92811: Donald Graham

Donald (1872-1940) was the son of John Graham and Mary Morrison. It is not known where the family were living at the time of his birth; his paternal grandparents were at 9 North Tolsta and his maternal grandparents were at 11 Vatisker.

In 1875 the family obtained 39 North Tolsta, after the previous occupants emigrated to Canada.

In 1903 Donald married Mary Young, of 8 Ballantrushal. The couple settled at 39 North Tolsta; this croft passed to Donald in due course. The couple’s first child was born in 1904. In 1908 their second child and eldest son, John, died in infancy. In total Donald and Mary had nine children: two girls and seven boys.

Donald’s family suffered two misfortunes in 1923, both of which were recorded in the Stornoway Gazette. 

The Stornoway Gazette of 10th May 1923 reported:
On 20th April [1923], the house of Mr. Donald Graham, 39 North Tolsta, was almost completely destroyed by fire. While the family were engaged down on the croft, a young boy, who had been left at home, went upstairs with a naked light, to search for something and it seems some corn on the loft got ignited. Several people working on their crofts noticed smoke belching from the two chimneys and from the skylights. Within a few minutes, scores of men were on the spot. The damage to the building and furniture was extensive. Most of the things upstairs were destroyed. It is to be hoped that friends will give some assistance to Mr. Graham to repair his house and to get some of the articles destroyed by fire replaced. Mr. Graham is very much indebted to the large number of men who worked so strenuously to extinguish the flames.

The Stornoway Gazette of 11th October 1923 reported an accident that had befallen Donald’s son Angus:
A NARROW ESCAPE
Last Saturday, a child belonging to Mr. Donald Graham, 39 North Tolsta, had a narrow escape from being killed by a horse. It appears that the child, a boy of three years of age, was playing in front of his house and that a horse which happened to be grazing there at the time, resented the child’s presence and tried to kick him. The boy was severely cut on the side of his head. The little fellow was badly stunned, but after he had been attended by the nurse he was able to move about. Indeed it is a marvel, how few of such accidents occur in the districts, where horses are allowed to roam about at will.

39 North Tolsta passed to Donald and Mary’s son Alexander.