Caithness & Sutherland

William Cameron came to New York in the 1920's from the little fishing village of Portskerra, which lies on Melvich bay facing the North Sea and the Orkney Islands. Portskerra is geographically within the County of Sutherland but administratively within the civil parish of Reay, which is in Caithness. To complicate things from a genealogical point of view Portskerra lies within the parish of Strathy so many Portskerra people would have birth and marriage records in Caithness and Burial records in Sutherland. See the Caithness and Sutherland Genealogy Page.

 

The Melvich Hotel

Portskerra is down the road to the left and the North sea is in the background. The Orkney Islands can barely be seen in the distance.

 

 Portskerra Pier from the Drownings Memorial with Melvich beach in the Background. The fishing industry is mostly gone from here now but there are still a few boats and a few fisherman carrying on the tradition. Looks peaceful now but many men died, caught in storms in the bay, within sight of their homes.

"The Portskerra Drownings"

"Erected to the memory of the men"

"Who were of this community and who"

"Perished within sight of their homes"

 

Free Church at Strathy

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Tombstone for William Cameron born 1865, died 1931

and his wife Elizabeth Macintosh born 1868 died 1955.

Strathy Cemetery with the beach and Strathy Point in the background.

Lends meaning to the phrase "rest in peace"

Strathy Point from Strathy Cemetery

 

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