New England sawmillers in Scotland – Camp site
The images are courtesy of Rene Knott and Kyle of Sutherland Historical Society. However the writer is uncertain of how the photographs known as the Culeve (Location in Strathcarron) collection were formed and who initially collected them. A similar collection is in the care of the Jenks Library in Acton Massachusetts gifted by Webster Blanchard who was the foreman of New England Mill No 3 team. It is assumed that one of the American’s or more had cameras, took a selection of photographs which were passed to various team members. A local Scottish photographer or press reporter should perhaps not be ruled out as there would have been a ready market for photographs among the New England teams. Any further information on the photographs would be very welcome.
This is lovely domestic scene on the camp site shortly after arrival in Scotland and before the accommodation huts were erected. In good weather not a real hardship. The question is whether the pot contains food or just boiling some clothes as part of the washing process!
Local newspaper reports indicate that the initially all the teams camped at Soyal, Strathcarron, until their equipment and horses arrived a week or ten days or so after the men arrived. It is likely during this period the various felling sites would have been scouted out and actual sawmill locations identified. A report from Acton, Massachusetts, indicates that lots were drawn by the ten mill unit foremen to allocate teams and mills to sites. It is unclear if this is the camp at Soyal for all the teams or just one team on its location.
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Groups: American sawmillers in Scotland 1917, Buildings in Forests, Groups of people