15697: Malcolm Mackenzie

Malcolm (1843-1908) was a son of Norman Mackenzie and Matilda Ross Macleod, 4 Calbost.

In Lochs in 1869 he married Ann Ferguson, 12 Habost. Malcolm and Ann settled at 4 Calbost and they had nine children.

Members of this very enterprising family did well in various parts of the World. Six of the nine went overseas, three of the six lived in Africa, one in North America and one in South America, and Matilda returned from North America and married John Maclean from Carloway.

The family suffered two very sad bereavements in the passing of Duncan as a young man of 30 years old as a result of service in the South African War and Malcolm who died suddenly as a result of meningitis at the age of 24 years when he was a divinity student. 

Malcolm was widowed in 1904.

The family of Calum Ruadh Thormoid Og were brought up in the house that was formerly occupied by the Calbost tacksman, Robert Weir. The second lotting of the village about 1850 placed Robert Weir’s house within the boundary of croft 3 Calbost, the original croft of Calum Ruadh’s grandfather, Norman “Buidhe” Mackenzie.

The family built a new house which was ahead of its time in design. It was the first house in the village with storm windows upstairs and a wooden floor throughout. The roof covering was the usual for that period, felt or canvas with regular coats of coal tar. It was sited on the brow of a hill within what was at one time the “Leis Mor” of the Tacksman.