Kenneth Campbell - Black Kenneth
Kenneth Campbell was born c.1727 (he
was stated to be 78 in 1805). He was the eldest son.
Rev. John Buchanan in his "Travels in the Western Hebrides
1782 - 1790" gives a very harsh portrayal of Kenneth:-
"There lives, at present, at Scalpa, in the Isle of
Harris, a tacksman of a large district, who in six days
work paid by the subtenants to his predecessor in the
lease has raised the predial service, called in that
and other parts of Scotland, manerial bondage, to 52
days in the year at once, besides many other services
to be performed at different though regular and stated
times, such as tanning brogues, making heather ropes
for thatch, digging and drying peats for fuel, one pannier
of peat charcoal to be carried to the smith, so many
days for gathering and shearing sheep and lambs, for
ferrying cattle from island to island, and other distant
places, and several days for going on distant errands,
so many pounds of wool to be spun into yarn. And over
and above all this, they must lend their aid, upon any
unforeseen occurrence, whenever they are called on.
The constant service of two months at once is performed,
at the proper season, in the making of kelp. On the
whole, this gentleman's subtenants can be computed to
devote to his service full three days in the week. But
this is not all: they have to pay, besides yearly, a
certain number of cocks, hens, butter and cheese, called
the Caorigh-Ferrin, the Wife's Portion! This, it must
be owned, is one of the most severe and vigorous tacksmen,
descended from the old inhabitants in all the Western
Hebrides"
and
"..rich and independent, this man, it is said, took
his father's lease over his head. The old man and wife,
stung with vexation and grief, rather than live in some
adjoining hut at the mercy of such a son, went with
the rest of their family to America, where the aged
parents of this unnatural child died soon after in wretched
poverty. He afterwards turned out of his large and fine
farm, the whole of his relations, who held little possessions
on it, and who fell soon into great want" (see Donald
Campbell for alternative version).
