Fàilte do Chomunn Eachdraidh Bheàrnaraigh
Welcome to Berneray Historical Society
Welcome to Berneray Historical Society
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Nurse's Cottage openings this week.
Monday 14th to Saturday 19th -11am to 3pm
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Forthcoming event in Berneray Week 2025
Lobster Fishing in Berneray from 1850 to 1930
As the Society's contribution to Berneray Week, Liam Crouse will give a talk about lobster fishing in Berneray between 1850 and 1930. Liam will speak in both Gaelic and English on Thursday 24th July at 7.30 in the Hall.
This is sure to be an informative and entertaining event using Liam's research in Tobar an Dualchais and other archives. Admission is free, donations welcome.
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Who we are
Berneray Historical Society is an active community group based on the island of Berneray in the Sound of Harris in the Outer Hebrides. Our aim is to research, preserve and promote interest in the heritage and Gaelic language of Berneray and the nearby islands. The society is run entirely by volunteers, including all the members of the management committee.
We are based in the Nurse's Cottage, Backhill.
During the summer months the Cottage is open each week from Monday to Saturday from 11am to 3pm. If there are days when we cannot open from 11am to 3pm, that will shown on this website. Special openings can sometimes be arranged during the close season.
Please email [email protected] to enquire.
The Nurse's Cottage was once the home and workplace of the District Nurse. In 2004 it became the home of Comunn Eachdraigh Bheàrnaraigh, Berneray Historical Society.
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What we do We have undertaken a number of projects which have helped us to research, organise, digitise and present a vast amount of information relating to the history of the island. Much of this information is accessible at our base in the Nurse's Cottage Visitor Centre. We do not have the resources to offer a genealogical service although we are always pleased to answer queries if we can. If you are researching family history, almost all our people records can be found on the Hebridean Connections website which is an excellent resource. |
We have regular Society meetings, which all our members are entitled to attend, and we hold special events from time to time. Details of some our current and past projects can be found on the Projects and Events page.
Twice a year we also publish a newsletter which you can read online. The newsletter not only provides updates about the work of the Society but also focuses on interesting events in the island's history.
Berneray Historical Society has an active Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/bernerayhistorical You do not need to have a Facebook account to view our page.
For more information about the Nurse's Cottage Visitor Centre or more general information about Berneray, visit the community website at www.isleofberneray.com
Membership
Please Join Us
The Society has members all over the world. Anyone with an interest in the history of Berneray is invited to take out membership of Berneray Historical Society which costs just £10 a year. Your support would be very much appreciated. Please download a membership form or email [email protected] for a form.
Twice a year we also publish a newsletter which you can read online. The newsletter not only provides updates about the work of the Society but also focuses on interesting events in the island's history.
Berneray Historical Society has an active Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/bernerayhistorical You do not need to have a Facebook account to view our page.
For more information about the Nurse's Cottage Visitor Centre or more general information about Berneray, visit the community website at www.isleofberneray.com
Membership
Please Join Us
The Society has members all over the world. Anyone with an interest in the history of Berneray is invited to take out membership of Berneray Historical Society which costs just £10 a year. Your support would be very much appreciated. Please download a membership form or email [email protected] for a form.
Fàilte do Chomunn Eachdraigh Bheàrnaraigh
Welcome to Berneray Historical Society Seo an làrach-lin aig Comunn Eachdraigh Bheàrnaraigh a chaidh a stèidheachadh airson fiosrachadh. 'S e buidheann air leth trang a th' ann an Comunn Eachdraidh Beàrnaraigh a tha stèidhichte air an Eilean Bheàrnaraigh na Hearadh anns na h-Eileanan Siar. Tha buidheann stiùiridh beag saor-thoileach againn, agus tha buill againn bho gach cearn dhen t-saoghal. Tha sinn ag amas air ùidh ann an eachdeaidh agus cultar an eilein a bhrosnachadh - gu h-araid a' Ghàidhlig. Ma tha ùidh agaibh ann a bhith nur ball de Chomunn Eachdraidh Bheàrnaraigh, nach cuir sibh fios thugainn. |
Berneray Historical Society Newsletter
June_2025 November 2024 June 2024 November 2023 May 2023 November 2022 May 2022 November 2021 May 2021 November 2020 May 2020 November 2019 May2019 August 2018 Comments and suggestions are always welcome. To contact us email [email protected] and your comments will be passed on. |
Recent additions to our Bookshop
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Fading Footprints by Murdo Turner The subject of this biography is the author's father, Neil Turner (1896-1960), whose mother belonged to Berneray. Neil was brought up in Berneray and later became a school master in Rhenigidale, Drinishader, Lochportain and Grimsay. The book offers a fascinating insight to life in Harris and Uist in the first half of the 20th century. The book costs £15 if purchased in the Nurse's Cottage or it can be posted to a UK address for £15 plus £5 postage. To order: email [email protected] |
Beàrnaraigh na Hearadh: 'Tis Fifty Years Since: A Study of Life in a Hebridean Island Community by Susanne Barding This monumental work, written in English, about Berneray in the 1970s is published by the Islands Book Trust. It is an amazing work sure to be of great interest to anyone with connections to Berneray as it references many of the people alive on the island at that time. The book is a wide-ranging study of all aspects of the life and culture of the island, written in a lively, readable style. It is a remarkable bargain at £20 for 600 pages if purchased in the Nurse's Cottage or it can be posted to a UK address for £20 plus £5 postage. To order: email [email protected] |
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"What's Your Name?" by Susanne Barding
Until the last century, in the Hebrides as elsewhere the naming of children usually followed a traditional pattern. This fascinating aspect of Hebridean heritage and culture is explored in a new book - a comparative study of personal names and naming in the Outer Hebrides and the Faroe Islands. Knowledge of how children were named has often been helpful in genealogy. The book costs £10 if purchased in the Nurse's Cottage or it can be posted to a UK address for £10 plus £3 postage To order: email [email protected] |
We have a good range of other books and booklets covering many aspects of the history and culture of Berneray These are available to purchase on-line. Go to the Bookshop page for more information.
Please contact us at The Nurse's Cottage, Berneray, Isle of North Uist, HS6 5BD. [email protected]
Berneray Historical Society is a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation SC047024
Aerial photograph kindly supplied by Seymour Hicks.
We are grateful to our funders, past and present who include : Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, Bòrd na Gàidhlig and the National Lottery
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