104132: Old North Tolsta, Lewis

The original settlement of North Tolsta (Tolastadh bho Thuath), referred to as Old North Tolsta on this website, was in existence from 1830 to 1852.

In 1830 Old North Tolsta Tack was broken up to form 19 crofts; prior to this the Tack had not been let out to sub-tenants by the Tacksman: Kenneth Maciver. Further crofts were added to the township later. Most of the sub-tenants of Old South Tolsta Tack went on to obtain crofts in Old South Tolsta. Only a few of the subtenants obtained crofts in Old North Tolsta these are listed below (as we only have names to go on it’s not completely certain these are the same people):

• Evander Maciver: in 1830 he obtained 21 Old South Tolsta and his son (of same name) obtained 3 Old North Tolsta.
• Alexander Murray: in 1830 two Alexander Murrays obtained crofts in Tolsta: 6 Old South Tolsta and 9 Old North Tolsta (Gobha)
• Angus Smith: in 1830 three Angus Smiths obtained crofts in Tolsta: 12 Old South Tolsta, 12 Old North Tolsta (from Uig) and 4 Old North Tolsta (from Ness).
• Angus Murray: in 1830 two Angus Murrays obtained crofts in Tolsta: 5 Old South Tolsta (from Knockaird, Point) and 18 Old North Tolsta (from Swainbost).

The following people were allocated crofts in 1830 but are not on the sub-tenants list of 1820:

• Donald Macdonald (Cuilatobhtar) son of John Macdonald: 1 Old North Tolsta.
• Murdo Murray (Galson): 2 Old North Tolsta.
• Donald Murray: 5/6 Old North Tolsta
• Murdo Maciver: 5 Old North Tolsta
• Roderick Maciver: 6 Old North Tolsta
• Kenneth Murray: son of Alex Murray (6 Old South Tolsta): 7 Old North Tolsta
• Alexander Martin (Back): 8 Old North Tolsta
• Alexander Murray: 9 Old North Tolsta
• John Gunn (Eoropie): 10 Old North Tolsta
• Roderick Murray (son of Alexander Murray – Gobha): 11 Old North Tolsta
• Donald Martin (Domhnall Sealgair): 13 Old North Tolsta
• Donald Campbell: 14 Old North Tolsta
• Donald Murray (Gress, North Dell): 15 Old North Tolsta
• John Mackay (Galson): 16 Old North Tolsta
• Norman Morrison (Swainbost): 17 Old North Tolsta
• Donald Morrison (Back): 19 Old North Tolsta

The following crofts were added later:

1832

• Donald Maciver (Gress): 20 Old North Tolsta.
• Alexander Macrae (Gress): 21 Old North Tolsta
• Alexander Macrae (Gress): 22 Old North Tolsta

1845

• Norman Macleod (Vatisker): 23 Old North Tolsta
• John Macdonald (son of John Macdonald, of Cuilatobhtar): 24 Old North Tolsta
• George Murray (Back): 25 Old North Tolsta

In 1852, the crofts were cleared to form Tolsta Farm. Many of the displaced families found new crofts in the adjacent township of Old South Tolsta: which became, through a gradual change of name, the present-day settlement of North Tolsta.  

Tolsta Farm was later split into crofts and named New Tolsta.