Embo architecture - Front Street 1974
Date Added: 20 September 2018
Year: 1974
Institution Name: dnhhl
Cat No: ◀ | 2018_011_06 | ▶
Picture No: 13705
Sixth in a series of 13 colour slides recording the architecture of Embo. This shows two properties at the end of Gate Street, that with the red corrugated tin roof in need of restoration.
Dimensions: Length24 mm - Width 35 mm
Groups: Hidden Gems
2 Comments
There is an error in the identification address in this photo, It is actually the bottom of Gate street.
In my time, the first house was owned by Andrew Mackay (Andrew Punch), latterly by his son Alec, who very sadly passed away recently. WhenI was young (Born 1954), the second house was inhabited by a couple, who I think were married, but known in the village as Willie Sant and Bella Shockan.
Comment left on 23 January 2019 at 20:08 by John Mackay The description has been updated.
Administrator
In my time, the first house was owned by Andrew Mackay (Andrew Punch), latterly by his son Alec, who very sadly passed away recently. WhenI was young (Born 1954), the second house was inhabited by a couple, who I think were married, but known in the village as Willie Sant and Bella Shockan.
Comment left on 23 January 2019 at 20:08 by John Mackay The description has been updated.
Administrator
Form Goes Here
In the 1911 census the first house in this photo was occupied by a William Mackay aged 56, a fisherman, and his wife Margaret aged 68 born in Brora and son John aged 30 who gave his occupation as a labourer. The census showed that this family were members of the Oag Mackay sub group.
In the 1940s, in my Embo childhood days, this house was occupied by John Mackay (Johnnie Piggagh) who must have been the John from the 1911 census. He at that time was retired but was very active as an accomplished hymn singer and the precentor in the Gaelic Free Church in Dornoch.
He had a son that we knew as Davey Piggagh who I believe later was a policeman in the Glasgow area but visited Embo often with his family.
The second house in the photo was also a bit neglected in the 1950s. If my memory is correct I believe that the some of the children from this family emigrated to Australia.
In the 1911 census this house was occupied by a John Mackay aged 43 and his wife Maggie aged 38. Also, in the house were their daughter Christie aged 12, son William aged 10, daughter Jessie aged 7 and daughter Maggie Jean aged 3. The census showed that this family were members of the Taylor Mackay sub group.
Maggie Jean, I knew well in my early childhood as she was then living at 1 MacLeod Terrace, Embo with her husband Charlie Doherty while my family lived next door at 2 MacLeod Terrace. There were six children in their family as there was in ours. I can remember that there was Charlie, John James, Rosina, Jessie and Hughie but the last name escapes me.
Comment left on 27 September 2018 at 17:39 by Kenneth Mackay Many thanks for the additional detail.
Administrator