Hi Malcolm, I saw your reply about the Rosehall Estate, which reminded me of a newspaper clipping I have. It is supposedly written by my husband's great, great grandfather, Thomas McBeath, but he appeared to use the alias of John Sutherland for this piece. I have copied it out below for you. The CLAIM OF THE ROSEHALL COTTARS. TO THE EDITOR OF THE NORTHERN ENSIGN. SIR,--Seeing by your last two issues that this case is still before the public, I beg through your valuable columns to give a correct, truthful statement of this long-continued case. Some years ago the proprietor of Rosehall built some slated cottages and a smithy, which are rented by trades-men and others as yearly tenants. These cottages never had the right of any grazing attached to them when let. I can confirm this the more, as I rented some of them for 18 years, and still continue to rent one of them, and during this time I paid £157 of rent, as my receipts will show, but never had a right to any grazing with them. Four of these cottages are tenanted by the alleged cottars who claimed a right to the Westpoint Park grazing. Their names are George Ross, blacksmith-rent until Whitsunday last, £13, reduced then to £6; William M’Leod, carpenter -rent until Whitsunday last, £4, reduced then to £3; William M’Leod, ploughman, only became tenant at Whitsunday-rent £2 12; Hector Cameron also became tenant at Whitsunday last -rent £3. At Martinmas 1880, Mr M’Leay, late of Achness, took a lease of Achness, Rosehall Meadows, and Westpoint Park, which lease terminated at Whitsunday last. There was no clause in the lease binding Mr M’Leay to give grazings to any one. Neither of the four alleged cottars had a cow when Mr M’Leod got the lease, but sometime afterwards Wm, M’Leod, carpenter, and George Ross, blacksmith, got cows, and Mr M’Leay gave them grazing in Westpoint Park at 30s each a year. In October, 1887, some of the Altass crofters petitioned the Scottish Provident Institution to restore to them some meadow- pasture of which they were deprived some years ago. They got a reply that they could not get this, as it was let on lease to another party, but that they would get the Rosehall Meadows and Westpoint Park when Mr M’Leay’s lease expired, it being necessary to have the Westpoint Park attached to the meadows, as the latter are in the time of floods covered with water to the depth of several feet, so that the cattle have to be removed to the park for safety. The extent of the park is about 50 acres. It becoming known that these grazings were offered, other crofters applied for a share in the grazings, and, after a great deal of correspondence, a bargain was concluded and a lease given in February last. During all this time the crofters never applied for a share in the grazings or for the Westpoint Park, but no sooner did the crofters get the lease than the cottars applied to the Scottish Provident Institution for the park. They got a reply that it was on lease to others. They then valued the park for themselves at £4, and sent the money to the Scottish Provident Institution, stating that they were to keep the park. The money was at once returned to them. On 26th May last the crofters put a lock on the gate and took possession of the park. The crofters offered grazing to them at £1 for each cow, their cows to graze with the crofters’ cattle. This offer they refused. The proprietors offered them grazing in an adjacent park, but this offer they also refused. The Scottish Provident Institution afterwards applied to the Sheriff to have them interdicted from putting their cattle into the Westpoint Park, and this the Sheriff granted. The cottars now say that they have been led by other parties’ advice to act as they have done, and that these persons now leave them to the mercy of the lawyers. The law expenses of the case amounts to about £20. These advisers, in place of securing milk for these poor people’s weak families, and which they so very much require, only succeeded in plunging them into difficulties. I am, &c., JOHN SUTHERLAND. Durcha, Rosehall, Dec. 15, 1888. There was also a Rosehall Land League, (Thomas McBeath was a member), which met on a monthly basis to campaign for the crofters. Hope you find it of interest Regards Carole McBeath (Glasgow)