View across the Outer Harbour of Stornoway

Monday 29 March 2010

Not remembered - continued

Following on from my posting last night on Norman Morrison's non-commemorated status on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website, I have today conducted further research to find out where he lies buried. The local council referred me to the Minister of the Church of Scotland in Ness; a Twitter contact told me his mother would also have information. Have pushed out emails and am awaiting the response.

Norman's father, in reporting his son's death, marked the death register with an X - he was illiterate. Norman had 6 siblings and was mentioned in an obituary in the Stornoway Gazette of 23 March 1917 as a well-liked lad in Ness.

Monday 29 March

Awoke to a nice sunrise and an inch of snow on the ground. By 10 in the morning, it had all melted. Just as well I got up earlier than usual, as I would have missed it. Will post pictures later today. It is only 3C at the moment; we went down to -1C overnight. I have memories of a 29th March in 1969 when there was 3 inches of snow on the ground in Holland where I was at the time, aged 5.

It has been announced that Lews Castle (not LewIs Castle) at Stornoway will receive funding of £240k towards restauration. Another £2.6m could be released if a restoration plan is submitted within 2 years. Lews Castle has stood derilict for a number of years after it was declared to be structurally unsafe. The building was put up by opium trader and island owner Sir James Matheson in 1847.

Hurricane update - 29 March

Tropical cyclone Paul is a strong tropical storm which is hovering off the west coast of the Gulf of Carpentaria, on the north coast of Australia. The system is carrying winds of 60 knots (70 mph) near its centre, although the radius of strongest winds is only 30 miles. Paul will track inland, but then reemerge over the open waters of the Gulf near Groote Eylandt and regain strength. Bearing in mind that the waters of the Gulf of Carpentaria are warm, it is worth watching very carefully what happens.

There is a large degree of uncertainty over Paul's future track.