103920: 44 North Tolsta

44 Tolastadh bho Thuath

44 North Tolsta was a new croft in 1854. Prior to this it was a part of the old village and used to house transitional families.

The first occupants were Alexander Macrae and his second wife, Margaret Macdonald. Many of the children in the family had left home by this time but at least four were still living in the parental home. The youngest children Mary and Alexander were not yet teenagers and the couple's eldest daughter, Isabella, married and lived as a cottar at 44 North Tolsta. In due course the croft passed to their eldest daughter, Catherine.

Catherine Macrae married Hector Campbell and the couple settled at 44 North Tolsta and had they eight children: Alexander, Isabella, Donald, Annie, Isabella, Isabella, Angus and Isabella. At least three of their children died in infancy. Sometime after Hector's death, in 1893, 44 North Tolsta passed to Catherine. Their daughter Annie became a cottar at 44 North Tolsta. In due course 44 North Tolsta passed to their son, Donald.

Donald Campbell married Catherine Graham, but the couple had no children. Donald died in the Iolaire Disaster and 44 North Tolsta passed to his brother, Angus.

Angus Campbell married Henrietta Matheson and the couple had four children: Catherine, Annie, Hector and Katie Ann. In due course 44 North Tolsta passed to their eldest daughter, Catherine.

Catherine Campbell married John Maciver and the couple had a son, John Angus.

John Angus Maciver married a woman from Back and the couple had three children.

Malcolm Mackay was married to Isabella Macrae, and the couple settled as cottars at 44 North Tolsta, and they had seven children: Alexander, Angus, Alexander, Angus, Annie, Catherine and Marion; at least three of these children died in infancy. Malcolm was widowed in 1876 and remarried shortly after. He had two sons with his second wife, Annabella Mackenzie, but it is not certain if the family had already moved to Stornoway prior to these two children being born.

Annie Campbell married John Macinnes, and they were cottars at 44 North Tolsta. They had two children: Hector and Mary. After Annie's early death, in 1904, her widower remarried and moved to the cottars house at 62 North Tolsta.