Gartymore Crofting Township

Today’s presentation centered on the crofting township of Gartymore, which is situated on the hilly slopes between West Helmsdale and Portgower.  Much of the information was gathered from  Margot Macgregor, Elizabeth Fraser, Esther MacDonald and Joan Murray.  The 2-hour presentation included old photographs of the houses and many of their past occupants, including Nurse Gordon, John Oliver Fraser and Walter Davidson, the shoemaker.  The 35 strong audience buzzed with discussion and many stories were told of bygone days.

Another packed house for the Gartymore presentation

The lands of Gartymore were held in wadset by Robert Pope in the early 1800s.  These lands were redeemed by the Countess of Sutherland in 1815 and set into 'lots' for the displaced people from the Strath of Kildonan.  The lots averaged out at about 2 acres and in 1831 a total of 75 tenants were recorded on the estate rental.  Gartymore is the birthplace of the Highland Land League Movement, where crofters came together to fight for their rights.  The crofters eventually won some rights when the Crofting Law was passed through the houses of Parliament in 1891.  In 1981 a cairn was erected in Gartymore to the memory of the Land Leaguers who often me tin secret to plan their campaign.

Alice MacKintosh, a neice of Joseph Macleod, unveiling the Land League Monument in 1981