THE MACNABS IN ISLAY

Historical Notes

Some years ago Dr Lamond McNab, in his time a leading member of the Clan Macnab Society, suggested that the Society should investigate various branches of Macnabs, who had settled in different parts of Scotland and quoted Islay as an example. He said he would undertake to research the Islay Macnabs. However the death of his wife overtook him and he was never able to complete his researches for the Society.

In 2002 the Chief, while inspecting the Macnab Burial Island ‘Inchbuie’ as a Trustee of the Macnab Memorial Trust, met Mrs Elizabeth Anderson and her husband. She is an Islay Macnab and suggested he should contact her brother Archie Peter Macnab a retired Glasgow Police Officer, who was born in Islay on 20 January 1941. He is descended from a large family in Port Wemyss, Islay. His father Gilbert, the oldest of four brothers, was assistant to the Factor of Islay Estate from about 1921-1946.

It would seem that the original Macnab family was brought to Islay as armourers and blacksmiths by Sir John Campbell 4th of Cawdor and 1st of Islay and that they originally were from Dalmally and members of the Barachastlain Branch. Sir John acquired the island in the early 17th century from MacDonald Lord of the Isles by a charter dated 1614 (but it may have been a few years earlier.) In the fullness of time the Macnabs split into two groups geographically, one in the east and the other to the west in the “Rhinns of Islay”. As roads and bridges were only properly developed from 1760 onwards communication between the two in the early days would have been limited.

In about 1723 Daniel Campbell of Shawfield bought Islay from Sir John Campbell 9th of Cawdor and 6th of Islay. Daniel Campbell was the 1st MP of Glasgow in the United Parliament. The island’s next owner was Captain Iain Ramsay of Shawfield until it was acquired c1847 by J & S Morrison Basildon Park Berkshire and then by Lord Margadale of Islay.

There are a number of books about Islay; Gregory Smith’s “The Book of Islay” privately printed, 1895 is in the Mitchell Library in Glasgow; Dr WD Lamont’s “Old Land Denominations and old extent in Islay” and “Islay 500-1615AD” (on microfilm in National Library of Scotland, Edinburgh); and in St Andrews University library “The Day Book of Daniel Campbell of Shawfield” edited by Freda Ramsay in memory of Captain Iain Ramsay of Shawfield, 1991.

While the information will no doubt be available in the other books Freda Ramsay’s book contains a number of Rent Rolls for the Islay Estate between 1733 and 1799 and also the copy of a map of Islay 1749-51, the first modern map, by Stephen MacDougall, surveyor.

The Rent Rolls have 27 entries of Macnab holdings. The map shows the location of the four island parishes and the boundaries and names of the main land holdings. These may be of help to Macnabs wishing to trace their ancestors providing they have details of dates of marriage, births and deaths, etc. However many original estate documents were destroyed in a fire at Kildalton House in Glasgow during World War 1 and, according to Archie, others were lost in what is known to some as “the tragedy”, when Mrs Cranston a new factor’s wife having a spring clean burnt a huge amount of Islay House records [Gaelic, English and some in Latin and Norse] going back hundreds of years.

The following are the 27 entries of Macnab (of various spelling) holdings extracted from the aforementioned Rent Rolls and listed according to the four Parishes as shown on Stephen MacDougall map of Islay, the numbers at the end of each entry refer to their Page Number. It is interesting how the spelling of Macnab and place names vary in these old documents. In those days spelling of names depended on the clerk who recorded the details. Even in the 21st Century it is often difficult to get one’s highland name spelt the way one spells it oneself!

I Parish of Kildalton

MacNabb John 1733 Kilbryde, Kildalton 10
MacNabb Duncan 1733 Upper Dunuvig, Kildalton 10
MacNabb Andrew 1733 “ “ “ 10
MacNabb John 1733-41 Nether Glenastle, The Oa 11 & 39
McNabb Alexander 1733 Balychatrigan, the Oa 11
McNabb Alexander 1741 Killean, the Oa 38
McNab Finlay 1741 “ “ “ 38
M’Nab John 1780 Giol, the Oa (Gille) 195
McNab Donald 1780 Lurabus, the Oa 196
McNab Finlay 1780 Balychatrigan, the Oa 196
McNab Donald 1799 Glenastle, the Oa 206
McNab Archibald 1799 Drumduich, Kildalton 207

II Parish of Killarow or Bowmore

MacNabb Patrick 1733 Rosequeren, Kilarow 13
McNabb Donald 1773 Nosebeg, Kilarow 13
McNabb James 1741 Nerebie, Kilarow/Kilmeny 10
McNabb Patrick 1741 Naseberg, Kilarow 40
McNabb Duncan 1741 Rosequern, Kilarow 44
McNabb Donald 1774-80 Kilbranan, Kilarow 109 & 108
McNab Margaret 1780 Nereby, Kilarow 196
McNab John 1780-99 Kilbranan, Kilarow 198 & 207
McNab Alexander 1780-99 Kilbrandon, Kilarow 198
MacNab James 1778 Kilbrandon, Kilarow 207 & 219

III Parish of Kilmeny

MacNabb John 1733 Knockcroch (Knocklerock)
Kilmeny 14
M’Nab John 1741 Knock Clerock, Kilmeny 41
McNab Donald 1780 Kippolsmore, Kilmeny 197

IV Parish of Kilchoman

McNab Archibald 1733 Leckgrunart, Kilchoman 19
McNab Donald 1799 Balineanish and part of Duire,
Kilchoman 210