9815: Peter Maclean

Peter Maclean, known as the Coll, was born to 3 Ungeshader and attended Lochcroistean School. During World War 1 he served with the Seaforth Highlanders.

He married twice, first to Isabel Macleod from 8 Geshader and then to Effie Macaulay (Oighrig Mhorgain) from Bragar. There were no children to either marriage but they raised a niece from Enaclete (a Macdonald girl?) who married to Uist.

DJ Macleod, Enaclete, recalls:

The Coll was always spotless and looked after himself. Even when cutting the peats he would not have a blotch of peat on his clothes. At a fank he was the same. During the war when they were building the camp at Brenish, digging a ditch, one day some of the lads started to create splashes to dirty the Coll’s clothes, but not once did they manage to splash him.

In the 1930s Peter built the new house on 3 Ungeshader, Taigh na Coll, where he lived with Effie and his bachelor brother, Shonnie.