North Uist, taken from the top of Ben Lee

Friday January 7 2021

Looking Back: The Western Isles, 1914

In Pictures

In summer 1914, the Moderator of the General Assembly of the United Free Church of Scotland, the Rev Dr George Reith (father of John Reith, first Director General of the BBC) undertook a three-week tour of the 'Outer Isles'.

Accompanying him was the editor of the Missionary Record (the church's equivalent of Life and Work; the two titles were merged when the churches united in 1929). He recorded the visit over a series of long articles from November 1914 into the early editions of 1915. More impressive, though, are the many pictures accompanying the articles, giving a rare glimpse into a vanished way of life.

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