New England sawmillers in Scotland – Sawmill in Strathcarron
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.
A moody day shot of a sawmill in action in Strathcarron but one of the few that allows some interpretation of location as well as a wider view of the stacked sawn produce. The stacking location is very well filled with a variety of different sized wood products and one man can be seen stacking in a new location on the right.
The large well made hut with roof vents could be bunk house or canteen for the team and the rougher looking shed next to the mill will certainly have an office section for booker/ timekeeper to work in.
The only other person visible in this view is the roll-on or checker man handling some sizable logs that are lined up for the saw bench. To his left the steam engine is under the tin roof lean to and could well be the wood fuel stacked along side. The fuel wood seems to be short pieces of sawn material but also short poles about meter long.
The stacks of small diameter poles or logs nearest to the camera are a feature in a number of shots. They initially looked like birch poles but closer inspection indicates the poles are more likely to be larch and Scots pine species. They seem to be of low priority and always stacked in the wood away from the sawn timber and not required for mining purposes. Any thoughts welcome.
The landscape profile and the location of the river, road and houses on the far side point to the mill possibly being near Wester Soyal looking onto the crofts at Dounie as depicted on the 1907 OS map. Any comments the location would be very welcome. The map is shown in the attached PDF below.
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Groups: American sawmillers in Scotland 1917, Buildings in Forests, Forestry Areas, Forestry in Action, Sawmills, pulp mills, chipboard mills