Merkinch Revisited
by John Barnes, John Ross and Mark de Comerford

| Preface | Prologue | Introduction | Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5 | Chapter 6 |

INTRODUCTION

‘CHANGING TIDES’

The Merkinch lies on the west bank of the tidal estuary of the River Ness and every one who has crossed the ‘Black Bridge’ knows this estuary experiences considerable changes of tide. In many ways the social history of the Merkinch can be likened to ‘changing tides’. The old gives way to the new and yet strong traditions continue, and folk-memories are very strong. For example, after the Second World War (1939 - 45), some families living in older parts of the Merkinch were allocated local authority houses in Dalneigh - the children of these families were pupils of the Merkinch Primary School.

Unlike children from other areas of Inverness, who transferred to Dalneigh School as their parents had taken up residence there - the ex-Merkinch pupils continued to attend Merkinch Primary. They had no intention of transferring allegiance to any other school - even though they passed it on their way to Merkinch! Such community solidarity and loyalty has been typical of generations of Merkinchers.

In this modest volume we have adopted a specific conceptual approach to our subject, based on two intellectual assumptions. We assume that the history of any social grouping is a product of certain social forces or processes; and we also assume a particular definition of what the word ‘history’ means. Two of the most dynamic social processes creating and shaping the day-to-day life of any community are the process of ‘change’ and the process of continuity. People, places, social institutions and lifestyles are forever changing. Yet throughout the change there runs a thread of continuity. Generation succeeds generation, new buildings arise on the site of old ones, industries grow and decline, shops, educational, religious and recreational institutions evolve from the old to the new. People’s lifestyles adapt to the changing conditions of society, yet there is a discernible continuity - running through all this change.

The working definition of ‘history’, which we use in this work, is three fold. Thus, history is a record of the past. It is an illumination of yesterday and perhaps the day before yesterday, but history is also a description of the various social groups and movements of today, and history is also somewhat visionary, in sketchily outlining what the historical actors of the present aspire to in the future. This is a definition of ‘living’ history.

The example given of the loyalty of the Merkinch Pupils to their school is an illustration of how historical change and continuity co-exist, and of how the past is related to the present and to the future.

In using this conceptual framework to present a practical record of some aspects of life in the Merkinch in the past one hundred years we have followed a distinct pattern. First we have a section on the ‘dim and distant’ past. This is followed by some background material on early boat building; the story of the Kessock Ferry (which provided the first reason for people travelling through this area), and the construction of the Thornbush Quay. We then move on to industries, which were established and developed in the Merkinch from the mid 19th century. These were the Thornbush Slipway, The Glen Albyn and Glen Mhor distilleries, Mackintosh’s Aerated Water Manufactory; a cannery in Telford Street; a tannery in Gilbert Street; and of course the herring fishing industry.

The next section treats of the development of the various social facilities, which served the needs of the people, housing, shops, religious, educational and recreational. We follow this with a section on the way of life of the residents of the Merkinch over the years. This is illustrated by means of a number of reminiscential accounts by typical contemporary or former residents obtained in face-to-face interviews and supplemented by textual vignettes or ‘word snap-shots’, gleaned from past editions of local newspapers, and other sources.

In the final section we give brief descriptions of contemporary, social groups and institutions who are in the vanguard of creating ‘living history’- the history of today - in the Merkinch, and are thus possibly helping to shape the history of tomorrow.

| Preface | Prologue | Introduction | Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5 | Chapter 6 |

This project is being part-financed by the European Union under the Inverness and Nairn CED programme.