Cruives Croft

[Lavenderblue2]

What a surprise I got when I saw the article Cruives Croft area on the front page today! My grandfather Davie Steven was (I think) the last person to work that place - he had to move from there during the depression. Times were extremely hard for folk in those days.

When I was younger I visited the croft of a number of occasions. At that time even though it was in very poor condition it still had a roof and a door……………..it is so sad to see it like that now.

I wonder if the couple that man remembered setting off to town were my grandparents Davie and Meg Steven.

Off now to look at the photos in more detail – thank you for a great article!

LB

[novascotian]

Interesting LB - my husband's mother and her family lived at the Cruives too - she was Elizabeth Doull. She died last year and we didn't write down any of her stories re the Cruives so just trying to find out when her family were there. We wondered if it was their pony and trap. Really enjoyed the photos and if you have any ideas re dates, I'd love to hear from you. I'm trying to figure out the family tree and the photos certainly add to it!
A in Nova Scotia

[Lavenderblue2]

I am so sorry novascotian I don't know the dates - all I know is that it would have been in the 30's when granddad went out of there. It is at times like these when we wish we had listened more to the stories in days gone by. If you get any information in the future I would be very interested.

Sorry I couldn't be a help.

LB

PS Does anybody know how we send PM's now?

[Lavenderblue2]

I thought I would write a little more about my grandfather Davie Steven who worked Cruives Croft which was featured on yesterdays front page.

He was the first ever Pipe Major of the Wick Pipe Band 1919 - 1922 and was often called upon to pipe at local events and occasions and at one time was summoned to pipe at Dunrobin Castle. I would imagine that was a great honour in those days.
He was a great horseman and competed often successfully in the County Ploughing Matches.
Davie was married twice his first wife Jessie Sinclair died – they had one child. Five years later in 1909 he remarried to my grandmother Margaret Thain from Ackergill.
When Davie and Meg had to leave Cruives during the depression he and his family of seven children went to live in the tiny but an’ ben which can still be seen at Old Stirkoke although it now has sliding doors as it’s purpose is an agricultural store of some kind.
It was here he met his great friend, neighbour and piping buddy Andrew (Ad) Mowat of Cairns Stirkoke.
Times were so hard for a while that Davie's work was breaking stones by hand in the quarry but he soon gathered his resources again and took on the tenancy of Upper Puldagon where he successfully farmed for many years and also completed his second family to nine!
A lifelong admirer of Burns Davie managed to recite Tam ‘O Shanter on the 25th January 1957 – he died later that night aged 75.

I think we could all learn a thing or two on how to survive on very little from these hardy souls of long ago....


LB