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Beacon in the West
£9.99
Beacon in the West—A Hundred Years of the Stornoway Trust
A century of community land ownership on Lewis
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About the Ebook
In 1918 Lord Leverhulme bought the island of Lewis with ambitious plans to massively expand its fishing industry and increase its population.
In 1923, when his plans had failed, he offered it free of charge to the islanders in two parts. One part, which included impoverished rural areas, was economically unviable. But the other, based around the busy fishing port and administrative centre of Stornoway, was a different matter. In accepting Leverhulme's offer, the hardheaded, churchgoing business class of Stornoway took on the responsibility of making the radical slogan 'Land for the People' a reality. It was an unlikely coupling, but it worked to perfection.
The 20th century was a tumultuous time for Lewis. Migration and depopulation were exacerbated by two world wars. Such problems could not be addressed in the lottery of private landownership, but in the stable, democratic government of the Stornoway Trust, town and country alike would weather the storms.
Roger Hutchinson tells the story of those storms, and of the people who guided their pioneering estate into the relative security and prosperity of the 21st century. In doing so he paints a vivid portrait of a unique landholding experiment, of Highland land struggle and of the island of Lewis itself.
Why You'll Love This Ebook
- Discover a century of community land ownership on Lewis
- Explore the impact of the Stornoway Trust on island life
- Engage with a significant chapter of Highland land reform history
- Read another celebrated title from Origin - an imprint of Birlinn Ltd
About the Author
Roger Hutchison is an award-winning author and journalist. In 1977 he joined the West Highland Free Press. His book The Soap Man: Lewis, Harris and Lord Leverhulme was shortlisted for the Saltire Scottish Book of the Year in 2004 and Calum's Road was shortlisted for the Royal Society of Literatures Ondaatje Prize in 2007.Publication Details
Publisher: Origin (an imprint of Birlinn Ltd)
Publication Date: 07 June 2024
Print Length: 224 pages (Ebook edition)
ISBN (Ebook): 9781788855938
Format: Ebook
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