Archie Gillies and his horse Prince in Knapdale Forest
A lovely image courtesy from Buddy Gillies, Lochgilphead, showing his father Archie walking back home from work. At the start and end of the week he walked the horses about 7 miles from and to their home stables but during week they were stabled closer to the work sites in Knapdale Forest.
At this particular time Work Study were doing a study on Archie looking at the distances he walked each day, the times and also some indication of the food he ate. Note the old Bedford lorry with canvas cover that was used to transport men and women from pick up points to the work sites in Knapdale Forest. The canvas cover and frame with seats along the sides was dismounted and left at the worksite as a wet weather shelter when the lorry departed to do other work.
Behind the lorry is a second horse, Cora, also belonging to Archie, who at one time had four horses used for working the croft as well as in the forest. His two daughters, Kathie and Rae, as well as Buddy worked the horses in the forest at different times. On going back to the croft for the weekend Cora walked on her own behind Archie and Prince.
In all Archie worked with the Forestry Commission for about 28 years, three as a shepherd and the rest as forest worker and forestry horseman.
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Groups: Forestry Areas, Forestry in Action, Horses at work in Forests