804: Tobson, Lewis

From Place-names of Lewis and Harris by D Maciver F.E.I.S.

Tobsunn : O.N., hop-r, a shallow bay ; hoob’s (t)on, a bay town.

Tobson is situated on the west side of Bernera. It is one of the larger villages and at one time had the most residents. In 1892 to ease the congestion some tenants were allocated crofts in Lundale on the other side of the channel between Bernera and the mainland. The crofts in Tobson were then rearranged and amalgamated and thereby some numbers were lost – e.g. there is no longer a number 2 or 11.

The school and later the combined church and school (Knock House) were located in Tobson, until both were rebuilt in Breaclete.

Down the west coast are remains of lobster ponds and fish curing houses, which were used at the height of the fishing in the 19th century until the first world war.

Families in Tobson lived in the following crofts:

Macdonald: crofts 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11/12, 13, 15, 16a & 16b, 17, 18, 20, 21

Maciver: 1, 8, 14

Mackenzie: 6

Macinnes: 16a

Macaulay: 19

Satellite image