Biography

It appears that Donald was born at the start of the Highland Clearances and as a result, there is only speculation on which family Donald belonged to.  There is no direct evidence that Donald was of the chiefly line, rather the contrary.  He was not a Scottish landowner, not a well educated man, but a weaver, who preferred to speak Gaelic, even after many years in New Zealand.

Not much is known about Donald and his family prior to when they immigrated to New Zealand other than it is most likely he was a weaver by trade.  It is suggested that Weavers made good wages until the advent of the power loom[1].  So by about 1830 it is likely that Donald would have found it hard making a living as a weaver.  Further, he would have seen little opportunity for employment for his children so emigration would have had its attractions.Conditions in the new colony could surely have not been worse than they were in the Highlands at that time.

It is said that Donald worked at some time on the Caledonian Canal and saved his wages for the future.  He also went down to Paisley to further his weaving skills. Donald apparently observed all he could about weaving methods and also encouraged Paisley weavers to join him in emigrating to New Zealand.

It is also suggested that Donald and his sons worked on the Caledonian Canal to save money for the shift to New Zealand.  All this suggests that the move to New Zealand was planned some time ahead.  The canal construction commenced in 1803, was officially opened through its entire length in 1822, but it was not until 1847 that all the improvements had finally been made and the canal was considered to be complete to its full depth[2].

Donald’s youngest child Duncan was born in 1834 in Ockle, and it is likely that some time between 1835 and 1838 he moved his family to Ormsaigmore on the southern coast of Ardnamurchan.  Ormsaigmore was more accessible to the ferries needed to take them the 100 km to Fort William and the start of the canal.

Although it would have been more convenient to move to Fort William, Donald and his family did not do this.  This may have been due to strong family ties in Ardnamurchan, the relative cost of accommodation, or perhaps the wages, food, and living conditions for the canal builder were poor.

In 1840 it is likely that Donald and his family lived in very small stone huts, probably with an earth floor and a thatched roof.

It is stated that Donald’s daughter Catherine with her son Walter returned to Ardnamurchan and had found that the poverty and lack of education had not changed.  Most of the relatives back home thought them to be well off and did not believe some of their accounts of sheep, gold, and show were not well believed.  Catherine and Walter were happy to return home after this encounter.

All of this would indicate that Donald had no choice but to migrate, as the current conditions were grim.  Factory work in the cities was not appealing leaving the only choice as immigration.