We carried an obituary of Norman John Gillies, the last man to be born on St Kilda, earlier in the month. However, the account of his life and times which appears in the current edition of The Economist is so well written that clicking onto it is highly recommended. It ends with the words, 'And so St Kilda, hearth and home, disappeared into the grey Atlantic swell.' They describe an old woman waving to the island 'as though to a living person' at the Evacuation in 1930. In the same way, we wave farewell to this man and his memories.
Scottish Islands Explorer - aware of the needs of succeeding generations
For lovers of the Scottish islands the St Kilda story must surely be the one by which all others are gauged. The passing of Norman Gillies moves it into the next phase of history and we will have a little less connection with the island. Richard Clubley
ReplyDeleteAs we grow older all of us look back to our childhoods with fondness and some incredulity. In my own case haymaking with horses in the early 1950s now seems like a page from rural history. What memories Norman Gillies must have held - a glimpse back into a way of life so far removed from our modern world. Those who have not visited St Kilda should certainly do so. The memory of a visit will stay with you for ever.
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