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Story about the effect of typhus and debt on the Campbell and Macintire families on Lismore, August 1883

 Item
Identifier: Coll-97/CW120/50

Scope and Contents

Story collected from Christina Campbell or Macintyre about the family tragedy in 1864 when her brother Dugald and husband Duncan, both of Tirefour, Lismore [Lios Mòr], died of typhus within three weeks of each other. Christina states which members of the family caught typhus, which ones pulled through and which ones died. She also describes how weakened she was by the fever, only able to crawl around her house; the livestock and crops they had, which appear to have been taken away as a consequence of the illness. She details the debt the family had a few years before and the attempts she had made to clear it and says, 'When I got well all I had left were a few hens - neither of stock nor of crop.' She describes how she and her neighbours Dugald Buchanan, who was in arrears, and Donald and Maol-Moire Black, who were not in arrears, were put out of their farms and one single farm at Tirefour was created for Captain Campbell in Oban [An t-Òban, Earra Ghàidheal/Argyllshire]. Christina notes that she got poor relief for about five years after her son was born and lists the value of each piece of her property and remarks that the houses were burnt.

Dates

  • Creation: August 1883

Language of Materials

English,Gaelic

Conditions Governing Access

This material is unrestricted.

Extent

From the Series: 1 notebook ; 17.5 x 10.8 cm