Minister From St. Kilda

Dr. Duff was followed in 1872 by the Rev. James B. Mackenzie who had been born in St. Kilda where his father was minister. Mr. Mackenzie was greatly interested in antiquarian subjects but was also very skilful in
photography which at that time was in its infancy. He had a limited knowledge of medicine which he put to good use in his visitation of the parish. There seems to have been a good relationship between the Parish minister, and the incumbents of the Free Church. Dr. Duff and Mr.
Mackenzie on the one hand, and Mr. Sinclair and Mr. McMillan on the other were able to contain the latent bitterness which in other places caused disgrace to the church life.

After the trauma of the evictions, the economic life of the parish settled down in the second half of the nineteenth century. The black-faced sheep became the mainstay of the farming economy, and there was an upsurge of interest in the breeding of bigger and better cattle. The Ayrshire cow was introduced for the higher milk yield, and it was found that the Ayrshire crossed with the Shorthorn gave a sturdy and worthwhile beast.
In Fearnan the crofts were maintained, sometimes as an extra income to a trade,and sometimes as the sole support of a family.

It is not so long ago that the old folk of Fearnan recalled with some pleasure, the fourteen horses going home at the end of the day’s work. The cattle on the crofts
grazed on the common land which had been given to the crofters by the laird.

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