Hamnaway Fishing Tragedy - Memorial Cairn

                                                                                                                  

The Story 

In January 1908 the Boy’s Delight SY 542, a 48ft fishing boat, left Tolsta Chaolais, Isle of Lewis to fish for herring in Loch Hamnaway, Uig. Tragically, three of the fishermen onboard were drowned when the small boat they were using to haul their herring nets was swamped. A fourth man, Malcolm Macarthur, managed to cling to the boat and was rescued.

 

The bodies of John Macleod and Angus Morrison were recovered, but Kenneth Macaulay’s remains were never found. The tragedy had a profound effect on the small community. A fatal accident inquiry found no blame attributable to anyone.

                                                                                   
                                                                     

Our Plans

Members of the community in Tolsta Chaolais decided that it was important that there was a permanent memorial to commemorate the tragedy to ensure that what happened to these men is never forgotten.

The memorial will be a cairn built using local stone and will be finished with an inscribed granite plaque bearing the names of those lost. The stonemason is due to start work shortly.

 

We have already received some generous donations for the project to date but we need to raise some more funds to complete the works and to make sure that the memorial cairn is maintained in the future.

 

                                                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                                  

Any donations, large or small, will be greatly appreciated.

Please get in touch if you have any questions.