William Smith former Felling Contractor
Photograph courtesy of Jean Cranna, Drumblade, Huntly.
The photograph is of her paternal grandfather William Smith and his wife Annie (nee Marr) on their golden wedding anniversary in Dec 1946.
William was at one time a wood contractor who employed up to 9-10 men at most. Many of the men were his own sons Charlie, Sandy, Andy and Jimmy who work with him for a period of time. They worked all over the Northeast and as far as Loch Ness going and staying where ever the work was taking place. One son, Henry, died age 13 apparently at Kildrummie but little is known so far of this episode.
Jean recalls that William and his wife Annie lived in a wood contractors timber hut in the Bin Forest circa 1923. In around the early 1930s he left the timber industry and settled into croft of Back of Lay at Marnoch.
Groups: Forestry Areas, Northeast Scotland