Biographies of Pupils of Carnan Public
School 1920 – 1929
Contents
Carnan Public School Group Photo 1928 ...................................................................................................... 4
Carnan Public School Group Photo 1936 ...................................................................................................... 5
Donald Beaton (Domhnall Beag a’ Pheutanaich).......................................................................................... 6
Hugh MacRae (Uisdean lain Bhig ach Chradh).............................................................................................. 7
Margaret MacLean (Peigi Lachlainn) ............................................................................................................ 8
Hector Johnson (Eachann Rhuairidh Chailein) .............................................................................................. 9
Katy Mary Maclnnes ................................................................................................................................... 10
John and Jessie MacLeod ............................................................................................................................ 10
Marion MacRae (Morag Iain Bhig ach Chradh) ........................................................................................... 11
Catherine Margaret MacLean (celtag Lachlalnn ach Dhomhnaill).............................................................. 12
Donald MacLean (Domhnall Lachlainn ach Dhomhnaill) ............................................................................ 13
Mary Ann MacCormick (Mairi Anna ach Charmaig) ................................................................................... 15
Angus Beaton (Aonghas Mor a Pheutanaich) ............................................................................................. 15
Kenneth MacRae (Coinneach lain Bhig ach Chradh)................................................................................... 16
Euphemia MacLean (Oirig Lacmainn ic Dhomhnaill) .................................................................................. 17
Joan Maccormick (Seonag ‘ic Charmaig) .................................................................................................... 18
Peter Beaton (Padraig Pheutanaich) ........................................................................................................... 18
John MacRae (lain lain Bhig ach Chradh) .................................................................................................... 19
lsobella MacLean (lshabel Lachlainn Dhomhnalll) ...................................................................................... 22
Donald John MacCormick (Domhnall Iain mac Charmaig) ......................................................................... 22
Christina Johnson (Ciostaidh Ruairidh Chailein) ......................................................................................... 22
Angus Beaton (Aonghas Beag a Pheutanaich) ............................................................................................ 22
Donald Maclnnes (Donnie Lilidh) ................................................................................................................ 23
Alexander MacCormick (Alasdair mac Charmaig) ....................................................................................... 24
Neil MacRae (Niall lain Bhig ach Chradh) .................................................................................................... 26
Mary Beaton (Mairi Niall Pheutan) ............................................................................................................. 27
Agnes MacLean (Agnes Lachlainn ic Dhomhnaill)....................................................................................... 29
Mary MacKillop (Mairi Sheonaidh Uilleam) ................................................................................................ 31
Stewarts ...................................................................................................................................................... 31
lain Fitzpatrick ............................................................................................................................................. 31
Carnan Public School Group Photo 1928
Carnan Public School Group, c 1928.
Back row left to right : Miss Kate MacInnes (teacher), Donald MacRae, Donald John Beaton, Flora Briceland, Mary
Ann Beaton, Dolina MacLean, Alastair MacLean, Murdoch Beaton.
Middle row : Mary MacRae, Mary Margaret MacKillop, Jessie MacLeod
Front row : Hector Johnson, Donald Beaton, Morag MacRae, Hugh MacRae, John MacLeod.
Absent : Dolina MacRae, Katy Mary MacInnes, Katy MacLean.
Carnan Public School Group Photo 1936
Carnan Public School Group, c 1928.
Back row left to right :.Miss Peggy MacDonald (teacher), Kenneth MacRae, Isabel MacLean, Joan MacCormick, Effie
MacLean, Katy MacLean, Donald MacLean, Angus Mor Beaton
Middle row :Donald John MacCormick, Donny MacInnes, Alasdair MacCormick, Neil MacRae, Chriise Johnson,
Agnes MacLean, Mary MacKillop, Iain MacRae
Front row :.Peter Beaton, Angus Beag Beaton
Absent: .Mary Ann MacCormick, Mary Beaton
Donald Beaton (Domhnall Beag a’ Pheutanaich)
Donald was born on 8 May 1920 ,a son of Neil Beaton and Mary MacKay of Rhudhgashernish.
After he left Carnan School Donald was crofting until the outbreak of the Second World War. He joined
the Royal Artillery but was discharged after six months because of ill health. He returned to South Uist
and worked as a blacksmith in Howmore along with Donald Smith. When Donald Smith left to go to
Campbeltown Donald Beaten went to work in the Oban area, he worked at the distillery for a while.
When he got a croft of his own in Rhudhgashernish Donald returned home. He has lived in
Rhudhgashernish since.
Donald Beaton
Hugh MacRae (Uisdean lain Bhig ach Chradh)
Hugh was the sixth child of John MacRae and Christina MacCormick of Ard na Laogh, he was born on 9
November 1920.
After leaving Caman School Uisdean worked at Drimsdale Farm for Mr Macsween. He left South Uist in
1951 and went to work on a farm outside Oban. He never married and sadly he died suddenly in 1993.
Margaret MacLean (Peigi Lachlainn)
Peggy was born on 31 July 1921, a daughter of Lachlan MacLean and Margaret Mathie of
Rhudhgashernish.
As a very young girl of 5 or 6 Peggy went to live with her Auntie Anne MacLean and Uncle Donald
Alasdair Johnson in Ardmore, because they had no children of their own. As she lived in Ardmore she
attended lochdar School. After leaving school Peggy went to Glasgow to do nursing at the Gartnaval
Hospital. A few years later she married Alex MacKinnon from Acharacle and they had one son, Donald
Archie. Alex was in the Merchant Navy and away at sea most of the time. Peggy carried on nursing until
she retired. She is widowed now and lives in Acharacle.
Peggy MacLean with her aunt Catriona MacLean MacInnes
Hector Johnson (Eachann Rhuairidh Chailein)
Hector was born at Liniclate, Benbecula on 12 June 1921, the oldest child of Roderick Johnson of Holmar
and Mary MacPhee.
Hector was brought up in Holmar and as a young boy he helped on the croft and at the fishing. After he
left Caman School Hector went to sea and he served in the Merchant Navy during World War 2. In 1947
Hector sailed in a boat from Troon and it was blown up at Ailsa Craig. Nothing was ever found from that
boat.
Katy Mary Maclnnes
Katy Mary was born on 22 May 1922, the daughter of Dolina Maclnnes. She was brought up by her
grand parents, Catriona Seonaid and Angus Campbell, at 7 Lochcaman.
Katy Mary left Caman Public School when she was 14 years old. For two years she lived and worked at
home helping her grandparents with the croft work and the house work, and helping others in the
township. She also went over to Rossinish for a while to help her aunt and uncle, Kate and Fergus
MacRury. There was never any shortage of work, there was baking and cooking and carrying water. The
drinking water had to be carried all the way from Loch a’ Ruidh. There were cattle and hens and ducks
to be looked after, cows to be milked and butter to be made. There was washing to do. Katy Mary and
her granny not only did the washing for their own household but also for Donald Johnson who lived on
his own at Black Bay. They had a pot set up beside Loch a’ Ruidh and peats close by to light a fire with to
heat the water. There were the potatoes to plant and lift, the corn to harvest, the peats to be done and
tweeds to be waulked.
When she was 16 Katy Mary went to work at Carnan Inn along with Kirsty Maclntyre from Clachan,
Lochcarnan and when she was seventeen she married Donald MacAulay (Domhnall Chailein ‘ic
Dhomhnaill Rhuaidh) of Burnside, Lochcarnan. The wedding took place on 27 November 1940, a bitterly
cold day. The religious ceremony was in Ardkenneth Church and the wedding breakfast and dance was
held at Carnan School. Katy and Donald had a family of twelve children, all of whom attended Carnan
School.
Burnside was a shop and post office as well as a home. Donald was out most days with the mobile shop
and so as well as bringing up the children Katy Mary had the shop to attend to and the cows to look
after. They had a licence to supply fishermen and so at whatever time a boat came into Loch Carnan she
had to open the shop for them. The shop was quite a social centre with everyone in the area calling for
their messages. People would walk to Burnside or come at high tide by boat. Often the people from
Rhudhgashernish would buy sweets to give to the children as they walked home past the school.
Donald died in 1956 and in 1959 Katy married John MacIntyre (Seonaidh Ruadh) from Iochdar. They
lived in Burnside and had two children. John died in May 1972 and in July 1972 Katy and her family
moved to the new house, Heatherdale in Lochcarnan, where she still lives.
John and Jessie MacLeod
John and Jessie were the children of Mary Flora MacLeod (who had the measles when her parents
emigrated to Canada and consequently was unable to go with them). John was born at Rhudhgashernish
on 12 June 1922.
John and Jessie was brought up by their relatives, Mor and Iain Johnson, but neither of them enjoyed
good health and John died of consumption when he was only about thirteen years old. Jessie also died
as a child of consumption.
Marion MacRae (Morag Iain Bhig ach Chradh)
Morag was the fifth daughter of John MacRae and Christina MacCormick of Ard Na Laogh, she was born
on 8 July 1922.
Morag stayed at home to look after her parents after she left Carnan School. In 1946 she went to Fort
William to do domestic work but came home again after a year away. In 1949 she went to Oban to work
as a cook in the Commercial Hotel. She returned to South Uist and married Lachlan MacLeod of Loch
Skipport. She settled in Loch Skipport and worked in the MacLeod‘s shop there. Morag had two children,
a boy and a girl. After their house burned down in Loch Skipport Morag and her family moved to
Stilligarry where they built a new house and a shop. Although she was widowed some years ago Morag
still lives and works in Stilligarry.
Morag MacRae
Catherine Margaret MacLean (celtag Lachlalnn ach Dhomhnaill)
Katy was the daughter of Margaret Mathie and Lachlan MacLean of Rhudhgashernish, she was born on 1
March 1923.
After school Katy did domestic work in South Uist. She went to work for Dottie MacDonald in Iochdar
then, when her older sister Peggy left her aunt and uncle’s in Ardmore to go to the mainland to work,
Katy moved to Ardmore to look after them. She married John MacInnes from Ardmore and settled
there. They brought up a family of three boys and four girls. Latterly Katy worked for the Army in
Balivanich but sadly she died some years ago.
Katy MacLean with her husband John MacInnes and grandchild
Donald MacLean (Domhnall Lachlainn ach Dhomhnaill)
Donald Lachlan was born on 12 April 1924, a son of Lachlan MacLean and Margaret Mathie of
Rhudhgashernish.
As a young boy Donald went to live with his Auntie Catriona MacLean and Uncle Calum Maclnnes in
Lochcarnan because they had no children of their own.
As a youth Donald did croft work and lobster fishing. He left for the mainland fairly young and spent
some time in the Merchant Navy. He married Katie Morrison from Peninerine, South Uist where they set
up home and had a family of three boys and one girl. Donald carried on crofting in both Lochcarnan and
Peninerine and lobster fishing on the west side in the “Bluebell” a very successful boat. Sadly Donald
Lachlan died in March 1981.
Donald MacLean
MacLean family group
Back row : Flora, Maggie, Lachlan and Donald (Lachlan’s father)
Front row : Katy, Isobel, Donald, Effie
Mary Ann MacCormick (Mairi Anna ach Charmaig)
Mary Ann was born at Rhudhgashernish on 27 June 1924 the oldest daughter of Angus MacCormick and
Mary MacRae.
Mary Ann went into domestic service soon after leaving Carnan School. She has now passed on.
Angus Beaton (Aonghas Mor a Pheutanaich)
Angus was the seventh child of Mary MacKay and Neil Beaton of Rhudhgashernish, he was born on 16
January 1925.
Throughout the Second World War Angus worked in the Merchant Navy on board the old “Hebrides”. At
the end of hostilities he went to Renfrewshire to work for the Indian Tyre Company and he remained
with that firm until he retired. He married Alice MacGleen from Kilmacolm and settled there. They had
one boy, Laurence, who now lives in Eriskay. Angus sadly died in 1992.
Wedding of Angus Mor Beaton and Alice MacGleen : ?, Angus Mor, Alice, Angus Beag Beaton
Kenneth MacRae (Coinneach lain Bhig ach Chradh)
Kenneth’s parents were Christina MacCormick and John MacRae of Ard na Laogh, he was born on 9
February 1925.
Kenneth served in the Navy in the Second World War. When the war ended he came home for a few
years and was the postman in Rhudhgashernish. He left South Uist and went to Manchester to work for
contractors. He married and lives in Manchester. He has three children.
Kenneth MacRae
Euphemia MacLean (Oirig Lacmainn ic Dhomhnaill)
Effie was born in Rhudhgashernish on 29 May 1925, a daughter of Margaret Mathie and Lachlan
MacLean.
After leaving Carnan School Effie went to local houses to work before going to the mainland to do
domestic work. She married Robert Murdoch from Dumfries and they settled in Lochboisdale where she
still lives. Effie had six children, four girls and two boys.
Joan Maccormick (Seonag ‘ic Charmaig)
Joan was the second daughter of Mary MacRae and Angus MacCormick of Rhudhgashernish, she was
born on 31 July 1925.
Joan did domestic work on the mainland before settling back in South Uist. She married Roderick
Morrison from Kilpheder where she lived and brought up a family of three boys. Sadly Joan died when
she was quite young.
Peter Beaton (Padraig Pheutanaich)
Peter was born on 4 March 1926. His parents were Mary MacKay and Neil Beaton of Rhudhgashernish.
Peter joined the RAF six months before the end of the Second World War, he survived and carried on to
server the full six years. In 1950 he returned to South Uist and was the postman in Rhudhgashernish for
some time. Later he worked for the Army in Benbecula. Peter was married to Jessie MacDonald from
Lochcarnan and they lived in the MacDonald family home on the shore of the loch. Peter and Jessie had
seven children but sadly Peter died a few years ago.
Peter Beaton, Flora MacKillop, Kenneth MacRae and Chrissie MacRury
Peter Beaton
John MacRae (lain lain Bhig ach Chradh)
John was the eighth child of Christina MacCormick and John MacRae of Ard na Laogh, he was born on 15
November 1926.
John was in the Army for a few years at the end of the Second World War. Having survived the war he
went to Mulgavie to work for contractors. He married in Mulgavie, where he still lives, and had three
children.
Iain MacRae
The wedding of Iain MacRae
lsobella MacLean (lshabel Lachlainn Dhomhnalll)
Isobel was born in Rhudhgashernish on 5 May 1927, her parents were Margaret Mathie and Lachlan
MacLean.
After leaving Carnan School Isobel worked for the MacAulays at Carnan for a few years, then she went
to Ford, between Oban and Lochgilphead, to work in the Ford Hotel. In 1947 she returned to South Ulst
and married Donald John Morrison of Snishival on 20 May 1947, She lived in Snishival and had four
children, but her husband was tragically killed in a motor bike accident in 1957.
In 1962 lsobel married Donald John MacKiggan from Frobost and had five more children. Donald John
died in 1989.
Isobel is presently living in Lochboisdale but will return to live in Snishival when her house has been
renovated.
Donald John MacCormick (Domhnall Iain mac Charmaig)
Donald John was the third child and oldest son of Mary MAcRae and Angus MacCormick of
Rhudhgashernish, he was born on 8 August 1927.
Donald John spent his entire life on the island. He was tragically drowned at Lochcarnan Pier in January
1975.
Christina Johnson (Ciostaidh Ruairidh Chailein)
Chrissie was born at Holmar, Lochcarnan on 17 November 1927, she was the second child and oldest
daughter of Mary MacPhee and Roderick Johnson.
Chrissie left home soon after leaving Carnan School to seek employment on the mainland. She did
domestic work as well as some nursing. Later she married Jack Leroy from Paisley where they lived for
some time before moving to Uist. Chrissie and Jack had a family of two boys and two girls. Today
Chrissie lives in Glasgow, though she is a frequent visitor to the islands.
Angus Beaton (Aonghas Beag a Pheutanaich)
Angus was the ninth child of Mary MacKay and Neil Beaton of Rhudhgashernish, he was born on 13 May
1928.
Angus left South Uist when he was 17 and joined the Merchant Navy. He served in the Navy for 8 years
then worked ashore in a sawmill in Glasgow for nearly 13 years. In 1965 he married Mary Ann Walker
from Daliburgh, South Uist. Later they returned to Rhudhgashernish and Angus worked with contractors
and worked the croft. They had a family of eight boys and a girl. Sadly Mary Ann died a few years 890
but Angus still lives in the family home on the shore of South Ford.
The wedding of Angus Beag Beaton and Mary Ann Walker with best man Donald John MacCorrmick and
bridesmaid Chrissie Walker
Donald Maclnnes (Donnie Lilidh)
Donnie was born at Sandivaig on 7 June 1928, his parents were Lilly MacLellan of Sandivaig and John
MacInnes.
After leaving Carnman School Donnie spent some time lobster fishing, then he joined the Merchant
Navy. It was whilst he was serving on the “Pacific Reliance” that he suggested to his ship mate Alex
Cook that he should write to Dolly MacDonald of Lochcarnan (with an eventual view to marriage). Alex
did so and when he and Dolly were married, in Carnan Public School, Donnie was the best man! When
he left the Navy Donnie settled at home in Sandivaig but he died in a tragic accident at Lochcarnan Pier
in 1960.
Donny MacInnes
Alexander MacCormick (Alasdair mac Charmaig)
Alasdair was the fourth son of Mary MacRae and Angus MacCormick of Rhudhgashernish, he was born
on 8 May 1929.
After he left Carnan School Alasdair did some work locally then, like so many other boys, he left home to
go to sea. When he retired from the Navy he stayed on the mainland and he died suddenly in 1993.
Alasdair MacCormick and Donny MacInnes and Lochcarnan pier
Neil MacRae (Niall lain Bhig ach Chradh)
Neil was the tenth child of Christina MacCormick and John MacRae of Ard na Laogh, he was born on 31
July 1929.
Neil left scholl and went to the mainland to Kinlochleven to work in the smelters. When he was 18 he
joined the Royal Navy and stayed in the service until he was 40 years old. After he left he worked for a
security firm in Livingston and later for Everest Double Glazing in Livingston. Neil is married with four
girls.
Neil MacRae
Mary Beaton (Mairi Niall Pheutan)
Mary was born on 12 September 1929, the tenth child of Mary MacKay and Neil Beaton of
Rhudhgashernish.
When her school days were over Mary left South Uist and went to work in hotels in Glasgow and Oban.
She later married Angus John Campbell of Uiskevagh, Benbecula where they set up home and still live.
Mary and Angus John have one daughter, Mary Belle.
Ronald and Mary Beaton
Mary Beaton
Agnes MacLean (Agnes Lachlainn ic Dhomhnaill)
Agnes was a daughter of Margaret Mathie and Lachlan MacLean of Rhudhgashernish, she was born on 1
October 1929.
After leaving school Agnes went to Glasgow to do domestic work. She married Alasdair MacDonald
from Stoneybridge and Iochdar in Glasgow and that was where they made their home. Agnes and
Alasdair had three girls and a boy. She was a frequent visitor to South Uist but sadly she died in October
1994
Agnes MacLean
Mary MacKillop (Mairi Sheonaidh Uilleam)
Mary was born in Rhudhgashemish on 30 December 1929, she was the oldest child of Jessie and John
MacKillop.
After she left school Mary worked for Mr and Mrs Alec Monk who had a general store in Hacklet,
Benbecula. After some time she went to the mainland and worked in a hotel just outside Oban then
moved to Fort William to work in a hotel there. In 1948 she married Donald MacAulay from Hacklet.
Mary and Donald returned to Hacklet to live and they have a family of four boys and a girl.
Stewarts
During the thirties the family of Moses Stewart camped on the south side of the junction of Lochcaman
road and the main road. They were tinkers who usually came for about two weeks in the late summer or
early autumn. They had a horse and cart and would go round gathering peat and sheaves of corn. They
had two sons who occasionally attended Carnan School. Moses was working on the South Ford Bridge in
1941 and, as it neared it's completion, he fell from the bridge one night and tragically he drowned. The
date was 10 September 1941.
lain Fitzpatrick
lain Fitzpatrick was born in 1929, he was adopted by Marion (Mor) and lain MacInnes of 5
Rhudhgashernish.
"Christina Johnson 'ic lain, 5 Rhudhgashernish, took me from St Joseph’s Home, Rutherglen to 59
Lumsden Street, Old Dumbarton Road, Glasgow, then Morag Maclntyre 'ic Ailein Bhig, Lochcaman,
collected me from Glasgow and took me to Mallaig and from Mallaig on the ‘Lochearn’ to Lochboisdale.
John MacLean mac Ailein Mhoir, Carnan Inn, took us to Rhudhgashernish Road End where Marion
Johnson ‘ic Iain and Christina MacEachen and Mrs Angus Campbell (Catriona Seonaid) took care of me.
The first house I went to in Uist was Angus Campbell’s, Lochcarnan, then Marion Johnson took me to her
housr where I met the rest of the family. Her husband, John MacInnes from Iochdar and Ruairidh
Johnson from Calternish.
I was brought up and adopted by Marion and Iain Johnson and I called them my mother and father.
I have been in Rhudhgashernish almost all my life until I got married to Margaret Frazer from GOvan,
Glasgow. Her mother, Mary Alec Johnson, was from the Rhudhgashernish Point, the daughter of
Malcolm and Mary Johnson. I remember four of the family of lann Chaluim living there, Donald John,
Donald Alec, Ruairidh.
My mother Mor ‘ic Iain MacInnes lived to 100 years old and died in Usit House in 1988”
Iain and Margaret now live in Ardnamonie, South Uist.
lain Fitzpatrick
Iain Fitzpatrick and Marion Johnson