Angus Gunn, who lived at Sea View, Portgower and who was a Miller. The former mill was close to the family home, on the Helmsdale side of Sea View, but it was later demolished. This picture of Angus was taken beside the hen-house in the steep garden behind Sea View.
The top picture is of Angus Gunn, who lived at Sea View, Portgower and who was a Miller. The former mill was close to the family home, on the Helmsdale side of Sea View, but it was later demolished. This picture of Angus was taken beside the hen-house in the steep garden behind Sea View.
Angus and his wife Alexandrina Gunn (nee McKay) had seven children
The second picture down shows my Great-Grandparents at the door of Sea View, which was built in 1880. Standing, L-R: Bellahelen (Nell) Gunn, daughter, and Alexandrina Gunn (nee McKay) wife. Seated, L-R: Angus Gunn, father, and (possibly) Mary Gunn, daughter.
Christine Gunn, also a nurse, who won the Royal Red Cross at the front-lines in WW1.
(The Royal Red Cross was established by Queen Victoria and was ‘Awarded to a Nurse, Nurse's Aid or Volunteer who has performed an exceptional act of bravery and devotion to her post of duty.’ It was awarded to a maximum 5% of the total service establishment at a given time, and it’s unusual that two Helmsdale sisters earned one each in two different world wars. I’ve attached a .jpg showing the medal itself.)
Meg Gunn was a teacher who used to cycle from Portgower to Kildonan daily to teach at the school there. She married Willie Spence from Orkney and subsequently emigrated to Canada, where they raised a family.
James Gunn moved to Dundee and raised a family there.
John Gunn was a banker who moved to Canada and married a Frenchwoman, Giselle, known to my father Gordon as ‘Ma Tante Giselle.’
And finally our grandmother Barbara Gunn, who was a teacher and headmistress and who married Joseph Craig of County Durham. Barbara went on to campaign about health issues on behalf of disadvantaged families in Teesside, where she also brought up a family.
The third picture is believed to be of Christine Gunn in the garden of Sea View in Portgower.
L-R Angus,Miller of Portgower Mill, William (Rev Dr) famous missionary
who wrote books and contributed research concerning the New Hebrides,
Alex who went to live in Edinburgh, George, Rector of the Wick Academy,
and finally John who ran the Golspie Mill.
It is surely worth noting that these men were the children of James
Gunn.b.1818, born Badbea, who in turn was the son of John Gunn b.1787
whose name is inscribed on the Badbea monument.
This new website by Martin and Lynn Craig is a contact and information point for descendants whose families were dispersed after the last person left Badbea in 1911.
The Clearance Village of Badbea, Caithness, Scotland.