New England sawmillers in Scotland – ‘Swampers’ at work
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 Americans 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. Locations are within five miles of Ardgay, Ross-shire.
Two unnamed ‘swampers’ working on a felling drift. Not described anywhere but from the photographs it appears that long strips of trees were felled generally uphill by several two man feeling teams or ‘choppers’. Unusually at this time in Scotland the fellers also cross cut the trees into sawmill size logs which were carried to the mills on horse pulled sledges. The roll of the ‘swampers’ was to sned the logs and clear a lane free of branches up through the felled strip of trees for the sledges to move unimpeded. The ‘swampers’ it seems than moved the logs into strip piles either side of this cleared lane ready for the teamsters and their sledges.
Note the high lace up quite lightweight leather boots well equipped with steel studs. The axes were also unusually light for this period in Scotland and according to an inventory weighed in at 3˝lbs each and described as pole axes.
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Groups: American sawmillers in Scotland 1917, Forestry Areas, Forestry in Action, Groups of people, Tools, equipment and clothing