Caithness to Patagonia: Distant Lands and Close Relatives
This is an extraordinary and little-known story of emigration from Scotland. Caithness and Patagonia are literally a world apart, yet in the late 19th and early 20th centuries a number of Caithness men and women took on the challenge of this wild, open and windswept land. The book provides the origins and backgrounds of these Caithness Patagonian pioneers and sets their experiences alongside the growth and development of Patagonia as one of the world’s great sheep farming areas. The story begins with John Hamilton, the son of a tailor from Wick, who arrived in the Falkland Islands in 1880. Over the following 60 years he and other Caithness men and women became a significant force in the development of sheep farming in Patagonia. As one of Patagonia’s most enterprising sheep farmers, he was the catalyst for a number of other Caithness men making what must have been a huge decision to uproot from their native home. It was not just Caithness men who embarked on the journey – sisters and wives followed as new lives were ground out of the unforgiving landscape. There are stories of endurance and determination against the odds; accounts of death and disaster, but most of all there are tales of how these Caithnessians conquered Patagonia and built successful businesses to the extent that today their descendants are integral to many aspects of Patagonian and Argentine society. The roll call of names – Bain, Barnetson, Begg, Bremner, Budge, Cormack, Harper, Mowat, Nicolson, Plowman, etc. – is like a Caithness directory. Their stories and legacies continue to be proudly held dear by descendants and relatives both in Caithness, the UK and in Argentina. The Caithness Patagonian story was originally brought to light by Margie Sinclair for the BBC Odyssey series. Caithness to Patagonia charts the backgrounds, the successes and failures of these intrepid pioneers who created a new life, far away from their homes and families.
1123243148
Caithness to Patagonia: Distant Lands and Close Relatives
This is an extraordinary and little-known story of emigration from Scotland. Caithness and Patagonia are literally a world apart, yet in the late 19th and early 20th centuries a number of Caithness men and women took on the challenge of this wild, open and windswept land. The book provides the origins and backgrounds of these Caithness Patagonian pioneers and sets their experiences alongside the growth and development of Patagonia as one of the world’s great sheep farming areas. The story begins with John Hamilton, the son of a tailor from Wick, who arrived in the Falkland Islands in 1880. Over the following 60 years he and other Caithness men and women became a significant force in the development of sheep farming in Patagonia. As one of Patagonia’s most enterprising sheep farmers, he was the catalyst for a number of other Caithness men making what must have been a huge decision to uproot from their native home. It was not just Caithness men who embarked on the journey – sisters and wives followed as new lives were ground out of the unforgiving landscape. There are stories of endurance and determination against the odds; accounts of death and disaster, but most of all there are tales of how these Caithnessians conquered Patagonia and built successful businesses to the extent that today their descendants are integral to many aspects of Patagonian and Argentine society. The roll call of names – Bain, Barnetson, Begg, Bremner, Budge, Cormack, Harper, Mowat, Nicolson, Plowman, etc. – is like a Caithness directory. Their stories and legacies continue to be proudly held dear by descendants and relatives both in Caithness, the UK and in Argentina. The Caithness Patagonian story was originally brought to light by Margie Sinclair for the BBC Odyssey series. Caithness to Patagonia charts the backgrounds, the successes and failures of these intrepid pioneers who created a new life, far away from their homes and families.
10.99 In Stock
Caithness to Patagonia: Distant Lands and Close Relatives

Caithness to Patagonia: Distant Lands and Close Relatives

by Ian Leith
Caithness to Patagonia: Distant Lands and Close Relatives

Caithness to Patagonia: Distant Lands and Close Relatives

by Ian Leith

eBook

$10.99  $12.99 Save 15% Current price is $10.99, Original price is $12.99. You Save 15%.

Available on Compatible NOOK devices, the free NOOK App and in My Digital Library.
WANT A NOOK?  Explore Now

Related collections and offers


Overview

This is an extraordinary and little-known story of emigration from Scotland. Caithness and Patagonia are literally a world apart, yet in the late 19th and early 20th centuries a number of Caithness men and women took on the challenge of this wild, open and windswept land. The book provides the origins and backgrounds of these Caithness Patagonian pioneers and sets their experiences alongside the growth and development of Patagonia as one of the world’s great sheep farming areas. The story begins with John Hamilton, the son of a tailor from Wick, who arrived in the Falkland Islands in 1880. Over the following 60 years he and other Caithness men and women became a significant force in the development of sheep farming in Patagonia. As one of Patagonia’s most enterprising sheep farmers, he was the catalyst for a number of other Caithness men making what must have been a huge decision to uproot from their native home. It was not just Caithness men who embarked on the journey – sisters and wives followed as new lives were ground out of the unforgiving landscape. There are stories of endurance and determination against the odds; accounts of death and disaster, but most of all there are tales of how these Caithnessians conquered Patagonia and built successful businesses to the extent that today their descendants are integral to many aspects of Patagonian and Argentine society. The roll call of names – Bain, Barnetson, Begg, Bremner, Budge, Cormack, Harper, Mowat, Nicolson, Plowman, etc. – is like a Caithness directory. Their stories and legacies continue to be proudly held dear by descendants and relatives both in Caithness, the UK and in Argentina. The Caithness Patagonian story was originally brought to light by Margie Sinclair for the BBC Odyssey series. Caithness to Patagonia charts the backgrounds, the successes and failures of these intrepid pioneers who created a new life, far away from their homes and families.

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9781849953528
Publisher: Whittles Publishing
Publication date: 04/28/2017
Sold by: Barnes & Noble
Format: eBook
Pages: 160
File size: 5 MB

About the Author

Ian Leith established BaseLine Research in 2009 and is the author of The Man Who Went to Farr; Patrick Sellar and the Sutherland Experiment and Grannies and Other Folk: folk tales with a Caithness twist..

Table of Contents

Part I

A New Horizon 1

The Story Begins Here 2

A Land Far, Far Away 5

The New Patagonian Inhabitants 10

The Land They Left Behind 15

The Journey 20

The Land They Came To 24

The Original Patagonian Inhabitants 28

Sheep 33

Meat 41

A Working Life 44

A New Home 49

Family Life 59

The Wild Side 68

Social and Community Life 73

Religious Life 81

Economic Life 88

Part II

The Pioneers 91

From Rags to Riches 92

Brothers and Sisters 99

The MacKay Sisters 105

Caithness Brides 106

Long-lost Relatives 108

From Hotel to Frigorifico 110

The Wandering Shepherds 113

Never Long in One Place 116

A Patagonian Nephew 118

More Caithness Brothers, and a Nephew 119

Three Brothers Go to Argentina 121

The Christian Brothers 124

An Argentinian Family 126

Patagonian Pipers 128

A Band of Shearers 130

A Patagonian Tragedy 132

Tough Luck 134

Rest in Peace 136

Casualty of War 138

Leaving Clyth 140

A Dunbeath Family Leaves for Patagonia 142

Off to Patagonia Again 143

To Patagonia and Beyond 144

On the Fringes 146

The Electrician 148

The Gamekeeper 150

The Sheep Dealer 151

Who Was He? 152

From the B&N Reads Blog

Customer Reviews