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Title: EILEAN AN FHRAOICH ISLE OF LEWIS

Reference number: 0256

Date: 1937

Director: filmed by Dr. Peter John MacLeod

Sponsor: Lewis Hospital, Stornoway

Sound: silent

Original format: 16mm

Colour: bw

Fiction: non-fiction

Running time: 30 mins

Description: Scenes of life in the Outer Hebrides showing herring fishing, crofting, cutting peat, and roof thatching. The Lewis Hospital Carnival is also featured with a pipe band, floats and a display of Highland dancing.

Sequence of laying foundation stone of Lewis Hospital extension - bald headed man was Provost Alex McLennan. Lewis Carnival Queens - Point queen was Peggy McLean. Several slightly different versions of this film held in the National Library of Scotland Moving Image Archive.

Credits: Filmed and produced by Dr Peter John MacLeod in aid of the Lewis Hospital, Stornoway

Shotlist: Credits (.06) appeal caption for money to keep the hospital going (.38) map of the Hebrides and route from Mallaig to Stornoway (.59) Greeting at Mallaig. Shots of pier and the "Lochnevis" pulling away from the shore. The passengers disembark. The exchange of passengers keeps things busy. Shots of steamer, small dinghy and passengers. "Lochnevis" approaches pier at Kyle. Shots of and from vessel (2.34) At Kyle we change to a pocket liner. Passengers' bags are unloaded and transferred to a smaller vessel. It gets under way and out into the Sound. Shots of pier and town (3.29) Skimming up the coast of Skye. Appelcross Ferry. Shots on board "Lochness" (3.55) Approaching the capital of the Long Island - Stornoway. Shot of lighthouse, coast, basking sharks (?) and steamer approaching pier (5.04) Lewis Castle. Ext. and gardens, town and harbour (5.34) Fish catch (5.40) The passing of sail "Muirneag" putting out to sea. Large sailed vessel in water, profile and bow on (6.48) The herring drifters leaving harbour for the fishing grounds. Shots of the wheelhouse and crew on deck. Fleet heads out to sea. Harbour now empty (6.27) Reward of a night's toil. Unloading a heavy catch. Shots of deck and hold and baskets of salted fish (9.24) Fishergirls gutting and sorting the herring with expert skill. Export of cured herring. Cargo ship "Grief" being loaded with barrels of salt herring (10.28) Barking and mending nets. Shots of deck and treating nets by boiling (11.23) pony and trap in village, blackhouses, roof thatching, shots of children, farm work and people (12.58) The crofter gleans harvest - toiling by hand. Woman raking up hay (13.21) Peatcutting at Crowlista. "Muinntir Uige bwn na mona". Shots of families cutting, throwing and stacking peat. They break for tea and a bite to eat (15.26) Lifting peat to the drying of wind and sun at Aird Point. Peat is stacked and carried to the road in creels by woman and youths (16.21) Everyday scenes at Coll and Vatisker. House and surrounding area. Shots of a rowing boat and fishing (17.03) Old and young lend a hand with the spring work at Leurbost. Shots of village, tilling the soil. Tending cattle at the summer grazing on the Carloway Moor. Girls at a shieling tie a cow's legs together prior to milking it (19.14) Din Charlabhaigh - ancient Pictish broch. Shots of walls and of the passages (20.35) Looking across to Carnish and Ardroil. Views of hills (20.54) Sheep shearing at Tolsta Chaolais. Shots of men busy shearing the sheep and women collecting the fleeces and taking them away. c/u of crofters (23.14) The age-old stones of Callanish still keep silent vigil above Loch Roag. Shots of standing stones. (24.07) The Lewis Hospital. General view of the building and some of the staff. Ext., nurses outside and in the wards (24.47) Fun & Frolic Lewis Hospital Carnival. Pipe band leads procession of floats through the streets, fancy dress parade, display of Highland dancing (26.46) Carnival Queen of Lewis. Shots of same and her attendant (27.09) shots of the local "Queens" from Bernera, South Lochs, Uig, Leurbost, Carloway, Ness, Back, Shawbost and Point (28.05) Murdina Macleod Carnival Queen of Lewis. Pipe band and parade (28.50) Dr. T.B. Macaulay of Montreal arrives at Stornoway to lay foundation stone of Lewis Hospital extension. Shot of the "Lochness" approaching the pier. The doctor disembarks (29.35) And next day. Platform party lay the foundation stone, speeches follow, shots of the crowd (30.14) Well and truly laid. More speeches. Platform party disperses. "A generous son of Lewis has laid the first stone. Will you add yours?" (30.24)