View across the Outer Harbour of Stornoway

Wednesday 7 September 2011

Wednesday 7 September

Another day of sunshine and showers, the latter being of the beafy variety. Later in the day, as the showers move away east, they leave behind a legacy of rainbows. This island is famous for its rainbows in spring and autumn. Talking of autumnal weather, we are on warning for some very severe weather. The long range forecasts give us winds of 65 mph, gusting to 85 mph, on Monday afternoon. The National Hurricane Center in Miami says that the remnant of Hurricane Katia will scoot just north of the Hebrides after the weekend, carrying hurricane force winds near its centre. The weekend is not going to be good, but Monday and Tuesday will be extremely bad. I am not given to refer to the weather here as either extreme or bad, but this is going to be one of those events.

I have completed my researches (as much as possible) into the witnesses who gave evidence to the Napier Commission during its sessions in the Outer Hebrides in May and June 1883. The information shows the make-up of their families, names of spouses and children, and if possible the date and circumstances of their death. I know of at least one person whose great-grandfather was a witness, 128 years ago.

If anyone wants to publish a tribute to one of the victims of 9/11, please visit the website of Project 2996. There are more than 2,100 names left without a tribute - many of them used to have one, but they were lost when people closed down their blogs. You can easily research any of those people, and even just a mention of their name would already be sufficient.

Where was I at 8.46 EDT on 11 September 2001? I was at my last place of work when the storekeeper emerged from his office with this strange look on his face. He said that planes had flown into the World Trade Center in New York. Four hours later, replays on the television brought home the horror of that day.

1 comment:

  1. I remember 9/11 well too. I was on a train returning from the Court of Appeal in London to my office in South Wales when an American lady traveller received a call telling her about it. She was clearly shocked as she told everyone in the carriage of the tragic event. I then saw it on TV screens in the town. Unbelievable! Good luck with the forthcoming storm. Batten down the hatches.

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