105516: Norman MacKillop

Norman MacKillop was born in 1924, the son of fisherman Donald MacKillop and his second wife Peggy Ann MacLeod of 11 Borve. His father died in October 1925, when Norman was only one year old, and he and his mother lived at her childhood home in Pol an Oir, together with his brother, born a few weeks later.

However, space was cramped, and in 1930 the young family were gifted the use of a home at Ferry, attached to that of their benefactor, Kenneth Morrison. In October that year Norman started to attend Berneray School. He sometimes crewed for neighbour Donald MacLeod, sailing to Stromay for peats. Norman left school at the age of 16, later living in Glencoe, where he managed Achnacon Farm. His brother Donald came to visit him there, as recalled on page 75 of his book Coille an Fhàsaich:

It wasn’t long before my brother was conscripted into the Army, and the owner of the farm had to sell the stock… Norman told me it was the hardest thing he ever had to do to send the animals on the goods train from Ballachulish to Oban …

Norman was passed the house at Ferry following his mother’s death. The building was rebuilt as Ferry Cottage.