Abandonment of Mingulay in 1912 to be remembered

The abandonment of a small island 100 years ago will be marked in a series of events this weekend.

Mingulay, 12 miles (19km) south of Barra in the Western Isles, was inhabited for thousands of years.

Most of its population of about 140 left between 1910 and 1912 because life on the island became too challenging.

The Islands Book Trust and National Trust for Scotland (NTS) will hold talks, lectures and has organised a fully booked boat trip to Mingulay.

The island has been in the care of NTS since 2000.

Susan Bain, the trust's Western Isles property manager, said: "Nowadays we know Mingulay as a beautiful, haunting place, a haven for wildlife.

"However, it's important to remember that the island once supported a hard-working and determined community, making a living in tough circumstances, which is now no more."

Book trust chairman John Randall said the events will feature the launch of a new booklet, A Window into Life on Mingulay; Extracts from the School Log Book 1875-1910.

He said: "This year sees the centenary of the abandonment of Mingulay as a permanent human settlement.

"The Islands Book Trust believes it is important to mark this anniversary and celebrate the once rich history and culture of the island."

Extracts from the school log book featured in an online project last year.

Its last pages tell of storms preventing younger children from attending school and the teacher's stock of coal for a fire being "exhausted".

Islanders subsisted through a combination of fishing, hunting seabirds, weaving and crofting.

However, the way of life and the island were abandoned in the 20th Century.