated, floored and double – probably about the best in the country [i.e. locally].
Tenant: the tenant about 74 – a miller – wife dead (Ann Matheson) – has two daughters married – one to WILLIAM SUTHERLAND, tenant, Strathtongue (Christina 1800-1860), and the other to JOHN MACKAY, Strathmore Skerray (Jane 1794-1883) – has in the house with him his only son, PETER MACKAY, mason (Peter Mackay 1804-aft.1881), who is married (Hughina Ross 1802-1872) and has two children – a son of 12 years old (Andrew) and a daughter of 16 (Catherine 1828-1919) – Has also in the house, whom he supports, a distant relative named JAMES MACKAY who is about 70 years of age and draws a trifle from the Poors’ Box – has likewise a servant girl, a daughter of Widow MANSON of Coldbacky (Georgina Manson 1861-1909), and a grandson (28) who works as a labourer for his uncle Peter.
Stock: 4 cows, 1 stirk, 22 sheep, 2 ponies.

STRATHTONGUE No.2
WILLIAM MUNRO, First house to the south of the Thurso road.
Lot: No.2 of plan 1829 – then arable 2.1.20 and in pasture 0.1.15 – in all 2.2.35 seemingly exclusive of the garden to the North of the line of the lot – has drained a great deal and taken in about 12 falls – nothing more could be trenched, tho’ some drains are still required near the House – Rent £3 10s. 6d.
House: a new tenantry one – thatched – divided into three apartments by clay partition – joisted but not lofted.
Family: tenant about 40 (William Munro 1806-1889) – a good and active labourer – Has a wife (Barbara Sutherland 1796-1860) and one daughter 12 years old (Marion Munro 1831-) – likewise in the house a daughter of his wife’s, who was married before to a ROBERT MACKAY, aged 22 (Ann Mackay 1821-). Stock: 3 cows, 7 sheep, 1 pony.

STRATHTONGUE No.5
Robert MACKAY, Second tenants house to south of Thurso road.
House: a new tenantry built in 1842 tho’ not yet put into Melioration book – thatched, divided, joisted and lofted over room which is floored - not yet plastered.
Lot: No.3 of plan 1829 – then 2.1.20 arable and 0.2.27 in pasture - Total 3.0.7. About 12 falls in middle brought in last year and a little more could be done – there should also be an open drain down the lot – Rent £4 16s. 10d.
Family: Tenant about 42 years of age (Robert Mackay 1800-1872) and a hard working carpenter – has a wife (Johan Macleod 1802-1872) and six children – three boys, 17, 15 and 8 , and three daughters, 17 (a twin), 10 and 7 (Twins Sackville and Ann, 1827, then Angusina 1836, Robert 1834, Hughina 1836 and John 1837 - not exact to Mr Horsburgh's list). Stock: 1 cow, 8 sheep, 1 pony.

STRATHTONGUE No.4
WILLIAM SUTHERLAND, Third tenant’s house to south of Thurso road.
Lot: half of No.4 of plan 1829 – occupied run-ridge with next tenant, JOHN ROSS – it may however be said to contain 1.0.20 arable and 1.1.35 – little done since, tho’ susceptible of great improvement – it would be much better divided than as it is – tenant however by [no] means active - Has a garden or rather two small ones – Rent £1 12s. 3d.
House: a very poor one of the old description.
Family: Tenant about 53 years of age (William Sutherland 1792-1862) – sickly – a labourer and not very active – has a wife (Christina Mackay 1800-1860) and five children – two boys 12 and 7 (Alexander 1831-1912, William 1836-) – girls 20, 17 and 14 (Ann 1823-1901, Marion 1825-1900, Elizabeth 1829-). Stock: 2 cows, 1 stirk, 8 sheep.

STRATHTONGUE No.3
JOHN ROSS Third tenants' house to south of Thurso road.
Lot: half of No.4 of plan 1829 – Occupied run-ridge with next tenant, WILLIAM SUTHERLAND – it contains however about 1.-.20 arable and 1.1.35 in pasture – little or nothing done since, tho’ the lot could admit of being much improved – it ought however to be divided – Rent £1 12s. 3d.
House: a poor one on the old construction.
Family: tenant a frail old man of 78 years of age (John Ross c.1766-bef.1855) – is ruptured and unable to work – Works a little at the land – is married (Henrietta Mackenzie c.1766-bef.1855) – has two sons married, one in Clashaidy (George Ross 1793-1868) and another in Blandie (Donald Ross 1804-1849), likewise a daughter married to HUGH MACKAY, Lamigo (Catherine Ross 1800-1875)– has with him in the house a sickly daughter of 52 years of age (Elizabeth Ross 1792-1859)– also a sister of his own (Isabella Ross c.1769-1855, widow of John Munro), a very infirm tenant of 76, who is said to get something from the Poor’s Roll – only one apartment. Stock: 3 cows, 1 poney.

STRATHTONGUE COTTAR
CHRISTY MACKAY, has a pretty decent house and garden on the common behind ROBERT MACKAY’s lot – age about 40 - is on the Poors’ Roll - not strong - got pasture ground etc. from the neighbours - has living with her a daughter of a nephew now living in Caithness - the girl is about 6 years old.

General
The Strathtongue people have a commonty to themselves – in addition to the Hill of 10.2.2, of about there was arable in 1829 0.2.2 – the arable ground appears to be now more than doubled, as it was divided by the Inquest among the tenants about the year 1830.

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